Myned Your own Library Business

If you own an Apple iDevice, you can now download a free app that will connect you to the Mercer County Library System. Called BookMyne, the app will also eventually be available for Android and Blackberry users and can be used to access your library account or place holds while on the go.

To get the app, visit the App Store from your iPhone, iPod Touch iPad or through iTunes. The app is produced by SirsiDynix. Once installed, look for libraries tab at the bottom of the app to get started by finding your local library. Even though you will have access to all branches of the Mercer County Library System, you should look for your local branch in the app so search for Ewing or Twin Rivers, for example. You could also use the Nearby tab at the top of the app to let the device’s location settings find libraries within 25 miles and pick your branch from there. Once you find the branch in the list, touch the star to add it to your favorites – you can have more than one favorite, so pick as many as you would like.

Once connected to us through one of the branches, you can use the other tabs at the bottom of the app, which include Search, My Account and Suggested.

The search is a simple keyword search that lets you look for phrases, titles or authors in our library catalog. The results screen will show a list of titles and you can touch one to get more details about a particular item. Details may also include a summary or other additional information about the title and an action button you can touch to place a hold, send an e-mail about the title or add it to one of your saved lists. If you do want to place a hold, you will be presented with a confirmation screen that will verify the branch you want to have the item sent to, you can hit the confirm button to place the hold or change the pick-up location by touching the library name and picking another branch from the drop-box.

The My Account tab lets you review the items you have checked out, your holds list, your lists and any fines you may have on your account. As with the web version of our catalog, you can renew items listed under the checked out items list. Just tap the radio button next to each item you want to renew and then touch the renew selected bar at the bottom of the screen. You will either be given a new due date or informed of any titles that cannot be renewed and need to be returned to the library.

Finally, the Suggested tab offers you the ability to look up items that appear on bestseller and awards lists. This part of the app uses data from goodreads and presents a spin wheel of bestseller and award winner lists. Touch a list in the top spin wheel and the list appears in the bottom of the screen. If you want to see if the library has a particular book, touch the title in the bottom list and it will search our catalog. If you have a goodreads account, you may log in and use the Social tab to share your reading lists with your goodreads friends.

- Laura N.