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My Account in WorldCat Discovery

Learn about the My Account features for library users in WorldCat Discovery.

Access My Account

Users can access the My Account screen from their WorldCat Discovery interface. Additionally, the link to My Account is as follows:

Enable end-user sign in 

Allow users to manage personal lists and save searches by enabling end-user sign in.

All WorldCat Discovery libraries can provide sign-in capability for their users. This enables users to save searches and personal lists. Refer to:

To enable non-WMS logon options, register your library for end user logon capability. The OCLC implementation team will respond to the request and assist with configuration.

Institutions can select from the following implementation options:

  • Create new accounts with an OCLC method that supports self-creation of authenticated accounts.
  • Use existing accounts with an OCLC link to your institution's existing authentication service, if it is compatible.
Authentication requirements

  Note: These logon options are not available to Group Catalogs using WorldCat Discovery.

Navigate My Account

Access the available sections by using the main tab headings on the page.  You can also access the areas of My Account using the Profile drop-down menu in the banner.

To search WorldCat Discovery, enter search terms in the main search bar or use the Advanced Search link.

Course Reserves are accessible from My Account as are any custom links configured by the library.  Custom links appear under the Resources drop-down menu.

Navigate My Account more quickly by screen reader or using your keyboard.

When the browser focus is at the top of the page, press the Tab button once to expose the Skip to Main Content option or press the Tab button twice to expose the Skip to Footer option. Pressing Return moves the browser focus to the corresponding section of the page. 

 Note: FireFox and Safari users may need to enable additional settings in their browser configuration to use this feature.

Skip to Main Content image
Screenshot of My Account with Skip to Main Content called out.

Inactivity timeout

My Account alerts library users when their session is about to end due to inactivity. After 25 minutes, a message with a 5-minute timer is displayed. The user can choose to continue working or sign out. After 30 minutes of inactivity, the user will be automatically signed out.

Customize My Account

You can customize the look of the My Account interface by navigating to the WorldCat Discovery and WorldCat Local User Interface Options in the Service Configuration. See User Interface Options for more information.  Use this screen to update your banner and custom links.

 Caution: Altering these settings will change the appearance across your WorldCat Discovery interface.

Search activity

The Search activity tab of My Account displays saved searches from WorldCat Discovery.  WorldCat Discovery users can review and save previous searches.  Searches can be re-run, shared, deleted, and saved.

For more information about this functionality in WorldCat Discovery, please see Search history and save searches.

View Profile

Select View Profile under the your account name or navigate to the Profile tab of My Account to view notification preferences.

The listed information for Email and Phone Number comes from the Library Record section of the patron's account. Library users cannot change this information and must contact the library for any necessary corrections. 

Notifications for Tipasa users

 Note: Notification customization is only available to Tipasa libraries.

Library users can select to receive email or text message notifications about their requested processed through Tipasa.  

When users add or edit the Alternate Email or Phone Number information, they are updating the Delivery Notification section of their account. They are not changing the phone or email that your library has on file for the user and the user will still receive reset password emails to the email on file.

  • By default, users will receive email messages. 
  • Text message notifications are turned off by default. 
    • To enable the ability to send SMS notifications for library users, turn on Send SMS for automated notifications in the Notifications module of the OCLC Service Configuration.  Enabling this setting displays the Phone Number field to library users allowing them to enter their contact information to receive text message notifications.  See Notifications for more information.
      • It is recommended that libraries outside the United States and Canada do not enable SMS notifications.
    • Add the Phone field to your Patron Request Workforms to allow library users to receive SMS notifications for their requests.  See Patron Request Workform fields for more information.

 Note:  Tipasa notifications must be set up by your library in order for your users to receive them. Your can set up notifications in OCLC Service Configuration. For more information on setting up notifications, see Set up notifications. Within View Profile, the library user must also ensure texting is on and must provide a phone number.  The phone number in the patron record in the Tipasa interface will not be used for texting.

 Note: Notifications related to library transactions will be emailed to the library user even if the Send library account updates by email setting is disabled. 

Use Alternate Email for Tipasa users

The email address(es) from the patron record will appear under Email. Library users must contact the library to update the email address(es) in their patron record. Email notifications about their account will be sent to the primary email in the patron record. If the user would like to receive email notifications at a different email address, they can enter an alternate email in the Use Alternate Email field.

Email notifications are enabled by default, but the user may disable them by turning off Send library account updates by email.  

Click on SAVE CONTACT INFORMATION to save the alternate email address.

Phone Number for Tipasa users

The Phone Number option only displays if the library has enabled Send SMS for automated notifications in the OCLC Service Configuration. See Notifications for more information.

  • If Send SMS for automated notifications is not enabled, text message options will not display to library users in My Account.

Text notifications are disabled by default. If the user would like to receive text message notifications about their account, they must enter a phone number in the Phone Number field and enable Send library account updates by text message

 Note: Only phone numbers with a country code of +1 (United States and Canada) can receive SMS notifications. It is recommended that libraries outside the United States and Canada do not enable SMS notifications.

  • Add the Phone field to your Patron Request Workforms to allow library users to receive SMS notifications for their requests.  See Patron Request Workform fields for more information.

Click on Save Contact Information.

Email

The email address(es) from the patron record will appear under Email. Library users must contact the library to update the email address(es) in their patron record. Email notifications about their account will be sent to the primary email in the patron record. 

For Tipasa users, see Use Alternate Email.

Phone Number

The phone number(s) from the patron record will appear under Phone Number. Library users must contact the library to update the phone number(s) in their patron record.

For Tipasa users, see Phone Number.

Address

View the mailing address(es) from the patron record. Library users must contact the library to update the address information in their patron record.

Password

Library users who are set up for WMS authentication are provided with the option to change their password.  Select Change Password to be taken to a change password screen.

My Account for WorldShare Management Services libraries

If you are a WorldShare Management Services library, additional features are available to library users in My Account.  See WorldShare Circulation, My Account for more information.

My Account for Tipasa libraries

If you are a Tipasa library that uses WorldCat Discovery, but not WorldShare Management Services, see My Account for Tipasa.