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Joining SOLAR

What is the purpose of SOLAR?

SOLAR makes visible the collections of libraries not utilizing an online system capable of being tied directly into the MaineCat Statewide Catalog for online requesting and lending of material.  Every Maine library is encouraged to take part in MaineCat through SOLAR if they have no other means of doing so.

Benefits of Joining

  • Requesting: Local library staff have access to electronic interlibrary loan requesting across 110+ libraries, 8 million items in MaineCat
  • Electronic Messaging: Interlibrary requests, both outgoing and incoming, are handled in easy-to-manage electronic form.
  • Load Balancing: The size and structure of MaineCat supports equitable distribution of requests among libraries statewide
  • You're On the Internet: Your local collection becomes searchable on the Internet as part of the SOLAR online catalog as well as MaineCat.
  • Local Cooperation: Library holdings can be included in regional and type-of-library scoping levels, supporting cooperative collection development and other collaborative efforts that provide better resources for patrons
  • Part of Statewide Resource: Items added to SOLAR are automatically added to the MaineCat Statewide Catalog, making your library an active partner in statewide library resource sharing for the benefit of those who use and support your library.
  • Flexibility: Holdings may be updated in batch mode if you can periodically supply new data records, or interactively online using software supplied by the Maine InfoNet.
  • Record "Bank": Copies of MARC data records bearing your library's symbol may be extracted on request for use in a local system or other local library projects.

Library Responsibilities

Libraries participating in SOLAR are expected to:

  • Update their SOLAR information at least 3 times a year.
  • Delete records for discarded and lost materials in a timely manner -- no less than 3 times a year.
  • Follow guidelines in use of SOLAR editing software.
  • Make available all existing electronic records for loading into the database.
  • If records are not available initially for the entire collection, add records for the rest of the collection through interactive editing or other methods within 2 years of joining.
  • Respond to a reasonable number of ILL requests for normally circulating items.
  • Make non-circulating items available for in-house, walk-in use without charge.
  • Sign and send to the Maine State Library the Agreement to Participate document.

Contributing and Sending Records