Welcome to the Tyndale Online Library!

Signed in to MyTyndale.ca. Now what? Where is the library?! Inside "Academics?" Nope. "MyPages"? Nope. MyTyndale has no library!!!! Hang on. I see it. It's in the fine print at the top of the page.

Click on Library. Looking for the DMin link. Research Guides sounds right. Nope. Hang on. Doctor of Ministry. There it is. Ah, the lovely Jennifer. I click on Literature Search, expecting to be able to do a, you know, literature search. Nope.

Maybe the DMin link isn't a portal into doing research, but just a tutorial site? Back to the Research Guides page. "This is a great place to start your research in a specific subject area, linking you to relevant print and digital library resources including databases, articles and books." So it is a portal and not just info.

Back to DMin Research Guide. Try Find Articles. Click. Ah. So it is a portal. Select "Academic Search Premier". Sounds upscale and classy. No doubt has automatic windows and rear-view defrost. Remote Access Login. Aren't I already logged-in?! Is this the same ID I just used, or some other ID? I try the same userID and password... I'm in!

I search on "ten commandments" and decalogue. Results mostly irrelevant. And there are only five of them?! I try Show More. Nope. Page 1. Is there a page 2? I select an article. Grab citation data. "Add To Folder". Hmm. That's cool. Things are looking up. But what folder is this? Academic Search Premier, or some other folder?

* * *

OK, got a book reference. Want to look it up. Click "New Search". Takes me to searching within articles. How do I get back to higher level so I can search books? Clicking New Search 3 times doesn't help. There must be some way to get back to the Tyndale Library but where is it? Defeated. I give up. I'll click on "Sign In. Sign In to My EBSCOhost. What is this? A third sign-in requirements? I guess Sign In was not Tyndale Library sign in.  OK. I'm outta here. Going all the way back to Tyndale Library sign-in. Stupid. Bye.

* * *

Out and back in. Search Books. ONTRAC.  OnTRAC Tyndale Library Catalogue. I remember this. Means something. Can't remember. Books that Tyndale has, maybe? What does the TRAC mean? Maybe the funny little symbol will give me a definition. Nope. I wonder what the difference is between searching OnTRAC and searching 360. Would be nice if this page had a brief definition.

Searching OnTRAC. Found a book. Select next page. Oh, oh.

WebVoyáge System Error

An unexpected system error has occurred. Please report this error to your library. We regret the inconvenience. This page will redirect to the system start page shortly.

Out and back in. Found a book on Calvin. No "Add to Folder" option. Hmmm. Maybe the folder only stores data for electronic stuff? Why couldn't the folder also keep publication data, etc. for this "found" book? Guess I don't know exactly what the folder does/is for.

Only 3 references to Calvin and the ten commandments in the whole Tyndale library?!

I decided to "Save Search".  On, no. Yet another log-in requirement. This one wants my Patron Barcode. Are you kidding me, "Patron" barcode?!  Wait a minute. I remember Jennifer said something about this. Get my Tyndale Library card.... Can't find my card. I phone library. Ask for my Patron barcode ID. He tells me "266 followed by last name". I try this. Doesn't work. Phone back. Patron barcode is 266. Last name is... last name. I'm in.

Hang on. I was trying to... what was I trying to do? "Save Search". Instead of a "search saved" message I get a Basic Search screen. What is it I have been doing, and how is this different? "Your session will end in two minutes". Give me a break. I do the same search, and get the same 3 results. This time there's an "add to list" option. Not exactly a folder, but better than nothing. Now I have both a folder and a list on the go. I wonder what click to Export does? Click. Export to... no Turabian. Hmmm. Plus, a blank screen. Another dead end. I have no idea what I just did. I'm "lost in the library". Backspace.

I'm in the Tyndale University College & Seminary Catalogue. How do I get out? I'll hit Search. Nope. Still inside Tyndale University College & Seminary Catalogue. Same problem as before. How do I get back to the top? I'll click "My List". My List Is Empty. Didn't I just add a book to my list using "add to list" option? I guess that didn't work. I've entered Alice in Wonderland territory here. Is the website mocking me, playing with me?

I'll try My Account. I see they've got my street address wrong. Isn't there one address for me kept on file at Tyndale? I am getting mail.

Conclusion: Amazon works much better as a website.

I see there's a teeny-tiny Tyndale Libraries link. I'll try it. I see I'm in OnTRAC. There's a link to return to the Main Library Website. I wonder what the difference is between the MLW and OnTRAC? I'll click Main Library Website. I see a heading Tyndale University College & Seminary Libraries. Below it, I seek a link for Library Catalogue (OnTRAC).  I assume this means Tyndale Library Catalogue (if so, it would be better if it said so). I also see that OnTRAC must be some kind of obfuscatory acronym for the Tyndale Library Catalouge. Wouldn't TynLib or TynCat or even TLC (Tyndale Library Catalouge) be better, so as not to throw novice students off-track?

Since I've been mainly knocking my head against the wall, I think I'll try the 360 search. Maybe it will make my head spin 360 degrees? But wouldn't this be better than head knocking? Hmmm. I wonder if someone has researched this... but, I digress.