Help improve the experience of using the catalog for everyone by sharing your thoughts on items with the wider library community. The information you add to items in the catalog makes it easier for other members to discover new titles, and helps them determine if these items are of interest.
In addition to search and borrowing features you expect, this site enables you to add your thoughts about titles you’ve borrowed from your library. This content can be as simple as a one-click star-rating you give to a DVD you borrowed, or it can be a carefully considered summary of a book you’ve just finished. You can also add comments, quotations, age suitability ratings, content advisories, similar titles, and tags to help others find the item by searching. How much content you add is up to you.
Why Add Content?
You may wonder “Why should I bother? I’m really busy. And does anyone really care what I think?” Here are just a few reasons why you should take a few seconds to offer some feedback on titles you’ve borrowed.
- Help other library members. Every one of us has an area of interest or expertise. Know something about woodworking, genealogy or Italian cooking? Got an opinion on the best books for pre-schoolers, or which Oscar Peterson recordings are the classics? Share it. The content you add guides other members to discover items of interest to them, and helps them determine if you would be a good person to “follow” as a source of recommendations.
- Help your library. You know how important your library is to your community. Adding content to the catalog makes it a more valuable asset to your library.
- Voice your opinions. Everyone has an opinion about a movie they’ve watched or a book they’ve just read. Share yours. It’s fun.
- Track your borrowing. Star-rating or commenting on titles can help remind you what you’ve enjoyed when you’re choosing new titles in the future.
For information on the different types of information you can add, see the individual help topics in this section on star-rating, comments, videos, tagging, summarizing, quotations, age suitability, and content advisories
Parent Information
For users in the United States, the Children’s Online Privacy Protection Act requires websites that collect personal information from children to obtain parental consent. For this reason, children are not allowed to display their real names, nor can they type their own usernames, enter comments, or add other kinds of content that require typing, since these could be used inappropriately.
Features for users aged 12 and under
Children 12 and under can:
- add star ratings
- add age suitability
- add similar titles
- create lists using pre-defined titles
What happens when my child turns 13?
At the end of the month in which a child turns 13, his or her account will automatically have the same privileges and features as an adult account. The system does not store exact birth dates, so the change occurs at the end of the month, rather than on the actual birthday.
Content Moderation
Comments, summaries and other information you add appear in the library’s catalog immediately. We assume that all users will exercise good judgment when posting comments. A reporting function enables the greater community to flag content that is objectionable.