OPAC Password too Trivial?

Secrets Revealed!

Have you been one of the lucky ones who has encountered this problem? A patron wishes to create or change their OPAC password and every time they attempt a different password, the system tells them that the password they chose was, “Too trivial”? Now we know why…

From the Pals Wiki

The following is taken directly from the Pals Wiki in regard to problems patrons might encounter when trying to create a password.  (I personally feel that checking for “complexity” is totally useless, but…)

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Creating a Password

First time online library account users will need to create a Password before they are able to use the features of My Millennium.

1. From the View My Patron Record screen accessed from the PAC2 catalog, patrons should put in their barcode and press Enter or click Submit.
2. The patron will be prompted to enter a Password twice.
3. Once the Password has been accepted, the patron will immediately be logged into their account.

Passwords can be up to 30 characters long and can consist of any characters the patron chooses (letters and numbers). However, in order to be valid, the password must not contain common “trivial” patterns. For example:

• A character that is repeated three or more times(for example, aaaa, ababa, bbbb).
• A set of up to four characters is that is repeated two or more times (for example, abab, abcabc, abcdabcd).

If the user enters a “trivial” Password, the system displays the following error message: “Your Password is not complex enough to be secure. Please Select another one.” Also note:

• If there are more than five failed attempts to log in with the same barcode within one minute, the system will block access to the patron account for one minute.

• If the patron fails to validate, the system returns a generic error message and does not specify if the validation failed on name, barcode, or Password.

• Patrons who have forgotten their Password must contact the library. Library staff may delete the encrypted Password from the patron’s record in Millennium Circulation. The Patron should then be directed to create a new Password.

 

New Username Feature

You can create a USERNAME for you library account, which can be used instead of having to remember your barcode number.

Keep in mind that even if you create the username, your barcode will still work also.  In either case, neither of these changes your password.

Creating the USERNAME simply allows you to create an easy to remember 6 letter/digit word instead of the 12-15 digit barcode.

Don’t Forget – Everyone Can Post

Don’t be shy.  Everyone who works at the Ref Desk is invited to post here.  It’s not manditory, but try it at least once just to say you did .  If you need a refresher, feel free to ask Lynne, Denise or Jamie.   Start at www.wordpress.com . The username and password are on the reference rolodex under PASSWORDS.  The rest is as simple as using a word processor…almost.

New VRC…but some links not working

Currently several VRC databases cannot be accessed by using the “USE IN LIBRARY” link.  These include the Literature Resource Center, History Resource Center, Opposing Viewpoints, Bases de Datos and a few others.  You can still get to these databases by using the “Use Outside Library” link, which requires a barcode and password.  People have been contacted to fix this, but be advised of the workaround just in case repairs are not made ASAP.

Password creation is fixed!

PALS has told us that the changes made yesterday to the Staff WebOPAC have fixed the problem we were having with password creation on the public OPAC.  That means the only problems still pending are:

—the ability to freeze or cancel holds by patrons on the public OPAC

—the general slowness of the public OPAC

These problems still exist, and are being worked on.  When more information is available, I will share it.  -DH

PAC2 Update (Part III)

As of the last e-mail I received from system, these problems have now been corrected:

• patrons can now log in to their library accounts
• patrons can now renew items they have checked out
• patrons can now pay fines online via eCommerce

The following issues are still being worked on:

• patrons cannot cancel or freeze their holds
• limiting searches is functioning erratically
• password creation is functioning erratically
• general slowness on the PAC2 server

When I hear any news on these unresolved problems, I will pass it on.  -Denise

Changes to the WebOPAC

Along with our update on Wednesday to Innovative’s Millennium Release 2007 come some improvements (we hope) to the OPAC.  These improvements include:

• A new My Millennium feature, My List, will be added as a complement to Reading History. As Reading History can track what you’ve checked out, My List can be used to keep track of what you are considering checking out. (WebPAC Pro ONLY)
• A warning will be provided above the list of checked out material as well as by the individual affected records when a renewal fails.
• It will be possible for patrons with a current email address in their patron record to recover a lost PIN number through a standard “Forgot your password?” function.

For the last one to be of any help to our patrons, we need to get them to add e-mail addresses to their patron records.  But don’t forget that once they add an e-mail address to their patron record, all of their notices (reserves, overdues, and courtesy) will automatically be sent via e-mail — they will NO LONGER receive phone calls.  Any questions, please ask me.  — Denise

About Those Comments…

You know, it’s okay to actually LEAVE a comment about a post, not just your initials that you have read it. Next week, I will give everyone the user name and password so that everyone in the department can POST to the blog.  

Worldcat – free version

When looking up a title for ILL outside of the county, you can use the public version of Worldcat, which requires NO PASSWORD.  Just visit www.worldcat.org and do your search for books, articles, etc.  If you find any differences between this and the passworded search, please let us know through the comment section.