On the Same Page: LINkcat and the LINKcat App at Reedsburg Public Library

Headlining Reedsburg Public Library’s activities next week is Using LINKcat, part of the Tech Days series hosted monthly by Assistant Library Director Caitlin Opatik, on Monday, Nov. 25 at 2 p.m. in the library’s Community Room.

As a reminder, the library will be closed for the Thanksgiving holiday next Thursday and Friday, Nov. 28 and 29, and will close at 6 p.m. on Wednesday evening, Nov. 27. The library will resume regular hours for the Nov. 30-Dec. 1 weekend.

The term LINKcat is meant to encompass the concepts of both “linking” or “sharing” and “catalog.” Since the early 1990’s most libraries have digitized their card catalogs to become online catalogs. The shared online catalogs of over 50 South Central Library System libraries make up the LINKcat catalog. This shared system allows users to place holds on materials not only in their own library, but other SCLS libraries as well, and have those items delivered to their home library. Reedsburg Public Library’s inventory becomes 3.5 million items or 900,000 titles when the holdings of all the other libraries are considered. South Central Library System’s red delivery trucks exchange materials between libraries five days a week.

Using LINKcat is easy, either from your home computer or from the app on your mobile device. On your home computer, access LINKcat from the library’s homepage at www.reedsburglibrary.org. At the top left hand side of the screen you will see the LINKcat search bar. Simply type in the title, author or subject you are looking for to get started. Once you are in the catalog, click on “place hold” for each title you wish to reserve. Enter your library card number and pin number (usually four digits for the month and date of your birth) to place the hold. If the item is located at RPL, library staff will pull the book for you and place it on the holds shelf. If the item is located at another SCLS library, the book will be sent via the delivery van to Reedsburg. Patrons may be notified of holds ready via phone call, text or email.

If an item is in the library, and not checked out to another patron, the hold usually comes to Reedsburg within a couple of days.

The LINKcat app, when downloaded to your phone, may actually be used as your library card. To get the LINKCat app for your device, use the App Store for Apple devices or Play Store for Android. Search for LINKcat Mobile. Once installed, enter your library card number manually or scan your card with your phone. Now you may easily search the catalog and place holds at any time. Also, if you forget your library card at home, you can go to the “My barcode” tab near the top of the app display and use that to check out your materials with library staff, or at the self-check kiosk.

At Monday’s session, Opatik will not only explain this basic use of LINKcat, but also how to use the advanced search feature, access your library dashboard, renew books online, and suspend your holds.

Remember, if you cannot find the item you are looking for through LINKcat, library staff may still be able to get it for you from outside the South Central Library System.

If you have questions about any library program or service, call the library at 608-768-READ (7323) or email info@reedsburglibrary.org.