Announcements
The SHARE Executive Council is seeking nominations for an Academic Library Representative and a School Library Representative, both for a two-year term. If you or someone you know are interested, please contact Cassandra Thompson.
The new SHARE servers have been installed! Please join us in thanking the IHLS technology team and the SHARE Finance and Policy Committee for completing such an ambitious project. We are so pleased to be able to offer high-quality hardware to our membership, in order to keep the SHARE database running at peak performance.
I’LL SHARE IT has a new look! For those unfamiliar with the site, illshareit.com helps patrons find nearby SHARE libraries.
Previously the site only allowed searching by zip code, which didn't always give the best results. The site now allows patrons to search by their home address, town, or zip code and uses Google Places to provide location auto complete which all help to provide patrons with more accurate results. In addition, it links to each library’s SHARE catalog link so customers can easily search for items. Check it out!
A Congratulations to the Decatur Public Library!
Did you hear? The Decatur Public Library has gone fine free! Learn more about their experience with the process, and how the new policy has impacted both their patrons and their statistics. Read all about it!
We Need Member Input
In special circumstances, some libraries have given permission to extend loan periods. This permission is specific to organized book clubs, homebound support services, or curriculum support services. In order to determine if a lending library offers this service, there is a list on the SHARE website. While those libraries have given advance permission, many others approve of the longer loan when asked.
Here is where we need member help. Sometimes checking the list or making a phone call can be burdensome when you are checking out a patron. Would you like the SHARE policy to stipulate longer loan periods for those special circumstances, mentioned above? This will help eliminate steps during the checkout process and provide more consistent customer service to patrons across southern and central Illinois.
Please complete a brief survey to share your thoughts. If there is significant member interest in changing the policy, a draft will submitted to members for comment, with a final draft to be presented at the next SHARE Members' Group meeting, with an electronic vote to follow. The next SHARE Members' Group meeting will be held immediately following the IHLS Members' Day on Thursday, September 27, 2018.
Circulation
FINES
School library fines are not transferrable to another institution. When a student moves, they are offered a fresh start at their new school and/or new public library. These should not be considered when issuing a new card, although you can certainly recommend that they return any outstanding items. This is different from the procedure for switching public library jurisdictions. When a minor has fines on their public library account, and they have moved to a new public library jurisdiction, any lost or damaged items should still be paid to the owning library. Their new public library can determine if their late fees also need paid before they can receive service.
Reminder! When an item has been lost and the patron has paid, the owning library should delete the item from the SHARE database.
PROCESSING
When items that share one barcode are returned (like a book and companion CDs), please check the item in multiple times to print transit slips for each item, just in case they get accidentally separated. Multiple check-ins will not cause a problem in the database, and doing so will help reduce orphaned items.
Training
Please go to L2 to register for the following trainings:
Barcoding I--Searching and Matching
June 7th | IHLS – Champaign Hub | 9:00 – 12:00 p.m.
Barcoding II--Creating, Editing, and Deleting Item Records
June 7th | IHLS – Champaign Hub | 1:00 – 3:00 p.m.
Dewey Decimal Classification
June 14th | Centralia Regional Library District | 9:30 – 12:30 p.m.
Have a training request or suggestion? Please contact Cassandra Thompson.
Save the Date!
Please go to L2 to register for the following meetings and events:
IHLS Member Library Directors' Chat
June 6th | Adobe Connect | 1:00 – 2:00 p.m.
SHARE Circulation & Resource Sharing Committee Meeting
June 14th | Zoom | 10:00 – 12:00 p.m.
Tutor.com Demo
June 14th | GoToWebinar | 2:00 – 3:00 p.m.
Illinois Heartland Library System is currently considering a group purchase or discounted purchase option of Tutor.com. As a member library of IHLS, your library may qualify for special pricing should IHLS determine it is within their member libraries' best interest to partner with Tutor.com.
Join Tutor.com for an introduction of their Learning Suite to learn how they help libraries build a community of learners.
Tell IHLS whether or not your library might be interested in Tutor.com. Member feedback is greatly appreciated!
IHLS Member Day
Thursday, September 27th | Thelma Keller Convention Center | Effingham, IL | 9:30 – 3:00 p.m.
IHLS Member Day is designed as an opportunity for the diverse membership of the Illinois Heartland Library System to gather together, to network, and to share in a variety of professional development opportunities. The SHARE Members’ Group Meeting to follow.