On principle, I never minded my husband asking me to pick up, return, and request his library books – before. But standing at the stove with two pots nearing critical heating points, my patience flamed out.
Instead of snapping, Do it yourself! I patronizingly said “Let me tell you how to request books right there on your phone!”
I led him through the log-in while stirring the roux and consulting the recipe book I’d checked out, and that reminded me of the embarrassment of riches libraries provide communities.
Admittedly, some of this was inspired by an essay by Jamie Vander Broek I recently read – “On the Vast and Multitudinous Worlds of the Library.”
“Libraries offer both a mirror of one’s interests and limitless, individualized paths to explore new territory,” Vander Broek wrote.
To illustrate the point, even if we don’t own a specific item, the O’Fallon Public Library is part of SHARE – libraries in central and southern Illinois that form the largest consortium in the country. This means our patrons have access to almost 10 million items that they can order from their home library, PC, or phone and have delivered to OFPL.
We are also part of the WorldCat database that has over 5 million unique items and over 3 billion holdings that patrons may request.
The WorldCat catalog includes DVDs, historic photos, video games, musical scores, newspapers, and also unique items, such as “2,700-year-old jewelry and Soviet civilian medals.”
Vander Broek put it this way, “If you were patient enough, you could have personal access to every single one of those.”
But what really matters is that you can find what you’re looking for.
I meet many otherwise intelligent people, like my husband, who do not know what they have at their fingertips.
Here’s the inside scoop:
Type ofpl.info into your browser to reach our home page.
To login, click on My OFPL
From the drop-down menu, click My Account.
Sign-in with your 13-digit library barcode number (with no spaces). Your password is the last 4-digits of your phone number unless you changed it.
Click “Search” to look for a title.
Once you find what you want, just click REQUEST IT.
Soon your copy will be waiting our Hold Shelf.
That’s all well and good if you know what you want.
&
Materials Request
If you don’t, we have a webpage dedicated to Reading Suggestions.
There are links to:
- Best Sellers
- Book Page.
- New Children’s Items
- New York Times Book Review
- NoveList
- Race and Justice Resources
If you can’t find the title, O’Fallon Library cardholders can request it using the Materials Request link under the “My OFPL” drop-down menu.
Libraries are in service to the journeys of an individual’s mind – Jamie Vander Broek
Take advantage of all there is to offer – and that journey is at your fingertips.
Happy Reading! Susan C.
Since I mentioned a recipe book...
Cook this Book : Techniques that Teach & Recipes to Repeat by Molly Baz, is a new kind of foundational cookbook from Molly Baz, who’s here to teach you absolutely everything she knows and equip you with the tools to become a better, more efficient cook.
Molly breaks the essentials of cooking down to clear and uncomplicated recipes that deliver big flavor with little effort and a side of education, including dishes like Pastrami Roast Chicken with Schmaltzy Onions and Dill, Chorizo and Chickpea Carbonara, and of course, her signature Cae Sal.
But this is not your average cookbook. More than a collection of recipes, Cook This Book teaches you the invaluable superpower of improvisation though visually compelling lessons on such topics as the importance of salt and how to balance flavor, giving you all the tools necessary to make food taste great every time. Throughout, you’ll encounter dozens of QR codes, accessed through the camera app on your smartphone, that link to short technique-driven videos hosted by Molly to help illuminate some of the trickier skills.
As Molly says, “Cooking is really fun, I swear. You simply need to set yourself up for success to truly enjoy it.” Cook This Book will help you do just that, inspiring a new generation to find joy in the kitchen and take pride in putting a home-cooked meal on the table, all with the unbridled fun and spirit that only Molly could inspire.
The O'Fallon Public Library News 