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The AIS Desk Staff LibGuide: Using LibCal

This information does not cover Learning Studio Rooms. That is found on the Learning Studios page of this LibGuide.

The LibCal Training Document provides a solid overview on how to use the basic features if you need a refresher.

Quick LibCal Directions

LibCal Best Practices on Desk

Before confirming or changing a patrons reservation, verify the patron's identity:
  • In-person on desk:
    • Ask to confirm their booking by having the patron show you their email confirmation
      • If they do not have email confirmation, ask to see their CatCard or Photo ID and reference LibCal to ensure the patron is the one on the reservation before giving out room information. 
  • Questions over chat or on the phone:
    • Instruct the patron to check their email for a confirmation email (including their spam folders), or their UA App.
    • We cannot provide patron information or room reservation information over chat or phone, since we cannot verify their identity.
    • This is to protect student information in the case of stalking or trying to locate someone without their knowledge.

Staff Booking on Patron's Behalf

Staff may book study rooms for students, but should encourage them to book the rooms themselves by using our website and logging in with their Net ID and password if possible.

If staff does book a room on behalf of a patron, make sure verify in Alma that they are eligible for the room they are trying to book.

Troubleshooting tips for assisting users having trouble making bookings:

  • Make sure the user is active in Alma and eligible to book that type of room (the tags on our website indicate who can book what room types)
  • Have the user try an incognito or private browsing window (this resolves many errors!)
  • Check to see if the user has exceeded their 24 weekly limit (instructions on the "view how many hours a student has booked" tab)

LibCal has a 24 hour weekly limit, calculated from Sunday - Saturday each week. This can sometimes explain why a user can't make a booking. To see how many hours they have booked against that limit:

After logging into LibCal:

  • Click on the Booking Explorer Tab to open.
  • Enter the patron’s email address that they used to book the space(s). Make sure to enter the full email address exactly.
  • Check the button next to Search All Locations
  • Choose the date range from the dropdown menu. Select "Custom Range" as the most recent Sunday through today's date
  • Click the Go button to see result

 

Updating & Canceling Bookings

How to Update a Confirmed Booking 
  • Click the booking end time link 
  • The booking window will open and allow you to edit, update the booking using the Start and End Time fields 
  • Select “Send confirmation email to user” 
  • Click on Update Booking 

How to Cancel a Confirmed Booking Request 
  • Click the Booking ID Number 
  • In the pop up window, click on Cancel Booking
  • A secondary window will open, click "Send Email to notify user" and "Cancel Booking"

Logging In & Locating Booking Explorer

Go to https://arizona.libapps.com/libapps/login.php in an Incognito Tab

When the login window appears sign in with your personal LibApps Account.

(The example below uses the old LibCal Admin account, as of December 8th, 2025, Staff use their personal accounts for confirming bookings in LibCal.)

Click on the blue LibApps dropdown menu: 
  • Choose “libcal.library.arizona.edu” 
  • When the new page opens, click on “Spaces” in the orange/yellow menu at the top of the application.

The default location is the Chemistry Building 
  • You can use the dropdown next to “Spaces in Location” to navigate to other library spaces 

The Book Explorer tab will allow you to search for specific patrons to see just their reservations

Searching for Bookings

From the Spaces interface, click on the Booking Explorer tab: 
  • Confirm the patron’s email using their CatCard/Photo ID to search for their account in Alma. 
  • Enter the patron’s email address that they used to book the space(s) 
  • Choose the date range from the dropdown menu 
  • Check the button next to “search all locations” 
  • Click “Go” to see results 

If the patron has confirmed bookings, they will be shown in a table below the search fields.

If no bookings appear:

  • Double check the spelling of the patrons email.
  • Try looking in other Spaces in Location (Main Library, CATalyst & Learning Studios, Weaver Science-Engineering Library. etc).
  • Change date ranges, confirm that "Search All Locations" is checked.
  • Confirm that the patron in front of you is the patron who booked the space (not a professor, TA, library staff member, etc).
    • If they are not, we cannot confirm the booking with them, please refer them back to the person they are meeting to confirm their location.