News and Stories

We’re excited to share another improvement to your upgraded catalogue experience.

Between February 3 and February 4, a brand-new Account Portal will be added to VIRL’s upgraded catalogue. This new feature makes managing your library account easier, clearer, and more accessible than ever before. The Account Portal replaces the current My Bookshelf window — the area you’ve been using to view checkouts, holds, fines, and profile information. Based on feedback from library users about accessibility and ease of use, our catalogue vendor has redesigned this experience from the ground up. The result? A single, modern interface where all your account features live in one place — with clearer navigation, a full-page view, and improved accessibility for everyone.

What is the Account Portal?

The Account Portal is your new home base inside the upgraded catalogue. From one simple, easy-to-use location, you can:

• View and renew checkouts
• Manage holds
• Track reading history
• View fines and fees
• Save searches and bookmarks
• Manage saved materials and lists
• Update account details

All the core features you had in My Bookshelf are still here — now better organized, easier to find, and designed to work smoothly across devices and assistive technologies.

Why the change?

Many library users told us that My Bookshelf was difficult to navigate and not fully accessible. We listened.

The new Account Portal was specifically developed to:

• Improve accessibility for screen readers and assistive technology
• Reduce clutter and confusion
• Provide clearer menus and page layouts
• Bring all account tools into one consistent experience

This is another step in making the upgraded catalogue welcoming and usable for everyone.

What will change for me?

When the Account Portal launches:

• My Bookshelf will be replaced automatically
• All your existing checkouts, holds, lists, and saved items will still be there
• You’ll access your account from the upgraded catalogue just as you do now — only with a new, improved interface

No action is required on your part.

What won’t change?

• Your library card and login stay the same
• Your saved lists, bookmarks, and reading history remain intact
• Your holds and renewals work exactly as before

Only the layout and navigation are changing — not your content.

When is this happening?

The Account Portal will be added to the upgraded catalogue between February 3 and February 4.

Need a little time to adjust?

Change can take getting used to — and that’s okay. The new Account Portal is designed to feel intuitive, but we’ll share guidance and FAQs to help you get comfortable quickly.

Also, check out the screenshots below to see a before and after (from My Bookshelf to the Account Portal login).

Questions?

We’re here to help. Check back on this page as we add more FAQs, or email us at info@virl.bc.ca