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.

Summary of Current Policies and Procedures

General Policies

Rapid, self-service borrowing is available to authorized users of any of the participating and active libraries, with the exception of those associated with a Maine InfoNet SOLAR library, who will have to rely on library staff for placement of requests.
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

4-week loans: Books, Audiobooks

Institutional (outgoing) Loan Period: 56 days
Loca (incoming) Loan Period: 28 days plus a 14 day renewal
Time To Pickup: 10 days
Overdue Notices: at 3 days past due (with renewal)
Bills: at 14 days after the overdue notice
Charges:
   Default Item Cost                     50.00
   Replacement Processing Fee    25.00
   Replacement Bill Service Fee    10.00

1-week loans: Video materials, Music/audio materials (not audiobooks), other non-book materials

Institutional Loan Period: 17 days
Personal Loan Period: 7 days plus a 7 day renewal
Time To Pickup: 10 days
Overdue Notices: at 3 days past due (with renewal)
Bills: at 14 days after the overdue notice
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.

For the Public