Using the library
The centre's books are lent by members, to members. Everything you need for a first visit — signing in, finding a book, and giving it back.
Getting started
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Create your account
Sign in with your Google account, or register with an email address and password. Either way you end up in the same place.
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Confirm your email address
We send a single-use link the moment you register. You cannot borrow or list a book until you open it — that is what stops a mistyped address from quietly swallowing every reminder we send you. If it never arrives, sign in and ask for a new one.
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Find something to read
Search the catalogue by title, author, genre, ISBN, or book ID. You can also narrow by genre, by language, and to books that are available right now.
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Check it out
Open the book and press Check this book out. You will see whose copy it is, along with their phone number and email — that is the person you arrange collection and return with.
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All copies out? Join the queue
Press Place a hold and you are in line for the next copy. The owner and the library admins are told, and while anybody is waiting the book cannot be extended — so it comes back on its due date.
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Need longer? Extend it
From 7 days before a book is due — or any time once it is overdue — My loans shows an Extend button that gives you another 1 month, up to 2 times per loan. The owner is told. If somebody has a hold on the book it cannot be extended — others are waiting, so please return it.
Lending your own books
- Adding a book
- Use Add a book. Title and author are required; genre, language, year, ISBN and the number of copies are yours to fill in. Language starts on English — change it for a Tamil, Hindi, or Telugu copy.
- Photographs
- Up to 5 per book. The first becomes the cover shown in the catalogue, so lead with the front cover. You can pick files you already have or take a photo there and then, and either way straighten, crop and size it before it is saved.
- Staying in control
- The book remains yours. You are emailed whenever somebody borrows it or places a hold on it, and only you or an admin can mark it returned.
- Your shelf
- My books shows everything listed under your name, and who currently has each copy.