LENDING AND BORROWING POLICIES FOR THE MASSACHUSETTS VIRTUAL CATALOG

 

Policies described in this document attempt to reflect and incorporate existing interlibrary and consortial agreements and practices. In particular, we intend that they comply with the ALA Interlibrary Loan Code of the United States.1

 

  1. What is the purpose of the Massachusetts Virtual Catalog Users Group:
    1. Establishing standard procedures for using the Virtual Catalog software
    2. Fostering communications amongst all the Virtual Catalog participants
    3. To make policy recommendations to the Virtual Catalog Members Council
  2. Who may participate in the Massachusetts Virtual Catalog Users Group:
    1. Eligible members shall be Massachusetts public or private libraries or library support organizations that are currently participating in the Virtual Catalog, either individually or as part of a network.
    2. Prospective Virtual Catalog members may send representatives as observers.
  1. Who may use the Patron-Initiated Virtual Catalog Borrowing Service:

a.       All active patrons in good standing are eligible.

    1. Each Library is responsible for transactions by its own patrons (as defined by authentication), as well as for the materials borrowed on their behalf. Transactions for individuals who have multiple affiliations are the responsibility of the library through which they are authenticated.
    2. A patron may be blocked from borrowing by the authenticating library based on criteria of that library or the consortium/network to which the library belongs.
  1. Material that may be borrowed:

a.       Each library will lend to other libraries according to its own policies. However, libraries should lend on the Virtual Catalog Borrowing Service only material that may be circulated outside of the borrowing library. Virtual Catalog profiles should be configured to exclude non-circulating material whenever possible.

    1. Libraries that do not lend a certain format, subject, or type of material will not be excluded from borrowing those materials from other participants.

 

  1. Responsibilities and restrictions regarding use of borrowed material:
    1. Materials borrowed on the Virtual Catalog Borrowing Service may not be placed on course reserve at the borrowing institution.
    2. Overdue fines resulting from late return by the borrowing patron are set, collected, and kept by the borrowing library in accordance with its own practices. There are no overdue fines assessed by the lending library.
    3. Lost book replacement and processing fees that result from non-return by the borrowing patron are set by the lending library. The borrowing library is responsible for reimbursing the lending library according to established procedures.2 The borrowing library may in turn bill and collect replacement charges from the borrowing patron according to its own practices.
    4. Lost book replacement and processing fees for “lost in transit” items are set by the lending library. The borrowing library is responsible for reimbursing the lending library according to established procedures.

      The requesting library is responsible for borrowed material from the time it leaves the supplying library until it has been returned to and received by the supplying library. This includes all material shipped directly to and/or returned by the user. If damage or loss occurs, the requesting library is responsible for compensation or replacement, in accordance with the preference of the supplying library.
  2. Borrowing and lending problems:
    1. System-wide loan periods have been established to simplify handling, minimize overdue situations, and provide consistency to library patrons. They should be configured in local systems as follows:

8 weeks (56 days) to borrowing library

4 weeks (28 days) to patron

No renewals

    1. Recall of material by the lending library is permitted only in exceptional situations (e.g., if needed immediately for course reserve at the lending library.)
    2. Each library or network may set a limit to the number of active requests its patrons may have in process at any given time.

 

  1. Library relationships:

a.       Fees for loan. Libraries may not charge fees to loan to other participants.

    1. Turn-around-time: Five days will be the standard aging default before a request proceeds to the next lender in the string. Participants are expected to respond to requests daily. If a library expects to be closed for several days, or anticipates that it will be unable to lend material during a particular time, it notifies that other libraries, and sets itself as not “currently accepting requests” in the library’s Virtual Catalog profile.
  1. Delivery
    1. The lending library will attach the uniform Virtual Catalog book band to all items shipped as a result of requests of the Virtual Catalog. The book band will remain affixed to the book throughout its processing, circulation, and return. Its purposes are to identify material that is being handed on the Virtual Catalog system, to allow for affixing a borrowing library barcode, and to give the information and instructions to patrons.
    2. Virtual Catalog participating libraries will use existing delivery system to move material between libraries. Therefore, material should have the proper routing slip in addition to the book band.

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1.       "Interlibrary Loan Code for the United States." American Library Association. 2008.
http://www.ala.org/ala/mgrps/divs/rusa/archive/protools/referenceguide/interlibrary.cfm (Accessed 11/25/2009)

2.       Handling of charges, fines, and fees among participating libraries may require additional consideration. In the meantime, existing policies and practices should be adapted whenever possible. Consistency with Interlibrary Loan agreements, the Boston Library consortium Card Program and the Networks’ Point-to-Point Program is desirable.

 

  

 

 

MASSACHUSETTS REGULATIONS CONCERNING BORROWING BETWEEN PUBLIC LIBRARIES RECEIVING FUNDS UNDER THE STATE AID TO PUBLIC LIBRARIES PROGRAM

 

A public library in Massachusetts is not required to provide interlibrary loan services to libraries in municipalities that have not been certified for state aid. Nor is the library required to provide circulation services to residents of those municipalities.

 

Some libraries' Boards have a standing policy to not lend in these circumstances. In other cases, the Board may have decided not to lend to a library or a resident in a specific municipality.  Because the Virtual Catalog spans the whole Commonwealth, your Board may not yet have taken a position on a municipality in another part of the state.  Therefore, seek clarification from your circulation supervisor or library administrator.

The Code of Massachusetts Regulations states that public libraries participating in reciprocal borrowing under the State Aid to Public Libraries program:

(a) "Lend books to other libraries in the Commonwealth" means that any free public library accepting a state grant must be willing to lend its books to any other free public library also accepting a state grant for the use of the residents of the other community under such conditions and/or regulations of inter-library loan procedure as may be made by the board of trustees or other authority having control of the library so lending.

(b) "Extend privileges to the holders of cards issued by other public libraries in the Commonwealth on a reciprocal basis" means that all public libraries participating in the direct state aid grant program must be willing, on a reciprocal basis, to extend direct access and services to non-residents who are card holders in other libraries participating in the state grant program and on the same basis as accorded to residents of the municipality in which the library is located.

605CMR4.01(6)

 

A list of libraries receiving State Aid and a list of libraries not receiving State Aid can be found on Mass. Board of Library Commissioners website.