Requesting and Lending Through MaineCat

In General | Summary of Policies and Procedures

Introduction

MaineCat has been in operation for online requesting and lending since January, 2001. More than 40,000 items were loaned through in 2006. More than 100 libraries use the system daily. Usage is expected to continue to grow.

Online requesting and lending through MaineCat enables patrons of participating libraries, with one exception explained below, to make requests from home, work or school for materials not owned by their local library. Combined with a statewide van delivery system, MaineCat gives users access to books and other resources more quickly than ever before.

Click on the MaineCat Online Request Contacts link for a list of participating libraries sorted by the online system in which they participate.

When an item is requested through the MaineCat central catalog, the system authenticates the patron with his or her home institution. If there are blocks on borrowing privileges or if for any other reason the patron is not eligible to borrow the online requesting function will prevent placement of a request. The user will be directed to consult his/her librarian.

Currently, patrons of SOLAR libraries must have their local librarian make online requests on their behalf.

In General

Participation in online requesting and borrowing is required of all MaineCat participants ( see MaineCat Online Request Contacts) with the exception of libraries whose collections are entirely non-circulating.

There is no general policy as regards requests of MaineCat libraries by non-MaineCat libraries. Some libraries accept such requests, often under rules that differ from those for MaineCat borrowers. Many others do not accept such requests at all. MaineCat was developed as a reciprocal service, where borrowing libraries list their holdings and honor requests for them from other participants.

Joining SOLAR is the easiest way for libraries to join the MaineCat circle. It is particularly appropriate for smaller libraries. Minerva is an alternative path, albeit one that offers full integrated library system functionality and has an annual support fee.

Policies vary widely as regards the requestability of non-book materials and the very newest materials added to a library collection. Maine Info Net seeks, in the long term, through discussions with participating libraries, to make as close as possible to all circulating material available for request within MaineCat.

Summary of Current Policies and Procedures

A number of MaineCat policies and procedures were not as well documented in the past as they should have been. This site reflects current thought and practice as of May 2007. These provisions can for the most part be changed through consensus among staff representing the participating libraries and systems.

General Policies

Rapid, self-service borrowing is available to authorized users of any of the participating and active libraries, with the one exception of those associated with a Maine InfoNet SOLAR library, who will have to rely on library staff for placement of requests. (In the near future, SOLAR libraries may have the option of enabling patrons for requesting.)
Libraries are encouraged to be as generous as possible in making circulating materials available for requesting.
Libraries are encouraged to contribute records for reference items and other non-circulating but useful materials to facilitate on-site visitation and usage. Such materials should be coded with an Item Status other than "-" Available, or given a non-requestable Item Type.
Materials that circulate locally, but which are not requestable through MaineCat, should be coded as Non-Contribute so they do not show up in MaineCat and frustrate users who can see them but not request them.

Circulation Policies

Institutional Loan Period:38 days
Personal Loan Period: 28 days
Renewals 1 14-day renewal
Time To Pickup 10 days
Overdue Notices at 3 days past due
Bills at 14 days past due
Charges:
   Default Item Cost                     50.00
   Replacement Processing Fee      25.00
   Replacement Bill Service Fee     10.00
Note: certain CBB materials circulate according to a variant loan rule
Recalls are not enabled within the system, but a lending library may contact a borrowing library directly and ask it to recall an item as a courtesy.

Requesting and Lending Procedures

To make a request...
- search MaineCat
- identify a title of interest
- click the request button
- specify the patron's home library, name and barcode
- ( URSUS, Minerva and SOLAR patrons are then asked to select a delivery location)
- Staff may make requests on behalf of patrons.
- Currently, only staff may make requests from SOLAR libraries
The owning library...
- Prints INN-Reach Paging Slips daily from the Notices mode of Millennium Circulation, or through the character-based interface.
- Retrieves the corresponding items
- Does an INN-Reach Check Out as soon as possible thereafter.
(SOLAR libraries print from the Notices mode of the Millennium DCB module and check items out in Library Checkout mode. )
Using Millennium Circulation, the borrowing library...
- Receives the item and checks it in
- Puts it on holdshelf as prompted
- Notifies the patron using Hold Pickup Notices or by other means
- Checks the item out to the patron
- Checks the item in when it is returned
- Ships the item as prompted
The lending library checks the item in to conclude the transaction.
(SOLAR libraries use the DCB to checkin with Not My Item Checkin, then check out to the local patron with Patron Check-Out, check in with Not My Item Checkin. If the SOLAR library is the lending library, it concludes the transaction with My Item Checkin. )

For the Public

For Librarians