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This is the final set of summaries.  (Phew!)  Tomorrow the individual and team winners will be announced!

Week Five Database Challenge

As many of you noted, business questions can be particularly challenging, especially for those of us who don’t tackle them often, and this was a two-parter!  Let’s start with the first question.

The Scenario:

A student is doing a presentation on the H.J. Heinz Co. for one of his college business classes. He needs to include some information about competitors to Heinz. Help him find Morningstar’s Fair Value Estimate on the ConAgra stock price.

Did you have any trouble using Morningstar to find the information? If so, how did you resolve the issue?

Well, apparently we wrote the question poorly because a lot of people tried to look up the Fair Value Estimate of Heinz (rather than ConAgra) in Morningstar.  That was an understandably frustrating experience because Heinz went private recently and is not listed in Morningstar.  Sorry about that!

Another challenge a lot of folks mentioned was trouble getting into the database. The likely culprit?  Our limitation of six simultaneous users.  This is not usually a problem, but when 200 people are trying to access the database at once it’s definitely more likely to happen!

As far as finding the requested information, many people were able to quickly identify the ticker symbol for ConAgra and locate the Fair Value Estimate.  However, a lot of you shared the experience of Devon E. from CLP, “I’ve never used this database before and was a little overwhelmed by all the stock-jargon when I got to the main page.”

A few people also noted that Morningstar includes a section about competitors, which might prove useful to this patron.

And now on to part two:

He’s concerned that his presentation will be too dull, so in order to spice it up he also wants to find:

1. three products other than ketchup that the company makes
2. a slogan used by the company in the past
3. a list of historical facts about the company

Try to find each piece of information in both Business Source Premier and Business Insights: Global.

Were you able to find all of the information in both databases? Which was easier to use? Share something you liked and/or disliked about each database.

There wasn’t consensus on this one, and almost everyone acknowledged that either database could be utilized to help this patron.  Each has strengths over the other, and individual preference varied.

Multiple people appreciated that Business Source Premier allows limiting by article type.  On the other hand, many people found the consolidation of information and the “cleaner” Business Insights interface to be more appealing.

Lots of you commented that Business Insights is better for a quick overview, while Business Source Premier is useful for a more thorough, complete analysis.

Susan H. from Eastridge noted that the chronology in Business Insights ended with 2008, while the chronology in Business Source continued through the present.  Furthermore, as Kaarin V. from CLP discovered, the profile in Business Insights “made no mention of Warren Buffet taking over the company in February.”  Perhaps not an issue for this student’s needs, but a potential problem in many other cases.

Many of you included really fun historical facts in your responses (thanks!)  The slogans you reported finding?: “The slowest ketchup in the West,” “Beanz Meanz Heinz,” “57 Varieties,” “Good things come to those who wait,” “Dreamz Meanz Heinz,” and “Slow Good.”

Week Five Downloadables Challenge

The Scenario: A patron is looking for downloadable audio books for a short road trip. He wants one fast-paced title for each leg of the trip. It will take him between 4 and 5 hours each way.

Explore the two eAudio services we offer (CLP folks go to the eCLP page).

Which eAudio service would you use to help this patron and why?

We’ll keep this one short and sweet!

Our main goal with this question was to prompt you to discover the ability to limit by duration in OneClick, which many of you mentioned in your responses.  However, a lot of you would also recommend OverDrive, primarily because the collection is more extensive.  Several of you noted that once the OneClick search was limited by duration and genre, the results were fairly limited.

Rita B. from CLP summed up the thoughts of many when she stated, “For this patron, I’d use OneClick because of the ability to limit by duration, but if he wasn’t thrilled with the limited selection, I’d refer him to Overdrive.”

Week Six Database Challenge

The Scenario:

A patron stops in and says, “I was walking downtown this summer and there were what seemed like hundreds of people walking around in animal costumes! There was a sign that said “Welcome Furries!” What are Furries and why were so many in Pittsburgh?”

Using Newspaper Source Plus or MasterFile Complete, help this patron find articles explaining what the furries are and why they are in Pittsburgh. Limit your search to full text articles written in the past two years.

Share something interesting you learned about either the database you selected or the furries. Bonus points for anyone who shares something about both!

The patron decides they are very interested in the furries. Help them set up an automatic alert anytime new articles on furries are added to the database you selected.

Patrons need to create an Ebsco account in order to set and receive automatic alerts. Share at least one other benefit of having an Ebsco account.

Let us start by saying we are pleased to be the ones to introduce so many of you to the furries!

As far as which database offered the best results for this particular query, Newspaper Source Plus wins in a landslide!  Nearly everyone discovered that it yielded multiple relevant articles, while MasterFile came up with practically nothing.

You shared LOTS of interesting things about the furries, but in the interest of time and space (and focusing on our true purpose), we’ll stick to the interesting things you learned about the databases:

• you can translate full articles into over 25 different languages (including Bahasa Indonesian, but as Amy S. fro Northland discovered, there is no translation for “Furries,” at least in that language)
• you can listen to articles in American, British or Australian dialects – multiple respondents
• Newspaper Source Plus includes radio and TV news transcripts – multiple respondents
• the “Image Quick View” option allows you to view thumbnails of the images in an article right from the results list
• you can search for just cover stories using MasterFileComplete
• you can search both databases at the same time since they are both Ebsco products
• you can narrow your search to only articles with photographs
• both the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette and the Pittsburgh Tribune-Review are indexed with full text in Newspaper Source Plus
• Newspaper Source Plus also includes non-US newspapers

Here are the most commonly cited benefits to having an Ebsco account:

• save previous searches
• retain preferences
• save and organize articles and citations in folders
• access search history
• access saved information from any computer
• share searches and results

We also included a bonus question this week:
What is the common theme across all the eResource Challenge database questions?

We loved all of your answers to this question, but the one we were really looking for was Pittsburgh!  All of the topics in the database scenarios were related to Pittsburgh or the region.

And FINALLY, the final summary:

Week Six Downloadabes Challenge

The Scenario: A patron calls because they have just checked out some magazines but are taken to a screen that says their cart is empty and prompting them to purchase magazines. Help them find their free checked out magazines!

What do you need to tell this patron so they can access their library magazines?

This is another one we included because it has come up with some regularity lately.  A lot of you had difficulty recreating this scenario (a good thing!), which made it difficult to complete.

In this case, the patron was not automatically being directed to their library check-outs when they logged into the Zinio consumer site immediately following the check-out process.  It’s an unnerving experience, especially if the process has worked correctly before.  Luckily, the solution is simple. All the patron needs to do is click on the “Your Library” tab at the top of the page.

The Follow-up:

The patron also mentions that they would like to stop receiving advertising from Zinio, but they would like to receive notification when a new issue of their checked out magazines becomes available. What can you tell them?

Were you able to figure out how to do this? If so, what did you do?

This is a little tricky because, as far as we know, you can’t do both from the Zinio website.  Jennifer L. from The Library Place explains it this way, “I was able to figure out how to do it through the app, but not both on the website. On the website you can go to Account Settings and then Preferences. You can select No, to not receive notifications and save your changes. Within the app, if you tap More, then Notification Settings, you will be able to select how you want to be alerted as far as your subscription goes. Under ShopAdvisor you can select it not to be enabled.”

So, basically, it seems that you can change both settings in the app, but only change the advertising setting from the website.

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We hope you’ve found the eResource Challenge and these summaries to be a helpful and fun experience. We’ve definitely enjoyed it and learned a lot from your responses.  You’ll have have ample opportunity to tell us what you liked and didn’t like when we post an evaluation on Friday.  Thanks for playing along!

Today we’ll talk about the preferred resources and top tips and suggestions offered in response to the Week 3 and Week 4 challenges.  There’s a lot to digest here, but we think you’ll find it worthwhile to read through the summaries.

Week Three Database Challenge

The Scenario: A high school debate team member is preparing for an upcoming tournament. One of the topics that will be debated is hydraulic fracturing. The student will have to debate both sides of the issue during different rounds. Help the student find materials to articulate both sides of the issue.

Many of us start (and sometimes finish) our searches using Google, so for this challenge we’d like you to conduct this search in both Google and the Opposing Viewpoints database (you may also want to see what kind of results you get using Science in Context). Tell us, what are the advantages and disadvantages of each resource? When would you use one or the other, or both? Does the database offer any functionality or capability that Google does not?

In this challenge, the databases won out.  The consensus was that Opposing Viewpoints was the most effective option since it efficiently gathers together lots of authoritative information on the topic.  Respondents also described Science in Context as very useful, with several people noting that it seemed to offer more scholarly or academic material.  Unlike with the Willa Cather question, most people found Google to be too overwhelming for this topic, not to mention less discriminating and reliable.  On the flip side, as Mary P. from CLP noted, Google does offer more up-to-the-minute information, which could be useful in a high school debate.  She also discovered that using different search terms (“hydraulic fracturing”, “fracking”, “shale drilling”, “Marcellus shale”, etc.) had an impact on whether the search results were pro or con.  Several responses pointed out that in addition to recommending databases, we should be educating patrons on effective searching in Google.

Week Three Downloadables Challenge

The Scenario:
A dad is looking for ebooks to share with his six-year-old son. He tried browsing through the children’s fiction and nonfiction in OverDrive but found it a little overwhelming. What would you suggest to help him effectively narrow his search results in OverDrive?

What other eBook services could you recommend to him?

This challenge didn’t seem to be too challenging!  Every respondent offered at least one suggestion for how the dad might make his search more manageable.  The most popular suggestion was to use the available filters such as grade level, reading level, interest level, award winners, and device type.  These can be found using the advanced search or along the left side of the screen once the patron clicks in to a category in OverDrive.  Some people noted that some of the filters (primarily Lexile and ATOS) require that the parent know their child’s measurement/level.  Other popular suggestions for modifying the search included narrowing by subject and limiting to available copies.

There was a greater variety of responses to the second part of the question.  Most people pointed to BookFLIX and Tumblebooks as great options.  Caitlin B. from CLAV has this to say about the two services, “BookFlix encourages early literacy by pairing story books with relevant nonfiction books. I think the child would especially enjoy this service if there is a particular subject he is interested in. TumbleBooks offers animated picture books with sounds and music. It would be a good choice for a young child who is not yet an independent reader.”

eBooks on Ebsco was mentioned several times, as were various free ebook services such as Project Gutenberg (which has a children’s bookshelf), free books from Amazon, freekidsbooks.org, and Best Free Children’s eBooks Online, among others.

Quite a few CLP participants recommended pointing the father to the eCLP for Kids page, and Shaler is unique in offering eSebco.

Others suggested that audiobooks might be a good option for this child, either through OverDrive or OneClick.

A few people mentioned the Disney Digital Books, which we’re sad to report were recently canceled due to severe lack of use.

On a happier note, several people suggested digital magazines for children through Zinio.  Currently the options for kids are practically nonexistent in our Zinio collection, but we’re pleased to announce that several titles for kids will be added in December.

Week Four Database Challenge

The Challenge:  Select one of the scenarios below and compare the results of your searches between the Next Generation Catalog (NGC) and the NoveList database:

Scenario A. Adult Reference: A patron is looking for similar reads to a fictional mystery series set in Pittsburgh that they read some time ago. Unfortunately the patron does not remember the name of the series or the author.

Scenario B. Children’s Reference: A parent or child has just finished reading the entire Judy Moody series and are looking for something similar.

In your response, please indicate which scenario you selected. For Scenario A, please indicate which resource was best for identifying the mystery series. For both scenarios, did one resource offer better read-alikes than the other? What would be an advantage to using the NGC over NoveList and/or vice-versa?

NoveList was the preferred option for both scenarios, but people had positive things to say about using the NGC as well.   Participants found NoveList easy to use and felt the read-alikes were better because they were similar titles rather than additional titles in the same series, other titles by the same author, etc.  Jennifer L. from The Library Place was one of several respondents that appreciated the additional information, such as minimum/maximum grade level, writing style, genre, and age level found in NoveList, noting that these factors may also help in providing quality read-alike suggestions.

The key drawbacks that people mentioned related to NoveList prove to be the primary advantages for using the NGC.  Kristen K. from CLP wished NoveList had a catalog link to check for availability.  On a related topic, Susan H. from Eastridge mentioned that the NGC allows you to place a hold right away.

Week Four Downloadables Challenge

The Scenario: A patron calls and says, “I checked out an ebook in OverDrive, but when I go to my bookshelf in the app it’s not there. Where is it?”

How can you help this patron locate their ebook?

BONUS:  How can users sync their furthest point read and bookmarks across devices?

We included this challenge because it’s one of the most common to appear in our tech support email and through calls. (Shout out to the staff in the Music, Film & Audio Department who handle the bulk of our tech support).

Jennifer L. of The Library Place offered one of the clearest explanations.  She said, “I think the most clarifying way to start is to somehow explain that there are two separate ‘bookshelves,’ one through Overdrive on the library’s ebook site, and one in the device’s Overdrive App. You have to use both bookshelves to read a book on your device. Just borrowing the book will not download it to your device.”  To further clarify, once you check out the book it will appear on your bookshelf on the OverDrive site (or in the NGC).  One you download the book it will appear on your bookshelf in the app.  BrieAnn A. from Northern Tier also provided the correct answer, adding that she, “think[s] it’s really confusing how there are two ‘bookshelves’ – One where they actually read their books and one where they can download their books from.”  We agree, BrieAnn!

The bonus question proved challenging for many participants.  In truth, there is more than one answer.

Several people mentioned OverDrive One, which is currently in Beta. This is an opt-in service that requires patrons to create an OverDrive One account from within the OverDrive app and connect each of their devices to that account.  Once that’s done, the furthest point read and bookmarks will sync across all their devices.  Several people included the system requirements, which are an Android or iOS device running OverDrive Media Console 3 (OMC 3).  OMC3 requires iOS v6.0+ or Android v4.0+.

Another option offered by some is to use the OverDrive READ format.  If you recall from an earlier challenge, if you go to “Your Book, Everywhere” and click “Download,” your progress and bookmarks will be available across compatible devices and browsers.  You can also sign into your account from the OverDrive site, navigate to your Bookshelf there (not to be confused with the bookshelf in the app), and resume where you left off.

Still others mentioned that Kindle devices and apps that share the same Amazon account will sync the furthest point read and bookmarks.

Stay tuned for the final summary post tomorrow, and the announcement of the winners after that!

CONGRATULATIONS to everyone who completed the ACLA eResource Challenge!  For those of you who didn’t manage to complete all of the challenges, we applaud your participation and effort as well.  It was really exciting to have the level of engagement you all generated.  We can’t wait to announce the winners later this week!

For now, hopefully you’ll be satisfied with a summary of the responses from the Week One and Week Two challenges.  It’s a LOT of text, but may be almost as useful as completing the challenges!

Week One Database Challenge

The Scenario:  A college student approaches you and says, “We’re studying Willa Cather in my Lit class. Our teacher said she lived in Pittsburgh for a while and offered extra credit if we can find the following:  10 points for finding a street she lived on in Pittsburgh and 10 points for finding an article that talks about Cather’s literary development while in Pittsburgh.   

Using the literature and genealogy resources on the Find Articles (or, for CLP folks, the CLP database page, help this student earn 20 extra credit points.  

Did you run into any problems finding the requested information?  Do you have any tips for making either search easier or more successful?  Did you discover anything new about either database?  Is there anything else you’d like to share about your experience?    

Well, straight out of the gate it was clear that Google is a go-to starting point for many staff across Allegheny County.  Several participants noted that it was faster than using the databases.  Many quickly found a Post-Gazette article that discussed Cather’s time in Pittsburgh and included specific addresses for her.  Luckily, the teacher who assigned the extra credit would probably find a Post-Gazette article to be a reliable source.

Of the literature databases searched, the overwhelming favorite was Literature Resource Center.  Several people commented that the interface, organization, and search functions were easy to use and understand, including the advanced searching.  Multiple responses mentioned combining a keyword search for Pittsburgh with a “Person By or About” search on Cather.

Searching the genealogy databases for a specific street address for Cather proved to be a true challenge for many participants.  Some of those who did have success in using the genealogy resources mentioned the difficulty of reading the handwriting on the old census records.  Multiple responses included a plea for more training on Ancestry Library Edition, so stay tuned for that!  One fun discovery, from Cathy L. at CLP, was that she once lived on one of the same streets as Cather (Marchand).

Week One Downloadables Challenge

The Challenge: In the NGC, search for your favorite genre then limit to the OverDrive READ format and available copies. Pick a title and go through the checkout process. Once the book is checked out, go through the process of returning the book, but don’t leave the NGC!

Tell us, did you have any trouble completing this challenge? What is one advantage of using the NGC for ebooks?

There was practically universal praise for the ease of using the NGC to locate and check out ebooks, with the words “quick,” “easy,” and “straightforward” coming up over and over.  The top benefits listed were the “one-stop shopping” experience, with all formats (e, print, media, etc.) accessible from a single interface, and the fact that, as David K. from CLP stated, the “NGC keeps track of checked out ebooks and other materials all in one place.”

Bob M. from Wilkinsburg liked that using the NGC “minimizes the number of steps in the check out process,” and Pam. F, from Pleasant Hills said, “It’s nice to be able to see from the initial results list which ebook formats are available, as well as how many copies are available for checkout, and if they are already checked out, how many people are on the waitlist.”  An anonymous respondent noted that patrons only have to learn one interface if they check out ebooks through the NGC.

There were a few glitches, however.  Several people ran into trouble because the NGC or OverDrive was experiencing problems when they attempted their search.  The main stumbling block participants encountered, though, was from the automatic location filtering in the NGC when searching from within a library.  Many people recommended that e-content appear in the results regardless of location filters.  In the meantime, be sure to turn the location filter off if searching from within a library.

Another frequently cited problem was difficulty limiting to available items.  Sometimes the limit just didn’t want to stick!

The challenge creators also took note that our question was misleading.  We asked you to search for your favorite genre, implying that a specific genre search was available in the NGC.  Instead, participants had to figure out that a keyword search using genre was the way to start.  Everyone figured it out, but we apologize for the confusion!

LaMonica W. from CLP discovered something worth noting: “I could not return all of my ebook items through NGC. I had previously checked out an epub item using the overdrive app and the option to return the book was not available in the NGC. I needed to return to the overdrive app in order to return the item.” Indeed, returns through the NGC (or directly from a patron’s bookshelf on the OverDrive site), are only possible if it’s the READ format or, in the case of the other formats, if they have not yet been downloaded.  For more information about how to return already downloaded titles early, visit this OverDrive help page.

And finally, Rita B. from CLP asked if there is still a delay in what appears in the catalog and what’s available in OverDrive.  Great question, Rita!  That’s another advantage of the NGC.  All titles in our OverDrive collection appear in the NCG without delay.

Week Two Database Challenge

The Scenario:  A middle schooler approaches the reference desk and asks for resources on Roberto Clemente. He has been assigned to write a paper on a figure from Pittsburgh’s history and is looking for age-appropriate information on Clemente’s life, baseball career, and death.

Search for information in SIRS Discoverer, Middle Search Plus, and Biography in Context.  Which database(s) would you recommend to this student, and why? (Consider multiple factors such as the search interfaces, ease of use, your results, etc.)

Biography in Context and SIRS Discoverer won out in this contest.  Many participants praised their simple layout and presentation of information.  The more traditional database look of Middle Search Plus didn’t appeal as much and, as Tracy O. from Brentwood pointed out, the initial search screen might intimidate a middle school student.  Several folks made note of the ability to listen to the full text in Middle Search Plus, but as Natalie E. of CLP discovered, “the machine reading is not very fluid and has some funny interpretations of words and abbreviation.”

The inclusion of reading/lexile levels in all the databases was something lots of people noted, with the caveat that it would be important to conduct a reference interview to determine the correct reading level for this patron.

Despite being one of the top picks, several people noted that SIRS Discoverer becomes much more text heavy once you move past the starting page.  Another common criticism, as pointed out by Dana J. at Mt. Lebanon, was that attempting a search by navigating the “Browse Subject Tree” was cumbersome and ineffective.  That being said, SIRS was also praised for its “easy-to-navigate avenues for both beginning and refining a search (the knowledge tree, keyword searching, reading levels, lexiles, etc.” (Cathy L., CLP).  Whitney W. from Northland also liked SIRS, eventually!  She said, “I was unimpressed with the content and quality of the results that appeared after I typed “Roberto Clemente” in the keyword box… Before I moved on to a different database, I noticed that one of the articles had a link to “Roberto Clemente” listed as a Descriptor. I decided to click on that link next. I was very impressed with the “WebFind Site” result that appeared after I clicked on the link. The “WebFind SIte” link sent me to an online Smithsonian Exhibition about Roberto Clemente. The amount of information and the quality of the content on that site was very impressive. I think it would be very helpful for a middle school report.”

Abby H. from CLP, summed up the appeal of Biography in Context, stating, “Personally, I always advise students in middle and high school to use the ‘In Context’ products.  I find them to be visually pleasing, well organized, and easy to search and use.  All the facts are immediately available once you do a simple search- really as simple as using google.  I like that results are split up into categories- reference, images, magazines, newspaper articles, etc.  The students always love that citations are already provided, even for the images.”

Week Two Downloadables Challenge:

This week’s challenge included three parts.  We’ll look at each one separately.

Explain how to read OverDrive READ eBooks offline.

Kris M from CLP summed it up nicely: “You can download (cache) an OverDrive Read eBook on your computer or device so you can read it later without an internet connection using your web browser. At the bottom of the OverDrive Read menu, there’s a box labeled, ‘Your book, everywhere.’ Click Download to save a book for offline reading. To read offline, you’ll need to open your web browser and go to the URL of the OverDrive Read eBook to keep reading it. This can be done without an internet connection.” Elizabeth S. from Mt. Lebanon added, “if you add to favorites it is ever easier to bring up.”  And finally, Amy S. from Northland pointed out that clearing the cache will remove the ebook, which could be frustrating to users.

What solutions can you offer to a patron who isn’t using a compatible browser?

Jackie M. from CLP responded, “OverDrive Read is a browser-based eBook reader that works on most tablets, phones, and computers running web browsers with HTML5 support. If you’re using Internet Explorer, you may be prompted with the option to install the free ‘Chrome Frame plug-in’ or use an alternative browser when opening an eBook. If you prefer, you can also choose to use OverDrive Read Basic, a reduced-feature version of OverDrive Read.”  Terry L., also from CLP, included a helpful link to the OverDrive help pages on the topic.

Try out a READ book and tell us one thing you either like or don’t like about the experience.

Let’s start with the negatives:

• Several people mentioned they would like more lighting options (though people did appreciate that there were some)
• Several people noted that it’s potentially frustrating that it isn’t compatible with more browsers.
• Lots of people commented that they don’t particularly like reading on a computer, but don’t forget, this works on any device with an HTML5 browser, so tablet users can take advantage of this option also.
• Caralee from CLP discovered that some of the illustrations and text in picture books don’t fit the same way on a page as with a print book.
• A couple of people experienced a delay when trying to turn pages.
• Matt B. from Dormont discovered the potentially frustrating fact that the scroll wheel is not supported for turning pages.
• Mary P. from CLP mentioned that she found the “Download” vs. “Read” option confusing at first.  First she “Downloaded” the item, thinking that was the caching process, instead of tapping “Read,” and then, in the book’s menu, tapping “Download”.  She wasn’t the only one!

And now to the positives:

• the ability to change font styles for ease on the eyes
• the ability to highlight, take notes and use the dictionary
• when you open your ebook to continue reading, it automatically goes right to where you left off, even if you haven’t placed a bookmark on that page.
• you can search the content of the ebook and also that a contents box is always within reach
• the tutorial at the beginning explaining how to navigate the book
• the ability to change line-spacing
• the delightful cloud that turns into an anchor (from Mary P. at CLP)
• Hannah S. from CLP suggested READ might be great for novice eBook readers because they don’t have to install any apps or download anything.
• Natalie E. from CLP was pleased to discover that in the download section of the menu, she was given the suggestion to add the book as an app on her phone’s home screen as a way to get to it easily. She clicked on the suggestion, and it gave her steps on how to do it.
• Karen M. from CLP stated, “The ease of downloading a library e-Book is finally close to buying an ebook.” But, as Jill M. from Cooper-Siegel pointed out, “not all the ebooks are available in the READ format,” so libraries and library patrons still face limitations.

If you’ve stuck with us for this entire post you deserve another congratulations!  We’ll post summaries of weeks three and four tomorrow.

This is it!  The final challenge of the 2013 ACLA eResource Challenge!

Congratulations to those of you who have stayed on top of all the challenges. (Impressive!)  For those of you who have remaining challenges, there’s still time!  All responses received by midnight on Sunday, November 3 will count towards team participation and, for those of you on a team, prize entries (if you submit your contact info).

Let’s finish out the Challenge with Zinio, the digital magazine service we offer.

The Challenge:

Zinio has recently made some upgrades.  These include the ability to:

• browse before logging in
• checkout back issues (back to the beginning of our subscriptions)
• checkout multiple issues before viewing (rather than checking one out, going back to the site for another, and back again for a third, etc.)

All of these are great improvements, but there are a couple of things we still get asked about regularly.

First, if you recall, patrons are required to have two Zinio accounts.  The first is a library Zinio account and the second is a consumer Zinio account.  They can use the exact same email address and password.  In fact, we strongly recommend that they do.  We’re hoping most of you have already gone through this process, but if you haven’t, please do so now.  Really.  It’s worth it.

Now that everyone is all set with their Zinio accounts, let’s get to the tricky questions:

The Scenario:

A patron calls because they have just checked out some magazines but are taken to a screen that says their cart is empty and prompting them to purchase magazines.  Help them find their free checked out magazines!  (The screen shot below may help you.  You might also try to recreate the experience.  Here’s a tip: be sure you are logged out of your consumer Zinio account before checking out magazines.)

The patron also mentions that they would like to stop receiving advertising from Zinio, but they would like to receive notification when a new issue of their checked out magazines becomes available.  What can you tell them?

Follow this link to complete the challenge.