Help Navigating our Website
Welcome!
Begin by watching our 11-minute video for a quick overview of this website, its multiple shopping options, navigation features, and search, sort and filter tools.
Written Instructions:
Using the Search Bar |
Navigating the Menu |
Narrowing Search Results |
Choosing a Shopping Option |
Placing an Order |
If you have questions, please contact us.
Also see our FAQ or Shipping and Returns pages.
Using the Search Bar
Also see the video tutorial chapter, "Keyword Search Tool"
Keyword
The search bar is your primary tool to sift through the thousands of items in our catalogue. Type a word and the search bar will prompt you toward common and related searches. Common search examples include:
- theme (e.g. beatitudes),
- concept (e.g. reign of God),
- word from the title (e.g. forgiveness),
- author’s name (e.g. Schellenberg),
- location (e.g. China),
- congregation (e.g. Stirling Avenue Mennonite), etc.
Scripture Text
Search also by scripture text. All our worship and curriculum resources have been indexed by scripture text, when applicable. Search by:
- chapter (e.g. Matthew 10),
- chapter and verse (e.g. John 3:16),
- chapter and range of verses (e.g. Jeremiah 4:3-14),
- range of chapters (e.g. John 19-20).
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Navigating the Menu
The nativation menu offers "high-level" access to our Books, Resources, Food and Merchandise, and "quick-access" to other services.
Also see the video tutorial chapter, "Navigation Bar."
Food & Merchandise
You might be surprised that CommonWord sells perogies and frozen pizzas, among other foods, and in addition to a variety of gifts and personal and household items, and Indigenous arts and crafts. These products are carefully delineated for you from our Food & Merchandise menu.
Sale of the Week
Each week (or every two weeks in summer) we put one or two food items on sale. Please reference this link regularly if you are a frequent in-store customer.
Gift Cards
Gift cards can be purchased online for use in-store or from a distance. These may be purchased for yourself or as a gift.
CMU Students
The student portal for textbooks and other supplies and on-campus services.
In-Store
An introduction to products specifically found in our store location in Winnipeg, MB.
Books & Resources
This is our main menu, because no matter how good the food is, we are primarily a bookstore and resource centre!
Single Entry-Points via our Menu:
- Select "Type," if looking specifically for a video.
- Or, if you’re needing a worship resource, you may begin with the Genre, "Parts of Worship."
- Or, typically, you may have a theme in mind, like "Indigenous-Settler relations" under "Topic."
- Or, browse by starting with a "Church Season."
- Or, if you know you are needing an immediate item to download, segregate the online items by beginning with the "Availability" filter.
- Etc.
Combining the Menu with Multiple Filters:
There are 2 ways, for example, to browse for a Lenten call to worship from the navigation menu.
- Either select "Lent season" under "Church Season" (from menu) and choose "Call to Worship" under "Genre" (from sidebar)
- Or select "Parts of Worship" under "Genre" (from menu) and narrow "Genre" further by “Call to worship” (from sidebar) before further filtering the list by "Lent season" (from the sidebar)
The same list is generated either way:
- Season and Event > Lent season > Call to Worship
- Genre > Parts of Worship > Call to Worship > Lent season
The menus are high-level entry points that purposely start you on a wide search where you can then filter your results further, depending on your needs.
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Narrowing Search Results
Whether you’ve entered a keyword, scripture text or selected a menu option, your search results will yield:
- a list of resources,
- a sort option,
- a listing of applicable filters on the left sidebar
- and, when on a subject page, an additional search bar
Sort Option
Re-order your search results by:
- "Best Match" - algorithm-generated listing (default)
- "Newest Arrival" - the latest items in our collection
- "Publication Date" - the year an item was published
- "Alphabetical"
- "Random"
Filters
Use one or more filters to focus your resource list.
Filter |
Definition |
Type |
The medium by which an item is primarily accessed (e.g. Video) |
Genre |
The way an item is purposed or stylized (e.g. Teaching resources) |
Expression |
The way an item is experienced or performed (e.g. Dance) |
Topic |
An item's content or subject (what it is about) (e.g. Climate Change/Action) |
Church Season |
An item for use during the church calendar year (e.g. Advent season) |
Event |
An item for use during an event, occasion, holiday, date, time of day or calendar season (e.g. Communion) |
Audience |
The target group for which an item is designed (e.g. Children) |
Language |
The predominant language an item uses (including sub-titles) (e.g. Korean) |
Publisher |
The producer, supplier or copyright holder of an item (e.g. CMU Press) |
Collection |
Reading list on a nuanced theme. (e.g. Summer Reading List) |
Scope |
Other partner's aggregate collections. (e.g. Together in Worship) |
Using a Single Filter:
Examples:
- For online or DVD videos - select “Video” under “Type”
- For curriculum - select "Teaching Resources" under "Genre"
- For worship items - select "Parts of Worship" under "Genre"
- For drama resources - select "Spoken Word/Drama" under "Expression"
- For Easter materials - select "Easter Season" or "Easter Sunday" under "Church Season"
- For baptism resources - select "Baptism" under "Event"
- Etc.
Using Multiple Filters:
Examples:
- Select “Parts of Worship,” under "Genre," “Advent" under "Church Season," and “Access Online” under "Availability" to display online seasonal worship materials
- Select "Biblical Retelling" under "Genre," "Illustrated Picture Book under "Expression" and "Children" under "Audience" for children's illustrated Bible storie
- Etc.
Additional Search Bar
Use the additional search bar to refine your original search with another keyword or scripture text.
Example:
- Further refine a list of online Advent worship materials by searching for "Luke 2:20-24" (from sidebar keyword search).
Scrolling Search Results
While scrolling through a resource list:
- Click the author name to view other titles in our collection by that person.
- Click the “Heart” icon to save the item to your personalized Favourites list.
- Click a cover image or title to view more details about the item, including
- Synopsis
- Related reviews
- Additional "value-added" resources associated with the item (Guides, Interviews, etc.)
- And the item's available shopping options
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Choosing a Shopping Option
Our materials are available to buy, borrow, special order, and/or access online. You will have the choice from the following:
| Buy | |
| Buy | Purchase the item from CommonWord |
| Buy from MHA | Purchase the item from Mennonite Heritage Archives |
| Buy Off-Site | Purchase the item from another retailer |
| Request Price Quote (special order) | We'll send you a quote and expected time of delivery for an item that we would special order. Submit your request and we'll be in touch about these details and payment options. |
| Borrow | |
| Borrow | Borrow the item from CommonWord |
| Borrow Later | Place a hold on an item that is currently in circulation |
| Access Online (sampling) | |
| Download | Download a PDF, Word or other document or file from CommonWord |
| Listen | Listen to an online audio recording |
| Read | Read a document from another website |
| View | View a visual piece of art |
| Visit | Visit another website |
| Watch | Watch an online video |
| Guide | Access a study guide |
| Interview | Watch or listen to an interview with the author |
| Preview | Access a written excerpt or audio/video trailer |
| Register | Register for an event or publication |
| Transcript | Access a video or audio transcript |
| View Gift List | Access a gift collection |
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Placing an Order
Shopping Cart
Add item(s) to your shopping cart by either clicking “Buy,” “Borrow,” or “Borrow Later.”
- The cart will differentiate between retail and loan items, and between Mennonite Heritage Archives and CommonWord materials.
Click on the “Shopping Cart” icon at the top right corner of the page to review the contents of your cart.
- Here you may change quantities of purchase item(s), remove any titles you no longer want, adjust loan periods, and select pick-up or shipping delivery method.
Click “Go to Checkout.”
Check Out
- This is your final opportunity to review your order.
- If changes need to be made, click “Edit.”
- If the order needs to be aborted, click “Cancel.”
- If an extended loan period is required (e.g. Cheaper by the Dozen request) please leave a note in the “Comments” box.
- Verify your mailing address.
- And, if there are special circumstances with your order, please indicate those instructions in the “Comments” box.
For loan orders, click “Submit.” This completes the process. An email confirmation will be sent to you. An email will also be sent when the item is ready to pick up or has been shipped.
For purchase orders, click “Pay Now.”
PayPal
- You will be directed to the PayPal page.
- Payment is made by credit card. Either login to your pre-existing PayPal account (which stores your credit card number) or click “Pay with credit or Visa Debit card” and fill in your credit card information.
- Click “Pay Now.”
- If at any time you wish to abort the order, click “Cancel and return to CommonWord Bookstore & Resource Centre.”
- Once payment has gone through, PayPal will send you an email receipt.
- CommonWord will also send you an email acknowledging receipt of your order.
- You will also be notified by email when your order is ready to pick up or has been shipped.
Multiple Orders
If you have multiple orders in your cart (mixed retail and loan order, loan orders with different loan periods, or orders from both Mennonite Heritage Archives and CommonWord), they will be processed individually. Simply follow the prompts.
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