HELP! How do I use the new Aspen discovery layer? What exactly is a discovery layer? While it may seem confusing at first, using Aspen is actually straightforward. Discover how to sign in, search, and place a hold in Aspen. You'll be able to access your items either physically or digitally from the convenience of your home!
So What is Aspen & Why Do I Need It?
The new Aspen discovery layer is a search tool added to our website. What makes Aspen convenient is that it gathers all the library's platforms into one place when you search for an item. Previously, to find a physical book, you had to just check the Share catalog, but for e-books, audiobooks, or movies, you had to search through each digital platform separately (hoopla, Libby, cloudLibrary, Kanopy), requiring you to open four different apps on your device just to check if the item was available. YIKES! Aspen simplifies this entire process by presenting all your options and their availability in a single location! Ready to get started? Let's Go! Here are detailed instructions to help you sign in, search, and place a hold in Aspen.
Step 1 - How to Sign In to Aspen
Using Aspen is really easy! First head to our website, vwarner.org , and look for the Aspen search bar at the top of the page. Enter a title, author, or subject into the search bar and hit "Search". Here I searched for "Fourth Wing" for my example.
The website will change to the Vespasian Warner Public Library Aspen main page. Looking on the right side of the screen, you will find a button to click that says "SIGN IN". You will click this button to sign into your account.
The sign in screen will pop up and you will entire your library barcode number and your 4 digit password that you set up when you received your library card. Don't remember your library password? Don't panic, simply contact us by phone or visit in person, and we can reset it for you. Under the barcode and password fields, you will see an option to remain signed in by checking a box, if desired.
Step 2: How to Search in Aspen
Once you are signed in, you will notice your name replacing the sign-in button. So here you can see that I (R.Deavers) am signed in and that my search for Fourth Wing is being displayed. Below the search bar, you will see icons for Books, E-Books, Audiobooks, Music, and Movies. If you prefer Fourth Wing in E-book format, simply click on the E-book icon to filter and display only the E-book selections.
There is an extended menu on the left side to help with your search. Here, you have the option to choose between fiction and nonfiction, narrow down the reading level, explore e-content across various platforms, or seek specific formats among other advanced search features. Interested in finding a children's book? You can also filter your search by AR Interest Level, AR Reading Level, and AR Point Value.
Now that you have found what you are looking for, let's take a closer look at what is displayed on the screen.
All of the possible options for Fourth Wing are now displayed. You can see in this example that this item is available in book form and it is "On Shelf", which means it is "in" at our library. Underneath that "On Shelf" green box you can also see the call number, F YAR (Empyrean # 1), which makes it easy for you to find if you would like to make the trip in to the library. You will also see that there is an Audiobook CD "Available Elsewhere". That means that Vespasian Warner does not own the audiobook, but we can order it in for you! There are downloadable Audiobooks on Libby, hoopla, and cloudLibrary and E-Books on Libby and cloudLibrary also available. The option to place a hold is offered for all items using the buttons on the right.
A Kindle e-book, Large Print, and a Playaway are all also available for download or to place on hold.
Below all of the selections you will find a brief description of the book accompanied by a "More Info" button. Clicking on this button will lead you to a detailed description containing details about the author, related items, similar authors or series, and a star rating.
You will notice a "Add to List" button here also, which we will discuss further next month. Stay tuned... you have the ability to create your own lists here in Aspen, similar to what you can do on Goodreads!
Step 3: How to Place a Hold
Once you have decided which format option you would like to read, you can click the "Place Hold" button to the right. In this example, I am placing a hold on the regular print physical copy. The place hold screen will pop up with the option of selecting where you would like to pick up your item when it comes in. Your item will always come to your home library (Vespasian Warner Public Library District) unless you change this selection.
Why would you want to change your pickup location? Let's say you work in Mt. Pulaski, you can set your pickup to the Mt. Pulaski Public Library. Or if you are attending classes at Richland in Decatur and often visit the Decatur Public Library for studying, you can choose that as your pickup location. This is a nice feature for people that live in a rural area between two towns or spend time in two different communities for school or work.
After you hit the "Submit Hold Request" button the next pop-up will let you know that your hold was successful and provide information on the number of people ahead of you in the queue. If the queue is long, Aspen will offer you a choice of items to borrow while waiting for your hold. Similar to Fourth Wing, Aspen will present you with a variety of fantasy book options that are currently on the shelf and available for checkout.
When you place a hold on a digital platform, the process may vary slightly. In this case, I am requesting a hold on the hoopla audiobook version. After clicking the "Check out hoopla" button on the right, a confirmation pop-up will appear. Within this window, Aspen will inform you of the number of remaining hoopla checkouts for the month, as hoopla permits up to 5 checkouts monthly.
After clicking the "Check Out" button to finalize your selection, a pop-up will appear confirming that you have successfully completed the checkout process for your item.
To begin reading/listening in hoopla, simply launch your hoopla app on your device where you will find your item already checked out. Click on the item to start reading (e-book) or listening (audiobook) and enjoy!
As you can see, using Aspen is pretty straightforward! Of course the library staff is always available to help in any way we can. Drop in or give us a phone call if you have any questions!
Until Next Time Library Friends!
The Vespasian Warner Library is located at 310 N. Quincy St in Clinton, IL 61727
Contact us by phone, 217-935-5174, or by email library@vwarner.org