Vision Australia Library is implementing a new and enhanced library system. Our new library system will make it easier for you to search the online catalogue and find the books, newspapers, magazines and podcasts you want to read and listen to.
It will also streamline processes for library staff so we can manage the library content faster and more efficiently, enabling us to deliver a better library service for our members.
Key dates
The Vision Australia Library will be unavailable from 12.30pm on Wednesday, October 23, until the morning of October 24, while we implement our new system.
During this time, you will be unable to access any material in the Vision Australia catalogue. Any books downloaded onto your devices before this date will remain available during the shutdown period.
We will notify you when you can use the library service again through emails, website alerts and an announcement on Vision Australia Radio.
What will change?
For basic searches, you will be able to set your preferred type of resource at the start of the search so that you only retrieve the formats you want, such as DAISY audio or braille.
If you want to improve your advanced search experience, you will be able to select up to 16 categories, broken down into 232 sub-categories, to get more accurate search results.
If you have set your library resources for automatic allocation, you will be able to explore the large number of categories and sub-categories available for you to choose as reading preferences. For example, the category of “Action, Intrigue, Crime and War” now has 16 different sub-categories for you to choose from, including Crime Fiction, Detective and Mystery, Suspense Fiction and Psychological Fiction. Refining your preferences will ensure your Bookshelf is populated with resources better suited to your reading interests.
If you are searching for books in languages other than English, you will have 21 languages to choose from, mirroring only the languages that are available in the Vision Australia Library catalogue.
We are also improving the User Guide that helps you use i-Access Library, with simpler instructions on how to search the online library catalogue and save, read and download library content. We have printable and screen reader compatible versions of the guide available.
These changes ensure Vision Australia will deliver a better match between your reading preferences and the library content you receive.
Streaming content
If you stream your library books live rather than downloading them, the books you are reading will revert to the start when we re-set the system on October 23. This is a one-off problem associated with changing systems. We recommend that you note the chapter you have reached in the books you are streaming before this date, so that you can return to the right place.
What will not change?
During the shutdown period, if you have downloaded any books to your devices and remained logged in, you will still be able to access that content.
Once the new system has launched, you will be able to log in and use the new online library as usual.
Your library account login and password will stay the same. Your current reading preferences, Bookshelf, Reading List and loan history will all be transferred to the new system.
If you are happy with the books your current searches deliver, you can continue using the online library in the same way. There is no requirement to change your existing preferences.
