The Library System's Virtual Branch

Some of you may have noticed the new look to the Adams County Library System’s website. We implemented the new website in mid-January and we are still trying to get used to it.

Many of you may be asking why our website is so important to the library. As libraries continue to evolve the manner in which we provide services, more and more of the information the library has is only available in electronic formats. The library’s website is the portal, a great internet word, which you use to access these great library services.

We are now looking at the website as our eighth branch of the Adams County Library System.

At this branch, you can register for a card, you can manage your library record, you can research a project, you can place books on hold, you can a download video, and some time in the near future you will be able to download audio books again.

To do most of these things you will need a library card, as I mentioned earlier, you can register online or you can get a card in any of the physical branches of the Adams County Library System. Once you have a card, the important piece of information on the card is the card number found on the back of the card. It is a fourteen digit number. Although the number has spaces in it, you should ignore the spaces and think of it as a single number.

This number gives you access to all the great research information we have on the Internet which you can use from home. One item you can use from home is the POWERLibrary. You can get full text magazine articles here and dozens of other informational databases. With the ID number you can also get access to Census records in HeritageQuest, an Encyclopedia in World Book, and watch videos through MyLibraryDV.

One other thing you can do on our website is reserve books and renew items. When you log into your account you are asked again for Patron ID which is that 14 digit number, but you will be asked for a pin. Your pin number is the last four digits of your patron ID number.

This library model is called a Virtual Branch and it is very common among libraries today. It is our way of trying to stay as current as possible and provide as much service as we can.