Lending self service

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You can perform the following services yourself:

  • Access your patron record (library record)
  • Place a hold on an item
  • Renew items currently checked out
  • Access class notes or articles placed on the reserved collection
  • Issue items to yourself (self-checkout)

Access your patron record

You can access your library record to check your loans by using the library catalogue:

  • From the catalogue, go to “My UJLink”
  • Type in your surname, student / staff number and PIN
  • Click on “Items currently checked out”

Place a hold on an item

Holds can be placed via the library catalogue. Holds can only be placed on items that are already checked out. To place a hold:

  • Go to the library catalogue
  • Search for the item in the catalogue
  • When you find the item, click on “Request”
  • Follow the prompts to place the hold

Renew items currently checked out

In order to renew items currently checked out to you, you must first access you library record:

  • From the catalogue, go to “My UJLink”
  • Type in your UJ email username and password.
  • Click on “items currently checked out”
    Mark ” Items currently checked out”, select the items you want to renew and click on “Renew selected”
  • If you want to renew all items click on “Renew all”
  • If you cannot renew items, a message will appear on the screen. If you are successful, a new due date will appear in the “STATUS” column. Always check the “STATUS” column for information on the success or failure of your renewal.

Course Reserves: Access class notes/articles placed on the reserved collection (full text)

Articles and class notes placed on the reserved collection can be issued electronically. The articles or class notes will display on the screen and you will have the option to either save it or print it. To access these:

  • Go to the library catalogue
  • Select the “Course Reserves” tab
  • Choose “Lecturer” if you know the name of the lecturer or “Course” if you want to search under the course.
  • The items that are reserved for that course / lecturer will then be displayed
  • If the item is available electronically you can select the “View or Print” link
  • Type in your UJ email username and password.
  • The article will then be displayed on the screen
  • You can now either Save or Print the article.

Issue items to yourself (meeScan station)

IMPORTANT TO TAKE NOTE OF
 Make sure that the MeeScan Station is ready:
o A solid round light should display (one of the 3 round lights on the scanning bed)
 You need a personal account with Snapscan to do your payments (https://snapscan.co.za)
 You can also pay your Library Fines via your Smart Phone, making use of your SnapScan account

A) Pay Library Fines (Remember, in order to pay your Library Fines via your Smart Phone or the meeScan station you have to make use of your SnapScan account)
1. Press “Start” or swipe your UJ Card on the panel right from the screen
2. Type your Library PIN & press “Start”
3. Select Check-Out Items
4. Press on the “$ Account” icon at the bottom of the screen
5. Press on “$ Fees (Tap here to pay)”
6. The amount owed will display. Choose “Pay”
7. A QR code will display on the screen.
8. NOW – Refer to SnapScan account on your Smartphone
9. Scan the SnapScan QR code with your smart phone in the SnapScan App – the blue button with a camera
10. You can change the amount payable
11. Pay from your Visa or SnapScan Wallet
12. When payment is done on SnapScan on your Smartphone, remember to press “Done” on the top right of the MeeScan Station Screen.
13. Press “Back” on the top left of the MeeScan station screen
14. Press “Logout” on the top left of the MeeScan Station Screen

B) Check-Out Books
(Remember, you can also Check-Out books via your Smart Phone, but need to visit this station to Scan & Demagnetize the books)
1. Press “Start” or swipe your UJ Card on the panel right from the screen
2. Type your Library PIN & press “Start”
3. Select Check-Out Items
4. Scan the Book’s UJ barcode:
o Hold the spine against the edge of the scanning bed
o Slide the book to the left in order for the scanner to read the barcode
o Hold the book dead still after the scanner beeps. This will allow the scanning bed to Demagnetize the book.
o Once a “click” sound is heard and a green round light is displayed (one of the 3 round lights on the scanning bed), the book is issued to your name.
5. Repeat from step 4 if you would like to check out additional books
6. Before you leave, a message will display “All items ready to go”. Tap the finish button to complete your transaction.

C) Return Books (Remember, you can only return books via the meeScan station)
1. Press “Start” or swipe your UJ Card on the panel right from the screen
2. Type your Library PIN & press “Start”
3. Select Return Items
4. Scan the Book’s UJ barcode
o Hold the spine against the edge of the scanning bed
o Slide the book to the left in order for the scanner to read the barcode
o Hold the book dead still after the scanner beeps. This will allow the scanning bed to Magnetize the book.
o Once a “click” sound is heard and a green round light is displayed (one of the 3 round lights on the scanning bed), the book is retuned and removed from your name.
5. Please put the book in the “Items Returned Box”, next to the meeScan Station
6. Repeat from step 4 if you would like to return additional books
7. Before you leave, Log Out (top left of screen

  • These are separate machines allocated by the lending desk which you can use to issue items to yourself.
    Step 1 – Swipe your card
  • Swipe your card as shown on the screen of the system.
    If done correctly, your user record will be displayed on the screen.
    Step 2 – Press *
  • This enables the system to proceed with the transactions
    Step 3 – Scan the barcodes of the books

Where to find the barcode of an item:

It will either be on the back of the book or on the first page in the book.
If the barcode is not on the back of the book, please hand the book to the librarian on duty at the self check-out point and she will print and affix a barcode (this will only take 15 seconds)

  • Place one item at a time on machine (the system will not work if you place more than one book on it)
  • Place the items with the spine of the book against the machine (as displayed on the screen.)
  • Slowly slide the book forward until a red laser beam lines up with the barcode. A message will appear on the monitor screen that the book has been issued out to you.
  • Repeat the process for all the items you want to borrow.

Step 4 – When done, press #
Press the # button when you are finished and wait for a receipt to be printed. The receipt is your record of the due dates for the material you have just borrowed.
Please note that the system is not able to stamp the due dates in the books. This slip is issued to inform the users of when the items are due. Please keep this slip as a bookmark inside the book to inform yourself of the due date.

You may not be able to use the meeScan  system if:

  • You are not on the library system;
  • Your library account has been blocked (due to outstanding fines/books);
  • The book is a non-circulating item (reference, periodical, reserve collection);
  • The book has a hold request on it.