Library Online Catalog Tutorial

Everyone in the Central Penn College community (students, faculty, and staff) automatically has a personal library account. 

To access the account and use its features (including placing holds and viewing what you have checked out), click on the "LOG IN TO YOUR ACCOUNT" button in the upper-right corner of the screen on the online catalog homepage (shown below). You will be directed directly to my.centralpenn. Log in with the same email and password you use for all other schools systems.

By placing a hold on an item, you indicate to the library staff that you want to check out that item--even though you are not physically in the library at that time.  (If you are in the library and find any items you would like to check out, please bring them to the Circulation Desk.)  If you are close to the Summerdale campus, you'll be able to pick the item up there.  There are also options to pick up at the Lancaster Center and for items to be mailed to online students.

Once you find an item in the library catalog you would like to check out, go to the item's Detail screen and look in the middle-right area of the screen where there is a list of options.  Click on "Place hold," and when the system prompts you to confirm the hold, click the "Confirm hold" button.

After you are logged in to your library account, you can view what items you have checked out, whether you have any holds, and many other useful things.  Click in the upper-right corner where it says "Welcome," and then click on "Your Account."

Then you will see a variation of the screen below (depending on your account activity). 

In this example, the patron has items checked out--which can be renewed while you're logged in to your account simply by either clicking the checkbox next to the item and/or clicking on "Renew all."

You can also change your contact information under "your personal details" and adjust the notices you receive and how you receive notices under "your messaging". If you wanted to receive notices by text, under "your messaging" would be where you would select which SMS (text) notices you would like to receive, and enter your SMS (cell phone) number and provider.

If you have any questions or problems when accessing your online library account, please contact the library.