You get a library card when you join the library. Membership is free to residents of Trinidad and Tobago. Applicants must provide a valid form of identification and proof of current mailing address (utility bill, bank document, official document).

Non-residents must provide a valid passport, proof of a temporary address in Trinidad and Tobago, and a permanent address in the country of residence. There is a non-refundable deposit of TT$350.00, payable upon presentation of the receipt, the return of all books and library card, and payment of any fines.

You can receive a refund if the item returned is in good condition, as determined by NALIS and you have your original receipt/s showing full payment for the item.

No. You only need a card if you wish to borrow items from the library or if you wish to use the print or photocopy services at the library.

You can log on to an available computer using your library card and pin. Please note that patrons are allowed a total of one hour computer time per day or half hour for children.

Yes. However, please note that there will be a delay in updating your account to reflect those transactions if you return your items to a branch which does not have automated circulation services.

Yes.  If you are a member of the library you can use your card to complete prints and photocopies. However, if you do not have a library card, there is a limit to the number of pages you can request.

Black and White prints/copies cost $0.25 each.

Business Hours are:

• Monday to Thursday 8.00am to 4:15pm
• Friday 8:00am to 4:00pm

Library hours are:

• Monday to Friday, 8:30 am to 4:15 pm
• Saturday 9:00 am to 2:00 pm.

All NALIS cardholders can place a hold (reserve) on available items within the catalogue. Holds will be delivered to the pickup location selected when hold was placed. To Place a hold using the catalogue:

• Find the item in the online catalogue.
• Select the title.

A page comes up with the different branches where the item can be located.

• To the top left, there is a dropdown menu ‘Select an Action’.
• Click on this menu to view options.
• Select ‘Place Hold(s)’.
• You will be prompted to enter your credentials.

Reminder: User ID refers to your card number and PIN refers to your four-digit code

You can renew your items by phone, in person or online via the OPAC.

By phone - You can get the telephone number for your branch library here. Please have your library card and PIN number available and be prepared to confirm your identity. You must indicate to staff which items you wish to renew.

In person - Take the items you wish to renew to the Circulation Desk at any branch library. Staff can renew the items for you.

Via the OPAC - 1. From the homepage go to Search our Catalogue located in the Navigation Links on the left hand side of the page.

2. Click on My Account located in the menu on the top right hand side of the page.

3. Enter your library card number and pin.

4. You should see an option to Renew My Materials.

5. Select which items you want to renew.

6. Click on the Renew Selected Items option at the bottom of the module.

7. The confirmation of a successful renewal will be displayed.

Please note that Items can only be renewed once, for a period of 28 days. Also, if one or more item is overdue or you have outstanding fines against your account, you will not be able to renew your items.

Yes.  You can submit a book request at the Circulation Desk of your library.  You will be required to provide as much information as possible regarding the Title, Author, ISBN, Publisher or Date and  Place of Publication. You can also recommend a title online.

For brief factual queries, you can contact your Public Library by phone:
Monday - Friday: 8:30 am - 6:00 pm
Saturday: 8:30 am - 4:00 pm
 

From the Homepage, please select ‘Search our catalogue’, found in the navigation links on the left side of the page . Scroll down to the ‘What’s New’ section, to see the categories of new items available. User can now select as desired.

Patrons are responsible for all materials checked out on their cards. Loss or theft should be reported within 48 hours. The charge for a replacement card is $25.00. There is a waiting period of 2 weeks before a new card is issued.

Yes. If you are not a member of the Library, you can join by visiting the Blog post: How to Access Flipster on the Desktop . Click on REGISTER ONLINE and fill out the form then sign in to Flipster with your temporary ID.

1. Please the visit the Flipster section

2. Visit our Resources page at https://www.nalis.gov.tt/resources/ and choose Flipster.

Coming Soon.

You can read best-selling magazines such as Women’s health, Men’s Health, PCWorld, Better Homes & Gardens, Muse, etc.

Yes.

• To access back issues on your desktop or laptop computer, open the most recent issue of a magazine and select the All Issues menu item in the right column to see all available issues.
• To access back issues on your mobile device, open the most recent issue of a magazine and select the All Issues menu item from the menu in the top left corner to see all available issues.

Printing is determined by the publisher, so you may be able to print a single page, a range, or none at all. The print option is available when reading a magazine on a computer, but not from the mobile app. You can find the Print button at the bottom of the right hand menu.

Yes, both the desktop and mobile versions of Flipster support keyword searching within a magazine. You can also search across all issues accessing the content gallery feature. There is no search feature on the mobile app.

The Contents Gallery allows you to view the table of contents for all available issues of a magazine when using Flipster on your desktop or laptop computer.

To use the Contents Gallery:

1. Select All Issues from the viewer menu and click Contents Gallery from the resulting menu pane.
2. Click the View button. A new Contents Gallery window opens allowing you to page through the table of contents from all issues available.
3. Click on a feature or article to go directly to that page.

Note: The Contents Gallery is not accessible when using Flipster on a mobile device. However, the Mobile Viewer does offer the ability to view the Table of Contents and All Issues for the title being viewed.

There is no limit to the amount magazines you can read or download. Downloads are only available via the mobile app.

Yes. If you are not a member of the Library, you can join by visiting https://www.nalis.gov.tt/Services/Online-Registration. Click on REGISTER ONLINE and fill out the form then sign in to Overdrive with your temporary ID.

You can visit https://enalis.overdrive.com to access Overdrive.

Yes, Libby, the ONE-TAP reading app from Overdrive.

The Libby app can be downloaded from the Apple Store, Google Play Store, or you can visit https://www.overdrive.com/apps/libby/

You can find E-books, Audio books and Spanish language books for readers of all ages, from a variety of genres; suspense, business, romance, fiction, non-fiction, fantasy, folklore and many more.

The book will be accessible for 14 days.

Yes, the book can be returned early and you can borrow another.

Yes, a book can be renewed three (3) days before expiration; however, the book will not be renewed if another patron/s placed a hold request on the book.

Yes, you can place a hold on two (2) books at a time, Overdrive/Libby will prompt you via an alert in the Libby app when the book becomes available.

Yes, Overdrive/Libby supports searching within the book, bookmarking of page/s, and adding notes. You can even read a sample before borrowing.

Yes, there is a tab called Chapters that allows you to view the contents of the book.

Yes, the Font Size can be change. Go to Reading Settings to change font size, colour and background.

There are three reasons this can happen:

1. Someone else has the book on hold. In this case, you'll see a Place Hold button (instead of Renew), which means you need to wait to borrow the book again.
2. It's too early to renew the book. You'll be able to renew a book three (3) days before it's due. If it's too early, Libby will also tell you how much longer you need to wait before you can renew it.
3. The book is no longer in NALIS' Library catalogue. This may happen because the book has expired or has been manually removed from Overdrive.

Libby automatically uses the language your device or web browser is set to, as long as the language is supported in the Libby app. If you'd like to use Libby in a different language than your device, go to > Get Some Help > Choose Your Language (under "Common Solutions").

Both Libby and the classic Overdrive app allow you to borrow and read the same digital content from NALIS, but they look and feel different. Libby is an upgraded app for borrowing and reading titles and has a fresh, easy-to-use design that makes it the best app for NALIS users.

To remove your Library:

1. Go to My Account,
2. Choose See Library Cards,
3. Click on Actions, then select Remove Card.

What is OpenAthens?

OpenAthens is a secure authentication software that facilitates access to NALIS electronic resources using a single sign-on (SSO) i.e. one username and password.

What can I access with my OpenAthens accounts?

You can access all NALIS web-based subscriptions from anywhere using your mobile device or computer.

• Flipster - e-Magazines
• EBSCO – Databases and journals
• Overdrive/Libby – e-Books and audiobooks
• The Banyan Archives – Caribbean collection

Parental Advisory - Parents/Guardians, please note that the use of OpenAthens provides your child/ward with access to all of NALIS’ e-resources. Please be advised that, as with any online service, you are responsible for monitoring the items which they select.

Do I have to be a registered member of the Library to access OpenAthens?

Yes. You must be a holder of a valid library card. If you are not a member of the Library, pre-register here or visit a public library nearest to you to register.

How can I register for an OpenAthens account?

You can register for an account here.

Can I use an email address that differs from the address used when I registered for my library card?

No. You must register with the same email used for your library card registration. Your OpenAthens account is linked directly to your library account and using a different email would prevent access.

Can a child register for an OpenAthens account?

No. Children under the age of 13 cannot register for OpenAthens; a parent must register on their behalf.

Parental Advisory - Parents/Guardians, please note that the use of OpenAthens provides your child/ward with access to all of NALIS’ e-resources. Please be advised that, as with any online service, you are responsible for monitoring the items which they select.

I registered for an OpenAthens account but have not received a reply as yet, do I need to register again?

No. OpenAthens registration has a two (2) business days processing period. If you have not received a reply after the processing time, please email NALIS at support@nalis.gov.tt for assistance.

How can I access OpenAthens sign in?

Select any of the subscribed e-resources on the NALIS website and you will be directed to sign in with your OpenAthens account. You can access multiple resources within your browser session through the single sign-on system.

Does my OpenAthens account expire?

Yes. You will receive a notice via email one (1) month in advance.

How do I renew my OpenAthens account?

Please contact support@nalis.gov.tt for assistance.

How can I check the expiration date?

You can log into the MyAthens portal to see your account’s expiry date.

1. Type NALIS in the Find your institution search box then select the Library.
2. Select OpenAthens to sign in.
3. Next, Sign in with your OpenAthens credentials.
4. Click on Account to view the expiry date.

Please see tutorial for guidance. (NALIS Blog tutorial How to View Your OpenAthens Expiry Date to be hyperlinked)

How can I change my password?

You can update your password when you log into the MyAthens portal.

1. Type NALIS in the Find your institution search box then select the Library.
2. Select OpenAthens to sign in.
3. Next, Sign in with your OpenAthens credentials.
4. Click on Account then Change password.

I forgot my username for OpenAthens. How do I retrieve it?

You can email NALIS at support@nalis.gov.tt for assistance.

I forgot my OpenAthens password. How do I reset my password?

Use the link Problems signing in? located to the bottom of the Sign in with an OpenAthens account box.

You can also reset your password through the MyAthens portal. See tutorial for guidance.

1. What is Locate?

Locate is EBSCO’s Online Public Access Catalogue (OPAC) solution for FOLIO.  With Locate, patrons can search and browse their library’s catalogue and sign into their library accounts to view checkouts and fees/fines, place holds and renew items.

2. Do I have to be a member of the library to access Locate?

No, you do not have to be a member of the library to search and view items in the catalogue; Locate is open to guest users.  However, you would need to have a library account to access other features such as view checkouts and fees/fines, place holds and renew items.

3. How do I sign into Locate to access my library account?

Visit the NALIS website at www.nalis.gov.tt and sign into your library account either using your library card and PIN or an email address and password via your OpenAthens account.

4. Can I access Locate remotely?

Yes, as long as you have an internet connection, you can access Locate from anywhere.

5. How do I search for a book or resource in Locate?

You can search by entering keywords, book titles, authors, ISBN numbers or subjects in the search bar.  You can also use advanced search options to refine your search results by format, publication year and more.

6. How does using Advanced Search in Locate assist the user?

This feature allows the user to refine and narrow search results, making it easier to find specific items within the library’s catalogue.

7. How do I filter my search results?

After performing a search, you can apply filters on the left-hand side of the results page.  Filters include options like format (ebook, print, audiobook), availability, language or publication date, etc.  You can combine multiple filters for more specific results.

8. Can I see if an item is available at a specific library location?

Yes, you can check an item’s availability at specific locations in the item record. You can also view its availability (status) in the search results.

9. Where does the “Related subjects” information in the item detail page come from?

These come from the subject headings in the FOLIO record.  Related subjects are from the item record, rather than suggestions or recommendations.

1. Who can pre-register online for a NALIS library card?

Any resident of Trinidad and Tobago can register for a NALIS library card using the online registration form. Non-residents may contact the library at 626-2547 for more information.

2. Can a child under the age of 12 register online?

No, a parent or guardian must complete the registration on their behalf and submit the relevant documents.

3. Is there a fee for online registration?

No, library registration is free of charge.

4. How do I access the online registration form?

Visit the ‘Join the Library’ page at https://www.nalis.gov.tt/services/join-the-library/ on the NALIS website to pre-register online for a library card.

5. What information do I need to complete the registration form?

You will need to provide:

• Your full name or child’s full name
• Date of birth
• A valid unique email address
• A parent or guardian’s name and ID if applicant is under 18 years.

6. Is a separate email address required for each family member I register?

Yes, a valid unique email address is required for each registration.

7. Do I need to upload any documents?

You have the option to email to OnlineRegistration@nalis.gov.tt scanned copies of a valid identification (national identification card, passport or driver's permit) and proof of your current address (utility bill or any other official document received through the mail within the last 3 months) or visit the library with your documents to complete the process.

8. What happens after I submit the online registration form?

After submitting the form, you will receive a confirmation notice sent to the email address you provided during sign-up. Then visit your library within 30 days to complete the registration process and collect your library card.

9. I submitted the form but haven’t received a confirmation. What should I do?

Please check your spam or junk folder first. If you still haven’t received a response within 3–5 business days, contact your nearest library branch at 62-NALIS or email support@nalis.gov.tt.

10. Can I borrow books online right after completing the online registering process?

No, you must visit the library to complete the registration process and collect your library card. Once your registration is completed you can borrow physical items and once you have set your PIN, you can access NALIS’ digital resources.

11. Who can I contact for help with registration?

If you need assistance, please contact your nearest library branch at 62-NALIS or email support@nalis.gov.tt.