Brarydog Frequently Asked Questions
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Listed below are some of our most frequently asked questions about brarydog. If you cannot find the the answer to your question here, you may wish to try our Ask brarydog service. |
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Question: Why doesn't brarydog automatically pull up my personal page? (back to top)
Answer: Because brarydog was designed to allow you to securely access your page from any computer on the Internet. The site does not use permanent information files to store your personal page preferences to your computer's hard drive, therefore each time you visit brarydog you must log in to retrieve your customized brarydog page.
Question: I cannot log in to brarydog. Why do I get sent back to the brarydog homepage when I try? (back to top)
Answer: Brarydog uses temporary cookies to create a user session. The cookie file does not capture any personal user information, and is deleted when you close your browser. If your browser does not support cookies or if your browser has cookies turned off, you will be unable to take advantage of your customized brarydog page. To resolve this issue, use an Internet browser that supports cookies, or change your browser preferences to accept cookies.
For further assistance, please use our Ask Brarydog service, indicating that it is a technical assistance question.
Question: What are premium resources? Why must I have a brarydog or PLCMC library card number to access them? (back to top)
Amswer: Premium brarydog resources consist of electronic products (encyclopedias, almanacs, full text magazine and newspaper databases, business profiles, etc.) that are available on the Internet by subscription only. Since the subscriptions for these services are paid for by the Public Library of Charlotte & Mecklenburg County, you must have a brarydog membership or PLCMC Library card number to access these resources. Read more information about applying for brarydog/PLCMC Library card.
Question: I have a premium account (I have included my library card number), but I cannot access premium resources. Sometimes I am prompted for a User Name and Password. How can I correct this? (back to top)
Answer: If you have entered your Public Library of Charlotte & Mecklenburg County library card number or your brarydog membership number into your personal profile, you should not be prompted for a userID or password when accessing a premium resource*. You may have parental control or firewall settings which are preventing the resources from working properly. Check that parental controls are turned off, and personal firewalls have privacy controls disabled. (For Norton Personal Firewall, locate your privacy control settings, and make sure the "Enable Privacy" option is unchecked.)
For further assistance, please use our Ask Brarydog service, indicating that you have a technical assistance question.
*netLibrary and Learn A Test require you to create a log in to access them, so these resources will prompt you to log in.
Question: When I access a premium resource, a window appears telling me my session may have timed out. What do I do? (back to top)
Answer: If this occurs, you may have "timed-out" of brarydog. "Timing out" occurs after approximately 20 minutes of inactivity, after which your brarydog session will expire. You are automatically logged out, so brarydog no longer knows your userID or membership number. Exit this message window, exit your brarydog.net page, and log back in. You should now be able to access the premium resource.
For further assistance, please use our Ask Brarydog service, indicating that you have a technical assistance question.
Question: How do I add my library card number, change the colors on my page, or add Web sites? (back to top)
Answer: All these things can be changed by clicking on the "Change My Page" option located in the top right corner of your personal brarydog page. You must be logged in to your page to see this option. Enter your password, and you will be taken to a screen where you have choices to change your information and options.
Question: How did brarydog get his name? (back to top)
Answer: Like prairie dogs that tunnel through the soil in search of shelter and food, brarydog is good at tunneling through the Internet to help you find the resources you need. Originally, brarydog was called Librarydog, but somewhere in his travels around the net, he lost the 'Li' and became just 'brarydog'.
Question: How can I renew books or place books on hold using brarydog? (back to top)
Answer: If you have a valid library card from the Public Library of Charlotte & Mecklenburg County or a brarydog card, you may place books on hold and renew books using PLCMC's on-line card catalog. To access the card catalog, click on the link near the top of the brarydog homepage ("Find books, videos, CDs, etc, using the on-line catalog!"). You will be forwarded to the PLCMC on-line card catalog, from there you may search the catalog and place books on hold or renew books. When placing books on hold or renewing books, you will be prompted for you PLCMC library card number.
Question: How do I use the tutoring/homework help service? (back to top)
Answer: The Live Homework Help Service is available 4:00 pm. - 10:00 pm. EST, 7 days week (with Spanish speaking tutors available Sunday - Thurs 4pm- 10pm). During these hours, click on the "Available Now!" link under the Live Homework Help icon.
Select the subject and grade level you need help in, and answer if you have used the service before. Then click go. You will then be connected to a tutor, the online electronic classroom will download, and you can begin your session. You will need the Shockwave plug-in for your browser, if your computer does not have it you will be given a link to the download site.
Question: May I link to brarydog? (back to top)
Answer: Please feel free to link to our web site. We have provided images below for your convenience:
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