Learning Commons Manual & Resources

Activating a Public Library Card Instructions

Because Lone Star College is in a consortium with Harris County Public Library system and Montgomery County Memorial Library system guest patrons with a library card from these libraries are able to use our computers and access the LSC wi-fi by activating their public library card. Have the guest patron sit at the ADA computer next to the Tech Help station and pull up Guest Access. Under Library Patrons, click on Activate a Lone Star College network public/community account. 

The window that pops up requires patrons to

• Type their 14-digit library barcode
• Type their 4-digit PIN number that goes with the above library barcode. If they do not remember this number, you can scan their library barcode in WorkFlows and look it up. Be sure you check their driver's license before you do this step. You don't won't them using someone else's account.
• Create Password
• Submit (Upon submitting correctly patron will see a blank application with a note in the green bar stating, "Thank you for your request. Please present your ID to the circulation desk for verfication to receive your credentials.

• Patrons hand the Tech Help staff member their Public Library Card and Driver's License for Approval.

Tech Help Staff member will approve account.

• Ask for patron's public library card Driver's License if it is not presented. Scan public library card in WordFlows. Check name on library card, WorkFlows account and Driver's License and compare photo to person presenting the ID. 
• On the Tech Help computer, open the Library Access Admin program. Here is the URL if the shortcut disappears from the desktop, https://tools.lonestar.edu/LibraryAccess/admin/Approve.aspx 
  • Log in using your LSC Username (employee email address) and password. 
  • In the menu bar at the top of the page, select APPROVE REQUESTS 
  • Find the patron you are approving
  • Click Approve
• The next screen to pop up should have a message stating that the patrons account has been approved and their 14-digit library barcode number will be used as their username.

Patrons who have activated their library card will use the following to sign in to the computers:

     User name:     14-digit public library card number

     Password:       The password they typed in when filling out the request. Staff does not have access to this information.

14-day Computer & Wi-fi Option Instructions

• Patron clicks on Create a Temporary Guest Account
• Application appears. Patron selects AccountType, 14-day Computer & Wi-fi Access
• Input name and email address. Create password. Patron must remember their password as Staff will not have the ability to look it up nor is this included in the email sent to the patron.
• Submit

LC Staff now approves request. Ask patron for their photo ID (Driver's license). Check name and compare photo.

On the Tech Help computer, open the Library Access Admin program. Here is the URL if the shortcut disappears from the desktop, https://tools.lonestar.edu/LibraryAccess/admin/Approve.aspx 

• Log in using your LSC Username (employee email address) and password. 
• In the menu bar at the top of the page, select APPROVE REQUESTS 
• Find the patron you are approving
• On the line of the patron you are approving, click on the box in front of Email Credentials? An email will be sent to the guest patron giving them their username, but not their password.

• Click Approve
• The next window to pop up will give staff the patron's Username.  Write this down with the extension, @guest.lonestar.edu, and give to guest patron.  For example, GST-THuffy@guest.lonestar.edu

Patron will sign on to computers using the following:

     Username:     GST-xxxxxxxxxxx@guest.lonestar.edu

     Password:      Patron uses password they created when filling out the request.

5-day Wi-fi ONLY option Instructions

• Patron clicks on Create a Temporary Guest Account
• Application appears. Patron selects AccountType, Inputs name and email address
• Submit
• Screen will pop up giving patron their username, password and SSID information. This information will be emailed to them, but if they cannot access their email, they will need to take a photo of this screem that pops up or write down the information.
• Staff will not be approving this option. Nor will they have access to the information to give to patron later.

Resetting Password for Guest Account

For patrons who have a 5-day wi-fi only option or 14-day computer and wi-fi option, they will have to create a new account. For patrons who activated their Harris County Public or Montgomery County Memorial library card they will do the following:

• Sit at the ADA computer.
• Pull up the Library Guest Access page
• Under Library Patrons, click on Change your Password Here
• Patron fills in Library Barcode Number, PIN, Last Name, and Password
• Submit
• Patron can now sign in to a computer with
  • Username:          14-digit library barcode
  • Password:           New password

Here is an alternative if the above process does not work.

• Staff employee pulls up the Guest Access admin sight (shortcut is on desktop) on the Tech Help station computer.
• If not logged in, do so
• Click on Update Patron Information
  • Ask for their public library card and Driver's License. Scan the number into the Library Barcode Number field. To make sure they are not using someone else's card, it would be a good idea to scan the card in Workflows and check their Driver's License.
  • Click Search. Their name should populate those fields.
  • Click Save
• Now, on the menu line at the top of this screen, click on Reset Patron Password
  • Scan Library barcode number into the Library Barcode Number field
  • Click Search
  • Name should populate in First and Last Name fields
  • Patron can reset their password. Please do not have patron step around to the employee side of the desk. Instead turn the monitor to face them and hand them the keyboard so that they can type in their password.
  • Once the patron has finished typing in their password, they can click on Submit.
• Password is reset, unless parameters have not been met which means the patron would have to type another password in.

Guest Printing

Only Guest patrons who have activated their Harris County Public or Montgomery County Memorial Library card can print. Guest patrons are visitors to the campus who are not a student or employee of Lone Star College.

Guests who have been approved for a 5-day Wi-fi Only option or a 14-day Computer & Wi-fi option cannot print for three reasons.

1. There is no way to add funds to the account.
2. These are temporary accounts. If they do not use all of the money before the account expires it will disappear.
3. Our ADDValue machine does not dispense cards with money attached.

Adding money to public library card to pay for printing.

• Cash - bills only
  • Patron scans public library card barcode at the ADDValue station.
  • Insert bills.
• PayPal, Credit or Debit Cards
  • Patron logs in to myPrintCenter using the following
    • Username:     14-digit library barcode from their public library card
    • Password:      password patron used when requesting access to the LSC wi-fi
  • Click Add Funds in myPrintCenter and continue same process that LSC students follow.

Releasing Print Jobs

Patron goes to Print Release  Station and uses the following to Sign-in

          Username:     14-digit library barcode from their public library card

          Password:      password patron used when requesting access to the LSC wi-fi