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Frequently Asked Questions

SJPL App

General Questions
To reset your PIN:

Select Log in / My SJPL at the top of any page on the website, then click or tap My Settings.

If you need to set up your PIN for the first time: Visit our FAQ on setting your PIN.

If you know your PIN:

Log in with your username/library card number and PIN.

Select the "change" link under Account Information > PIN, next to the text that says, "Change your account PIN."

Complete the fields on the next page and select the "Save PIN" button.

If you don't know your PIN:

Select the "Forgot Your PIN?" link.

Complete the fields on the next page.

Select send.

Check your email for the reset link.

Follow the prompts to reset your PIN.

If you don't know your PIN, and you don't have an email address associated with your account:

Please visit a library location and speak with a staff member for help.

Bring a picture ID with you.

You're all set!

Choosing a Good PIN

We highly recommend not including any of these items in your PIN:

Significant dates such as your birth year or your spouse’s birthday

Simple number sequences like 1234 or 0000 (including repetition 1122 or 2233)

Any part of your social security number

Any part of your address or phone number

NOTE: If you don't have your account set up in our main SJPL catalog yet, please see our FAQ on how to set up your account.

Related Page: Members Get More: Get a Library Card
You can find the link in the dropdown menu below your username in the top right corner. It looks like this:

Related Page: Catalog & Website - TIPS - Logging In and Out
To see what you already have on hold, you can do the following:

Go Directly:

Selecting "Log In / My SJPL" in the upper right corner of any page on our site, and then select "On Hold" under "MY BORROWING".

You'll be prompted to log in with your username/card number and PIN.

If it's your first time logging in, you'll go through a few steps to register your account. During this process you'll be prompted to create a username.

Go to My Library Dashboard:

If you prefer to see everything at once — checkouts, holds, fees, and more — select "My Library Dashboard" from the "Log in / My SJPL" dropdown in the header.

Then, select "On Hold" from the sidebar on the page under "My Borrowing".

Related Pages: Borrow & Return, Catalog & Website - TIPS - Holds, Account Help - On Hold
You will receive an email or a phone call when the item is ready to be picked up. Please make sure we have your updated contact information.

You can also check the status of your Holds/Requests by logging into your SJPL account online. Select your username in the top right corner and look under under My Borrowing.

If the Status indicates Ready for Pickup, then your item is ready to be picked up at the location indicated. Any other message under Status means that the item is not ready for pickup.

Related Page: Catalog & Website - TIPS - Holds
Search our catalog to find the item you would like. Use the "Place Hold" button in your search results or on the page for an individual item.

You may also call 1-408-808-2000 to speak to library staff. If the title you are looking for is not in our collection, you may be able to obtain a copy from the Link+, opens a new window catalog.

San Jose State Items

San José Public Library users can apply for special Community User access with San José State University. Note that this account is separate from your San José Public Library account.

Apply for SJSU Community User access.

Receive email confirmation indicating that your account is active and providing information on how to access your account.

Request item through the SJSU OneSearch catalog for pick up at King Library. Community users may only request materials that are owned by SJSU.

Wait for notification that item is ready for pick up at the SJSU service desk.

Related Page: Borrow & Return
This depends on the type of San José Public Library card you have, but all of our library cards require you to be a California resident. Here are the ways to renew:

eLibrary Card:

Upgrade to Full Access Card: We encourage you to upgrade to a Full Access Card by bringing a valid photo ID and proof of your California address to any of our library locations.

Upgrade to Limited Status Card: If you can't bring proof of address, we can still upgrade you to a Limited Status Card by bringing a valid photo ID to any of our library locations.

Full Access Card:

Bring a valid photo ID with your current California address to any of our library locations.

If your ID doesn't have your current address, it's okay to bring a piece of mail that shows the address too.

Limited Status Card: Please visit any library location with a valid photo ID, and we can work with you.

Educator Card: These cards expire every school year on June 30. To renew your card, complete the Educator Card Form and select the "Renewal" option.

Student Card: These cards do not expire until you graduate or leave the participating district. If you would like to continue your access to physical items and eResources, we encourage you to bring a photo ID and proof of California address to any of our library locations, so we can get you a Full Access library card.

If you have questions or need further assistance, please contact us.

Related Pages: Members Get More: Get a Library Card, Borrow & Return, Educator Card, Student Card, Expiration Date FAQ, Is Card Expired? FAQ
Shelving Cart: This item has been returned within the past 24 hours. Check the shelves to see if it has been reshelved.

Lost & Paid: This item was lost by a borrower, and has been paid for. It is no longer available in the collection and cannot be requested.

On Search: This item has been reported missing from its location on the shelves but has not been checked out by anyone. Our staff are currently trying to locate it. This item cannot be requested.

For more definitions take a look at our status glossary. You can also ask any staff person or call 1-408-808-2000 for assistance.

Related Page: Borrow & Return

To make them easy to sort, put items from your Borrowing History on your Completed Shelf. Adding titles to a shelf is a better permanent storage solution and provides you with more flexibility. In addition to sorting, you can exclude titles you don't want and filter the shelf, making it easier to find a specific title.

If you want to sort or export your Borrowing History without moving items to your Completed Shelf, you can find these features in our Classic Catalog.

Related Page: Catalog & Website - TIPS - Lists and Borrowing History

Our catalog system is shared with libraries across the world. Someone at one of those libraries may have already chosen that username. You can create a similar username by adding numbers or letters to the end, or you can come up with one that's totally different.

It's also possible that you have accounts at more than one library. If so, the way the system is currently set up you need to have a unique username for each. You can either append some letters or numbers to the end of your favorite username or create a totally new one.

Related Page: Catalog & Website - TIPS - Registration & Usernames

A community moderation model is used on the new catalog. You can click the “Flag” link to report anything you think is inappropriate. When 3 separate users report something, the comment is automatically reviewed against the Terms of Use of the catalog.

Related Page: Policies
Tags are words and phrases you can add to an item to describe it and make it easier to find. Tags are a great way to describe and find titles using natural language. You can tag anything: books, music, movies, fiction, or nonfiction. Sometimes, using tags is better than making a list, especially if the topic covers many items.

To get started, log in to the catalog and find a title you want to tag. Add the title to one of your Shelves: For Later, In Progress, Completed. View the appropriate Shelf and click on Add Tags, then type in tags for Genre, Tone, Theme, or Personal Use.

Tag Tips

A good tag is a short tag. Each tag should be only one word. Two words, if absolutely necessary.

Separate tags by commas when you type them in.

Add tags only for information not already in the title record. For example, no need to add fiction, but historical fiction is helpful.

Spelling counts, so try to use the same word each time you tag.

Tagging in other languages helps non-English speakers find titles they’re looking for. The catalog will let you tag and comment in non-Western characters (Chinese, Russian, Arabic, Korean, etc.)

Search for items by tag using the search box at the top right. Choose Tag from the pull-down menu and type in a word or phrase.

Suggestions for Tags

Genre - What genre or subgenre does the item fall into? chicklit, romantic comedy, cozy mystery, police procedural, Christian fiction, Latino author, LGBTQ fiction, suspense, family saga, true crime, street lit, adventure, Cinderella stories.

Tone - Describe the feelings or experience of reading or watching this title: sad, funny, profound, meaningful, scary, 2-tissue-box, useful, biased, exciting, inspiring, riveting, thought provoking, full of errors, elegant, comprehensive.

Theme – Explore locations, themes or motifs, topics, character types and more: San Jose, perfect cookie, best friends, parent/child relationships, coming of age, books into movies, apocalyptic, girls’ night

Personal - These are tags only you will see, so use whatever terms are useful to you.

For a Class or Study topic – Add tags like teacher's name, school, subject or course number. Share the tags with your class so they can easily find materials. Teachers: Library staff would be happy to help you create tags and lists for your class upon request.

For a book or movie group - Add tags like the book group name, year, and topic to each title in the theme section. Then search for those tags to find your items.

Related Page: Catalog & Website – TIPS – More Search Tips
Advantages of a preferred location:

You can place a hold to be picked up at your preferred location with just one click.

When you search the catalog, availability for your preferred locations will be shown first.

When you register your "home location" (usually the location where you got your library card) will be set as a preferred location. You have the option to change your preferred location or add additional preferred locations.

To set up preferred locations after you have registered, log in and click My Settings --> Hold and Pickup Location. You can select up to three preferred locations.

Related Page: Catalog & Website - TIPS - Holds
To locate materials in a particular language, just use the language as a search term. For example, try “Spanish books” or “Vietnamese DVDs.” Then, narrow it down to just the location you want.

Example: Looking for the Harry Potter books in French, or James Patterson's books translated into Spanish? Type in:

Harry Potter French book

James Patterson Spanish book

You can also perform a search first and then select languages from the facets menu.

Related Page: Catalog & Website - TIPS - Searching the Catalog
Searching in the new catalog is easier and more powerful than ever. To get started, click into the search box at the top right of the screen. Use the drop-down menu to choose what kind of search you want, type in a word or phrase, then click Search.

Search Tips

Search results are ordered based on the best match. Popular titles appear ahead of less popular ones.

Include words like the, a, and an to find the specific title you’re looking for. A search for “The Help” will get different results than “Help.”

Start with a keyword search for a broad word like “puppies.” Use the options on the left side of the screen to narrow your search further. Scroll down to see all of your choices.

Use keyword searches if you’re not sure how to spell a word. The catalog will suggest terms as you type.

Search by audience – adults, teens or children(kids). For example, “movies for kids” or “teen books.”

If you want to delete a limit, click the red x next to it.

Tag Search

A Tag search lets you look for items using simple words and phrases. Looking for a sad story or an inspiring movie? Choose Tag from the drop-down menu, then type in sad or inspiring (or coming of age, hysterical, or apocalyptic) and search. You can also use tag searches to find locations, themes, topics, fiction genres, and more.

List Search

A List search helps you find lists of interesting items that other users have put together. Choose List from the drop-down menu and type in a subject, title or author you’re interested in. Try a List search for black history to find Black History Month lists.

You can Share interesting books, movies, CDs, and lists straight from the catalog to Facebook, Twitter, Tumblr, and dozens of other sites.

Related Page: Catalog & Website - TIPS - Searching the Catalog
As of June 2021, newly registered users' shelves (Completed, In Progress, and For Later) are private by default.

For existing accounts before June 2021, you can adjust the privacy of existing shelf items from My Shelves. You can also change the default shelf item privacy settings from the My Settings page.

To make an individual item private:

Log in to your account.

Go to the shelf that contains the item you want to make private.

Select the Manage item button.

On the menu, select the Keep this item private checkbox. Private items have a small lock icon next to them. Only you can see these items

To change shelves privacy default:

Log in to your account.

On the menu, select My Settings.

On the My Settings page, look for the Privacy section.

In the Privacy section, select My Shelves.

On the My Shelves page, select the checkbox next to each shelf you want to change.

Select Save Changes.

Note that changing the shelf default does not affect items already on that shelf. The setting applies only to new items that are added.

Related Page: Catalog & Website - TIPS - Organizing My Shelves
Log in to your account.

From any item’s details page, search results, or awards and bestseller lists, select the For Later button, or select the arrow next to the button to select another shelf.

OR

Log in to your account.

Go to your Completed, In Progress or For Later shelf.

Select the Add a title button.

Search for the title you want to add.

Select the + Add button.

Search for additional items if required, and then close the popup window.

Related Page: Catalog & Website - TIPS - Organizing My Shelves
Lists you may have created in the old or Classic catalog can be imported to your For Later shelf.

To find your For Later shelf:

Log in to your account.

My Dashboard should open. If it doesn't, click your username and find My Dashboard in the dropdown menu.

You’ll see For Later in the menu under My Collections.

If your lists haven't been imported yet, you will see a button inviting you to do so.

Related Page: Catalog & Website - TIPS - Lists and Borrowing History
San José Public Library patrons: If you had the Reading History feature enabled in the old SJPL catalog, you should have been offered the option to import it automatically to the new catalog when you registered. It’s now called Borrowing History. To find it,

Log in to your account.

Open the dropdown menu under your username (upper right).

Borrowing History is under My Borrowing.

You’ll also find it on your dashboard (https://sjpl.bibliocommons.com/user_dashboard).

If you don’t see your history there, go to My Settings (use the dropdown menu under your username or go directly to https://sjpl.bibliocommons.com/account) and make sure Borrowing History is enabled under Account Preferences.

If you need to sort or export your Borrowing History, you can find these features in our Classic Catalog.

Related Page: Catalog & Website - TIPS - Lists and Borrowing History
You decide how much or how little you want to share. To set your privacy settings, log in and go to My Settings. Under Privacy, select My Shelves and My Feeds. Your Borrowing and On Hold information is always private.

Related Page: Catalog & Website - TIPS - Your Privacy Settings

In the United States, children under 13 are not allowed to enter free text on websites without parental approval (per COPPA: the Child Online Privacy Protection Act).

The color/animal/number format allows them to create a username without entering free text. Once a child turns 13, they will be able to select a username and have other free-text options available.

Related Page: Catalog & Website - TIPS - Logging In and Out
The first time you use the catalog you will need to register.

eLibrary, Full Access, and Limited Status Cards:

Select “Log In / My Account” at the top of any page, then select "My Library Dashboard".

Enter your library card number followed by your PIN.

Follow the prompts to create your unique username and register your account.

Your username should not contain sensitive information like your name or barcode number.

If you have an user account from another library system that uses the same catalog, you cannot apply the same username.

If you choose to make any part of your profile public, the username will be visible to other users.

Usernames can contain letters, numbers, and underscores. You can use your username to log in to your account.

After registering, you can log in using either your username or library card number.

Once you are logged in, you will see your new username displayed in the upper right corner, where it previously said "Log In / My SJPL." Select your username to see a menu for your account.

Don’t have a library card? Apply for your FREE membership, today!

San José Student Library Card:

If you received a San José Student Library Card from your school, your library card number is located on the back of the card.

If your school instructed you to use your student ID number to digitally access your San José Student Library Card membership, check our Student Library Card page and find the name of your school to see how to format the number to log in.

Your 4-digit PIN is your birth month and day (mmdd). Example: June 1 = 0601

NOTE: Library card members younger than 13 will be asked to select a color and animal to create their username.

Related Page: Catalog & Website - TIPS - Logging In and Out
You can log in with your username or your library card number. That’s up to you. The reason we require all users to select a unique username is because the new catalog has additional optional functionality, like commenting on books and keeping track of your reading on shelves. To support this, we need all users to create a username.

Related Page: Catalog & Website - TIPS - Registration & Usernames
To see what you already have checked out, you have two options:

Go Directly:

Selecting "Log In / My SJPL" in the upper right corner of any page on our site, and then select "Checked Out" under "MY BORROWING".

You'll be prompted to log in with your username/card number and PIN.

If it's your first time logging in, you'll go through a few steps to register your account. During this process you'll be prompted to create a username.

Go to My Library Dashboard:

If you prefer to see everything at once — checkouts, holds, fees, and more — select "My Library Dashboard" from the "Log in / My SJPL" dropdown in the header.

Then, select "Checked Out" from the sidebar on the page under "My Borrowing".

Related Pages: Borrow & Return, Catalog & Website – TIPS – My Dashboard, Account Help - Checked Out
A List contains titles about a specific topic or idea.

To get started, log in to the catalog and select My Lists, then Create a New List. Give your list a title, a type, a description, and choose an audience. Select Save and start adding items from the catalog and useful websites. Include title annotations describing why items are listed.

List Tips

A good list is a focused list. Pick a specific topic or theme & stick to it. For instance:

Punk Parent Stories

Top 10 Knitting Books of 2010

DVDs for First-Time Coaches

Before you start, search for your topic using a List Search. See what lists exist, then add something new.

If you create an “If You Liked…” list, include the original item at the top.

Everyone Can Make a List

Lists aren’t created just by library staff. If you have a passion for anything — science, history, painting, carpentry, computers, childcare, baking, health, crafts, or travel — you can create a list to help others learn more about it.

Teachers can create study guides for specific topics and ages. Library staff would be happy to help you create tags and lists for your class.

Use neighborhood knowledge to make a local list. Include books and movies set in your area, history books, local authors, and local websites.

Are you a sports fan or history buff? Get others excited with a list about your favorite team or time period.

Love a particular genre? Make Top 10 lists for the past few years. Include genre websites.

Crafters, help others learn to knit, sew, or build with a list of good books, DVDs, and web resources.

Travelers can create destination lists of guidebooks, phrasebooks, histories, and fiction for the journey.

Help others understand your traditions by creating a holiday list of cookbooks, information resources, and craft ideas.

Language learners need study guides with workbooks, DVDs, CDs, dictionaries, and websites.

Create a character-based list.
Example: Jo March’s Bookshelf (If She Were a Modern Teen)

The possibilities are endless. Share what you know.

Related Page: Catalog & Website - TIPS - Lists and Borrowing History
Interlibrary Loan allows library users to borrow hard-copy items (books, microfilm, etc.) and articles (paper, electronic) from other libraries. Interlibrary Loan does not fill requests for:

Items owned by the San José Public Library

Textbooks

Before requesting an item from Interlibrary Loan, please check thebSan José Public Library Catalog, opens a new window to see if the title you need is already listed in the Library's collection.

You may also want to check Link+, opens a new window for your title as it often has a faster turnaround than Interlibrary Loan. Learn more at Interlibrary Services.
Here is how to search LINK+ (search and request from other libraries) from the SJPL catalog:

From Search Results

Perform a search on the main catalog page by selecting Keyword, Title, Author or Subject.

You will find “Try your search in LINK+” under “Search other resources” at the top right.

Note: If you select any other option in this box, if you use Advanced Search, or if you choose a link that says Broaden Search, you will NOT see the link to LINK+.

From a No Results Page

If your search retrieves no results (e.g. search for randomly typed characters), you will see “Try your search in LINK+” after the section that says nothing was found.

Select the "Search" link in the "Try your search in LINK+" section.

Can't Find the Title in Link+?

If you don't find what you need in LINK+, you can request items from libraries throughout the rest of the country using our traditional interlibrary loan service, Illiad.

Related Page: Link+
To get or set your PIN for your account for the first time:

Go to My Account in Classic Catalog.

Enter your Library Card or eCard number in the Barcode field.

Leave the PIN field blank.

Click or tap Submit.

A new page will display with the message "Please enter a new PIN."

Enter at least a four-digit PIN into the New PIN and Retype new PIN fields.

Click or tap Submit.

Your new PIN is set!

Choosing a Good PIN

We highly recommend not including any of these items in your PIN:

Significant dates such as your birth year or your spouse’s birthday

Simple number sequences like 1234 or 0000 (including repetition 1122 or 2233)

Any part of your social security number

Any part of your address or phone number

NOTES:

Your Account: Remember to set up your account in our main SJPL catalog. For instructions, please see our FAQ on how to set up your account.

Resetting Your PIN: If you've already set your PIN, but you want to reset it or forgot it, visit our FAQ on resetting your PIN

Related Page: Members Get More: Get a Library Card
The "Freeze Hold" or "Pause Hold" option allows you to pause the progress of a hold request and let others “cut” in front of you in line for an item. It’s useful if you won’t be able to pick up a hold that might be fulfilled during an inconvenient time; you can avoid losing your place in the hold queue or missing your item.

To pause a single hold:

Log in to your account.

On the menu, click On Hold.

Find the title you want to pause.

Click the Pause hold

Depending on the system your library uses, you may also be prompted to choose an end date, or a start and end date. Pick your dates, and then click Yes, pause holds.

You’ll see the message “Successfully paused holds.”

To pause multiple holds:

Log in to your account.

On the menu, click On Hold.

If necessary, filter your holds by clicking Not ready under the My Borrowing summary on the left of the page. On a tablet or smartphone, tap the My Borrowing button first to display the filters.

Do one of the following:

Click the checkbox next to each item you want to pause

Click the checkbox above the items to select all of the items on the page.

A bar appears at the bottom of the page. Click Manage items, and then click Pause holds. The number of items affected appears in brackets on the menu.

Depending on the system your library uses, you may be prompted to choose an end date, or a start and end date. Pick your dates, and then click Yes, pause holds.

You’ll see the message “Successfully paused holds.”

Holds remain frozen or paused until you choose to remove the pause. A hold cannot be frozen or paused if the item is already on the hold shelf, in transit, is a Link+ item or otherwise paged to fulfill your request.

Related Page: Catalog & Website - TIPS - Holds
Search the San José Public Library catalog to find an item. You can search by title, author, subject, ISBN, or other types of identifying information. You can use the catalog to search for items such as books, CDs, DVDs, eBooks, articles, etc.

For assistance using the catalog, call 408-808-2397, chat with us or visit any of our library locations.

Related Page: Catalog & Website - TIPS - Searching the Catalog

San Jose Public Library provides access to eBooks and eAudiobooks through a number of vendors.

eBooks and eAudiobooks from OverDrive titles can be checked out directly through the catalog. OverDrive titles show availability immediately and the “Check Out” or “Place Hold” button appears.

eBooks and eAudiobooks from other vendors appear in the catalog with a link to the vendor site, where you can complete the checkout process.

Related Page: eBooks/eMedia: Stream & Download

If you notice that items continue to appear on your account after a week please contact staff via chat, email, or telephone at 408-808-2000, Monday-Saturday from 11-6 PM.

Related Page: Borrow & Return
- SJPL App
SJPL App
It's currently available on the Google Play Store. It is not yet available in the Apple Store.

Related Page: SJPL Mobile App
Anything below the catalog search bar and book carousel can be reorganized. Here's how you can move their positions:

Select one of the following:

"My Account" on the main screen

(hamburger menu: three lines stacked on top of each other) positioned to the right of the Search Catalog bar on any screen

The "My Account" menu will appear.

Select "Preferences".

In the row that has the tab/item you want to move, select and hold onto the two lines on the right side of that row. Drag the tab/item to the position where you want it to be.

Related Page: SJPL Mobile App
English

Chinese Traditional

Chinese Simplified

Spanish

Vietnamese

Related Page: SJPL Mobile App
Select the "Change Language" tab/item on the main screen.

Select your language.

Select the "Switch Language" button at the top of the screen to save your new language preference.

Related Page: SJPL Mobile App
Catalog Search: The search bar at the top lets you search the catalog. When you select a catalog result, you can also place holds. You must be logged in to place a hold.

Hamburger menu (three lines stacked on top of each other): Contains the "My Accounts" menu. Once you log in with your library card number and PIN, you can review and manage your account from here. You can also edit your app preferences.

Book Carousel: Browse featured book collections. The "More >" button will take you to more collections to browse.

Tabs:

SJPL Locations

You will see a list of library locations and their current status.

If you enable location permissions, it will sort them in order by distance from your current location.

My Account: You need to log in with your library card and PIN to use some of these features. You can manually enter the card number or scan your card with your camera. You can manage your account and app settings in the following ways:

Checkouts:

Lists all items checked out

If there are linked accounts, those will also appear on the screen and be separated by account.

Checkout history is available for the account that has been used to log into the app.

Holds:

Lists all items on hold including Link+.

List holds of linked accounts.

You can also cancel holds on any of the accounts.

Fines:

Lists fines (fees) for all accounts.

You cannot pay fines through app at this time. You will need to go to the Fees page in the catalog.

Mobile Checkout Receipts: This will only list the checkouts that are completed via the app.

The history of these is maintained even if you sign out of the app.

The history gets deleted if the card number is changed on the account.

Devices: Lists devices where the app is logged in with your account.

Linked accounts: You can add multiple accounts to the app.

You are then able to manages holds, checkouts, and fines from each account.

If you log out of all devices, then the linked accounts will disappear. You will need to add the linked accounts back. Note: If you added a profile image, this will disappear, as well.

Preferences:

Move tabs/items/icons: You can reorder anything on the main screen that is below the book carousel.
To move icons:

Select and hold the double lines to the right of the item you wish to move.

Drag the tab/item/icon up or down on the list.

Scroll vs. Flow layout: Default is Flow, where you can swipe to a different screen to see more tabs/items on the main screen. Switching to Scroll will change it to a continuous scroll like a webpage, so there is only one screen and no swiping.

Reload: If you need to reload the app, you can do that here. It's like refreshing a webpage.

Language:

Available in:

English

Chinese Traditional

Chinese Simplified

Spanish

Vietnamese

We are unable to offer additional languages at this time.

To switch languages:

Select the "Change Language" tab/item on the main screen.

Select your language.

Select the "Switch Language" button at the top of the screen to save your new language preference.

Sign out: You can either log out of all devices or just your current device. Two things happen if you log out of all devices:

If you log out of all devices, then the linked accounts will disappear. You will need to add the linked accounts back.

If you added a profile image, this will disappear.

eBooks and eResources: Connects to our website's eBooks and eResources page.

Events: Connects to our website's events page.

Scan ISBN barcode: You scan an ISBN barcode on an item (for example, in a bookstore) to see if the library owns a copy.

Follow Us: Connects to our various social media feeds and other ways to stay connected with us.

Reserve a Computer: Connects to our website's Reserve a Computer page.

Become a Member: This is visible if you are not logged in. It connects to our website's library card sign-up page.

Change Language: You can change to your preferred language for the app from here.

Forgot your PIN: This is visible if you are not logged in. It connects to our website's PIN reset page.

SJ Access: Connects to our website's SJ Access page. With SJ Access you can do any of these things for free:

Access Wi-Fi/internet.

Check out hotspots, Chromebooks, iPads, or laptops.

Learn how to use technology through classes and tech support.

Related Page: SJPL Mobile App
Card number and PIN.

Related Page: SJPL Mobile App
Apple (iOS) and Android:

Locations: This is needed for mobile checkout to work and for the SJPL Locations Near You feature to work.

Camera: This is needed to scan your library card and to scan ISBN barcodes. Library cards can be stored on your local device in the app. You can scan ISBN barcodes on the backs of books to find out if we have them available at the library.

Android Only:

Nearby Devices: This is a permission that is used to make mobile checkout possible on Android.

Related Page: SJPL Mobile App
If you use mobile checkout, you might be prompted to enable NFC (near field communications). Most Android phones and some older Apple (iOS) phones will ask for this.

NFC is used to desensitize items that you are checking out. When you place your device over a library item's RFID (radio frequency identification) tag, your device will desensitize the RFID tag. The tag needs to desensitize, so the security detectors don't go off when you leave the library.

Related Page: SJPL Mobile App

You can update your PIN online or with a library staff member.

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The app's vendor privacy policy is available on our Vendor Privacy Policies page.

Related Page: Vendor Privacy Policies
Here is how you correct the information:

Log in to My Settings in the catalog to review the following:

Library card number

Name

Date of Birth

Expiration date of your library card

Email address

Username

PIN

Catalog Account preferences

Catalog Privacy preferences

This is what you can change while logged in on the My Settings page:

Email address

Username

PIN

Catalog Account preferences

Catalog Privacy preferences

Do you have something else that is account-related and needs correction? Please speak with a staff person in-person or contact us.

Related Page: Membership FAQs
There is no listed limit to the number of accounts that can be linked.

Related Page: SJPL Mobile App

Mobile checkout usually works within 30 feet of a San José Public Library location. Are you having trouble connecting? Try to move closer to the center of the building.

Related Page: SJPL Mobile App

The app is available for Android devices. It is not yet available for Apple (iOS) devices.

Related Page: SJPL Mobile App
NFC Tag Reader: The app uses the NFC (near field communication) reader on your phone. NFC reads our RFID (radio frequency identification) tags.

Tag Location: RFID tags are located along the back of an item. Sometimes they are on the outside, underneath the jacket cover on the back. Sometimes they are on the inside of the back cover. Note: The barcode that you see on the back of the book is NOT the RFID tag. The tag is usually near the bottom of the item.

What to do: Hold your phone near the back of the item where the tag is. You may need to move your phone around to locate the tab.

What Happens: Once it reads the tag, it checks them out to your designated account. It also desensitizes the RFID tag. The tag needs to desensitize, so you can walk through the metal detectors without setting them off.

If It Worked: You should feel a vibration and see a check mark on the app screen when checkout has completed.

If It Didn't Work: Here are some troubleshooting things you can try:

If you didn't hold your phone near the tag long enough, you may get a message to complete Step 2 of the checkout process. Hold your phone near the tag again to complete checkout.

Try to check out again. This time, hold the item over the tag longer until you feel the vibration and see the success message.

Move to a different location within the building. Try to check out again.

Talk to a staff member for help.

Related Page: SJPL Mobile App
Your device must have NFC (near field communications) capability. This is built into iPhone 7 and above. Android devices with this capability vary.

Related Page: SJPL Mobile App
Materials that have an RFID (radio frequency identification) tag can be checked out via the SJPL App.

Materials without an RFID tag cannot be checked out. You will need to get help from a staff member to check out the following items:

Wee Read book bags

Wee Learn and Play kits

Books and More backpacks

All SJ Access devices

Chromebooks

iPads

Laptops

Some books with shiny covers: These items will have stickers indicating staff need to check them out for you.

Related Page: SJPL Mobile App
Yes. The checkouts on the app will show up immediately on your account.

Related Page: SJPL Mobile App

Yes, you can save your barcode to the app. The saved library card number can be entered and used for checkout on the self-check machines. This is helpful if you forgot to bring your library card. You can also check out items via mobile checkout.

Related Page SJPL Mobile App

Yes, you can save more than one library card to your account by linking accounts.

Related Page: SJPL Mobile App
Have the card number and PIN ready.

Select the Menu (hamburger menu: three lines stacked on top of each other) that is to the right of the "Search Catalog" bar. You can also select My Account from the app's main screen instead.

The My Account menu will appear.

Select Linked Accounts.

Select +Add in the upper right corner of the screen.

Scan the Library Card or enter the library card number and PIN.

If you decide to scan the library card, you might be prompted to allow the app to use the camera. You will need to select While using the app or Only this time, in order to use the scan feature.

Select the Link button.

Related Page: SJPL Mobile App
Yes. When you download the app, you can select Become a Member to sign up for a Free SJPL Library card. It will take you to the library card sign-up page.

If you are already signed in with an account, then you will not see Become a Member as an option. You can still go to our library card sign-up page anytime.

Related Page: SJPL Mobile App
Yes. If you replace a card, you need to do one of the following:

Sign out and sign back in with your new card number and PIN.
OR

Remove the account from your linked accounts and enter in the new card number.

Related Page: SJPL Mobile App
Placing holds on items that are on order are not available in the app. You can do this in the online catalog.

Related Page: SJPL Mobile App
The app will not tell you if your card is expired.

If you attempt the following, you might get an error message that says there is an issue with your account:

Mobile Checkout

Placing Holds

Here are some things you can do to fix the issue:

Expired Card:

Check on card expiration by viewing your account settings via the catalog.

If you have an expired card, follow these instructions for how to renew your card.

Fees:

Check on your fees via the Fees page in the catalog.

If you have excess fees, you can do one or both of the following:

pay the fees

participate in one of our access programs to waive the fee

Still getting error:

Contact us or talk with a staff member in-person.

Related Page: SJPL Mobile App
This can happen when you try to place a hold on a multi-volume title. An example of a multi-volume title is an encyclopedia.

The app can't handle this type of hold request at this time. Please place your hold using our online catalog instead.

Related Pages: SJPL Mobile App, FAQs: SJPL Mobile App

Yes. This will not affect your ability to use many of the app features. The only feature you might not be able to use is mobile checkout. Learn more about fines and fees on our Borrow and Return page.

Related Page: SJPL Mobile App

No. To do this online, you will need to go to the Fees page. Learn more about fines and fees on our Borrow and Return page.

Related Page: SJPL Mobile App

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