Problem with session timeout when placing holds on the beta site
*UPDATE* (Tues., May 18): This problem should be fixed. Please let us know if you encounter the message telling you to "click OK to start a new session."
Our beta website is currently experiencing a problem with session timeouts. You may find that you receive this message when you try to place a hold:
We're investigating and hope to have this resolved soon. Thanks to everyone who reported the issue.
52 thoughts on “Problem with session timeout when placing holds on the beta site”
I just wanted to say that this website is so much more clean, and easy to use than your previous one. It is exactly what a library site needs to be and gets directly to the point. Good work, and I am sure the kinks will be worked out soon.
I just wanted to say that this website is so much more clean, and easy to use than your previous one. It is exactly what a library site needs to be and gets directly to the point. Good work, and I am sure the kinks will be worked out soon.
You cannot toggle back to English after you flip to French. The hyperlink still points to . However, I know you could use , but then why have the .
(The drop-downs are still in English, but I’m figuring that is because you are still in beta).
You cannot toggle back to English after you flip to French. The hyperlink still points to. However, I know you could use , but then why have the .
(The drop-downs are still in English, but I’m figuring that is because you are still in beta).
On your Leaside Branch page at http://beta.torontopubliclibrary.ca/detail.jsp?Entt=RDMLIB059&R=LIB059, the information in the Directions tab is completely wrong for that branch.
On your Leaside Branch page at http://beta.torontopubliclibrary.ca/detail.jsp?Entt=RDMLIB059&R=LIB059, the information in the Directions tab is completely wrong for that branch.
At the page http://beta.torontopubliclibrary.ca:80/using-the-library/borrowing-materials/#meaning it does not list the meaning for ‘in transit’, despite naming that as one of the things that is to be explained.
At the page http://beta.torontopubliclibrary.ca:80/using-the-library/borrowing-materials/#meaning it does not list the meaning for ‘in transit’, despite naming that as one of the things that is to be explained.
Hello,
On the catalogue results page, it takes a lot of scrolling to narrow down the filter options and also view the results. Since there’s a lot of space to the right side of the current list of results, have you considered using multiple columns or using a view similar to iTunes’ Grid View?
Also on the filter sidebar, I noticed in the “Subject” box that clicking “more” refreshed the entire page to load more, maybe using AJAX would be less jarring to users?
A vast improvement so far, thanks,
Jordan
Hello,
On the catalogue results page, it takes a lot of scrolling to narrow down the filter options and also view the results. Since there’s a lot of space to the right side of the current list of results, have you considered using multiple columns or using a view similar to iTunes’ Grid View?
Also on the filter sidebar, I noticed in the “Subject” box that clicking “more” refreshed the entire page to load more, maybe using AJAX would be less jarring to users?
A vast improvement so far, thanks,
Jordan
Thank you for developing this site. I can finally sign into the Library site using Vista. The old site has prevented me from doing so for almost 3 years.
Thank you for developing this site. I can finally sign into the Library site using Vista. The old site has prevented me from doing so for almost 3 years.
I am quite offended by the beta website…I thought we are living in a multi-cultural societies…all I see on the banner of the beta website is Southest Asian…more specific just Indian people…what happened to other ethnic groups?
Offended
I am quite offended by the beta website…I thought we are living in a multi-cultural societies…all I see on the banner of the beta website is Southest Asian…more specific just Indian people…what happened to other ethnic groups?
Offended
The Map feature for branches isn’t interactive anymore. I hope that will change soon. I can’t zoom in or out or pan around.
Thanks.
The Map feature for branches isn’t interactive anymore. I hope that will change soon. I can’t zoom in or out or pan around.
Thanks.
Access to beta site is so slow it is virtually useless (over a minute). Same for non-beta site but somewhat better (about 35 seconds). Above is average of a few attempts. I have a fast (Cable) connection (measured, not claimed by ISP).
As a professional, I would be ashamed to run such useless junk. Waiting so long between pages is almost unheard of.
As for the site, it seems somewhat cleaner but due to above problem I don’t have hours to test it..
Access to beta site is so slow it is virtually useless (over a minute). Same for non-beta site but somewhat better (about 35 seconds). Above is average of a few attempts. I have a fast (Cable) connection (measured, not claimed by ISP).
As a professional, I would be ashamed to run such useless junk. Waiting so long between pages is almost unheard of.
As for the site, it seems somewhat cleaner but due to above problem I don’t have hours to test it..
In the ‘hold’ info for books I want to receive, why isn’t there an ‘author’ column? When the column disappeared, I was told it would come back with the new system. What happened?
In the ‘hold’ info for books I want to receive, why isn’t there an ‘author’ column? When the column disappeared, I was told it would come back with the new system. What happened?
just wondering how to tell if all copies of an item have gone missing/being repaired, etc. (no copies available for borrowing).
I’ve been 1 of 1 on a couple of items for a few months now, and can’t tell why.
we used to be able to go in and see the status/locations of all the items, which was useful for situations like this.
keep up the good work.
just wondering how to tell if all copies of an item have gone missing/being repaired, etc. (no copies available for borrowing).
I’ve been 1 of 1 on a couple of items for a few months now, and can’t tell why.
we used to be able to go in and see the status/locations of all the items, which was useful for situations like this.
keep up the good work.
What I would like to know is why the TPL is spending public dollars on a new website when a new one was developed within the last couple of years. Just because the library changes leadership and that leadership doesn’t like the old site, does not give said leadership the right to build a new toy. Was the old one so dysfunctional that it crippled the system? No. Then public monies are better spent elsewhere. Poor management. I would like a reply to this, please.
What I would like to know is why the TPL is spending public dollars on a new website when a new one was developed within the last couple of years. Just because the library changes leadership and that leadership doesn’t like the old site, does not give said leadership the right to build a new toy. Was the old one so dysfunctional that it crippled the system? No. Then public monies are better spent elsewhere. Poor management. I would like a reply to this, please.
Your beta website makes my Firefox 1 freeze.
Toronto Public Library never has good programmers working for them!…
Your beta website makes my Firefox 1 freeze.
Toronto Public Library never has good programmers working for them!…
The old site was pretty dour but it worked. This new site is an impenetrable mess! It is both visually and technically unfriendly and, while you’re trying to be clever with your new headings, you’re just throwing up more obstacles to quick navigation. All I wanted to do this morning was to place holds on a few books and I’m damned if I can figure out how to do it.
To many steps, too many heads and sub-heads – a serpantine route to a gordian knot! Before you go a step further toward making this mess a reality – consult with some web designers who know what they’re doing – who put usability before “cuteness”!
Or just leave the old one. This is just a waste of (our) money.
The old site was pretty dour but it worked. This new site is an impenetrable mess! It is both visually and technically unfriendly and, while you’re trying to be clever with your new headings, you’re just throwing up more obstacles to quick navigation. All I wanted to do this morning was to place holds on a few books and I’m damned if I can figure out how to do it.
To many steps, too many heads and sub-heads – a serpantine route to a gordian knot! Before you go a step further toward making this mess a reality – consult with some web designers who know what they’re doing – who put usability before “cuteness”!
Or just leave the old one. This is just a waste of (our) money.
I am so angry I forgot to check for typos! Serpentine. Too.
and probably a few more.
I spent a bit more time on the Beta site – just to give it a fair shake and it’s actually much worse that I’d thought. You probably know the old chestnut about a camel being a horse designed by a committee? This doesn’t even qualify as a camel. Put it out of its misery before its too late!
I am so angry I forgot to check for typos! Serpentine. Too.
and probably a few more.
I spent a bit more time on the Beta site – just to give it a fair shake and it’s actually much worse that I’d thought. You probably know the old chestnut about a camel being a horse designed by a committee? This doesn’t even qualify as a camel. Put it out of its misery before its too late!
Two items:
Why is it necessary for your new site to time out after a while?
I understand why the URL’s for the pages in the beta site are different than the original site. But when the beta becomes the site, will the URLs revert to the original? Many sites, like my torontohistory.org, link to many of the pages of the branches.
Two items:
Why is it necessary for your new site to time out after a while?
I understand why the URL’s for the pages in the beta site are different than the original site. But when the beta becomes the site, will the URLs revert to the original? Many sites, like my torontohistory.org, link to many of the pages of the branches.
Hi Alan, it times out mainly because we are ensuring that personal information linked to Your Account is not available to others if a computer is left unattended in a public or shared computing environment. In this way it is similar to how a banking website works. We are working out some kinks on making the process better so you’re not notified so often and after apparen’t activity within the main site (timeout relates to Your Account which is a separate system from the main site).
Highly linked URLs will be permanently redirected so that many links out on the internet will automatically find the appropriate page. This is true of all branch pages and of other key library web pages.
Hi Alan, it times out mainly because we are ensuring that personal information linked to Your Account is not available to others if a computer is left unattended in a public or shared computing environment. In this way it is similar to how a banking website works. We are working out some kinks on making the process better so you’re not notified so often and after apparen’t activity within the main site (timeout relates to Your Account which is a separate system from the main site).
Highly linked URLs will be permanently redirected so that many links out on the internet will automatically find the appropriate page. This is true of all branch pages and of other key library web pages.
Sorry to hear your browser froze when using our site. We haven’t had reports of this problem from anyone else. It would be great if you could provide us with more details (when it happened, what you were doing on the site).
Sorry to hear your browser froze when using our site. We haven’t had reports of this problem from anyone else. It would be great if you could provide us with more details (when it happened, what you were doing on the site).
Hi Colleen,
Thank you for your comment. While you are currently not able to see the author’s name displayed in your list of holds, it is a feature that we plan to make available as we continue to develop the new site. Please keep using the beta site and let us know anytime you have comments or questions.
Hi Colleen,
Thank you for your comment. While you are currently not able to see the author’s name displayed in your list of holds, it is a feature that we plan to make available as we continue to develop the new site. Please keep using the beta site and let us know anytime you have comments or questions.
Hello,
Sorry that you have been experiencing problems with the branch map. We have not received any other similar reports so hopefully it was a temporary glitch. We have been making changes to improve the design and functionality of the Hours & Locations page so the map should now be working properly. If you encounter the same problem again, please let us know right away and tell us which browser you are using so that we can investigate further.
Hello,
Sorry that you have been experiencing problems with the branch map. We have not received any other similar reports so hopefully it was a temporary glitch. We have been making changes to improve the design and functionality of the Hours & Locations page so the map should now be working properly. If you encounter the same problem again, please let us know right away and tell us which browser you are using so that we can investigate further.
Hi M,
Sorry to hear that you are frustrated with the speed of the beta site. You posted your comment on Friday; that was the day that we switched over to a new server. It’s possible that this change may have contributed to the slow response time. We are continually striving to improve performance and hope that your experience with the site has been more positive since then.
Hi M,
Sorry to hear that you are frustrated with the speed of the beta site. You posted your comment on Friday; that was the day that we switched over to a new server. It’s possible that this change may have contributed to the slow response time. We are continually striving to improve performance and hope that your experience with the site has been more positive since then.
Hi Phil,
Please send us the title of one of the items you are waiting for so that we can look into this for you. Thanks.
Hi Phil,
Please send us the title of one of the items you are waiting for so that we can look into this for you. Thanks.
Account Summary doesn’t include the items in transit. Is there a reason for that? I looked at my summary and it shows 2 available and 21 Holds. Where did my holds go? I have more than 23 items on hold and I thought they had been removed.
Account Summary doesn’t include the items in transit. Is there a reason for that? I looked at my summary and it shows 2 available and 21 Holds. Where did my holds go? I have more than 23 items on hold and I thought they had been removed.
Hi Alan,
Thanks for pointing this out to us. It has now been fixed.
Hi Alan,
Thanks for pointing this out to us. It has now been fixed.
Hi Tim,
You’re right: the number of holds indicated on the summary screen does not include holds that are currently in transit or available for pickup. This is not a new issue. The customer account interface is part of our integrated library system, and we have not made changes to it at this stage in our website redesign. We hope to tackle some of the account enhancements our users have requested in the near future. Thanks for your feedback.
Hi Tim,
You’re right: the number of holds indicated on the summary screen does not include holds that are currently in transit or available for pickup. This is not a new issue. The customer account interface is part of our integrated library system, and we have not made changes to it at this stage in our website redesign. We hope to tackle some of the account enhancements our users have requested in the near future. Thanks for your feedback.
Hi Paul,
The changes to our website three years ago were part of our conversion to a new integrated library system (the underlying system that manages all of the library’s inventory processes and customer transactions). We had to make that change because the old system had been discontinued by its vendor, and we wanted to ensure we were on a platform that would continue to develop and be supported in the future.
The website interface that came with the integrated library system is an out-of-the-box product that we customized as much as we could to meet customer expectations. We have developed our new website to allow us to better address customer requests for enhancements and new features. The new site uses the integrated library system as one of its underlying data sources – it is building on the work done three years ago rather than replacing it.
The new site introduces a number of improvements, large and small, that customers have been asking for: better search, greater ease in seeing which items you can place holds on and check out, and an improved sign-in process. It also integrates information about other library programs and services and makes it searchable.
Most importantly, we now have a platform that we can evolve and change in response to customer needs. If you have particular concerns, please let us know – we may be able to address them.
Hi Paul,
The changes to our website three years ago were part of our conversion to a new integrated library system (the underlying system that manages all of the library’s inventory processes and customer transactions). We had to make that change because the old system had been discontinued by its vendor, and we wanted to ensure we were on a platform that would continue to develop and be supported in the future.
The website interface that came with the integrated library system is an out-of-the-box product that we customized as much as we could to meet customer expectations. We have developed our new website to allow us to better address customer requests for enhancements and new features. The new site uses the integrated library system as one of its underlying data sources – it is building on the work done three years ago rather than replacing it.
The new site introduces a number of improvements, large and small, that customers have been asking for: better search, greater ease in seeing which items you can place holds on and check out, and an improved sign-in process. It also integrates information about other library programs and services and makes it searchable.
Most importantly, we now have a platform that we can evolve and change in response to customer needs. If you have particular concerns, please let us know – we may be able to address them.