[apologies for cross-posting]

Hello all,

Thank you all for your work during this very difficult and confusing time.

MeLCat and RIDES service will continue unless the State of Michigan issues a policy requiring us to suspend service or the courier company determines the need to suspend service.  With that in mind . . .

RIDES DELIVERY

• It is possible that delivery service will be impacted.  If the courier company notifies us of significant slowdowns, we will let you know.

MeLCat PROCESSING

• Before doing the Library Checkout step, check the Participating Libraries page (http://elibrary.mel.org/screens/participating.html).  Do not loan materials to libraries that are temporarily not participating. We will distribute specific instructions for handling these requests.  Look for them on Friday.

LIBRARY CLOSINGS

• We are getting notices of library closings.
• If do not find a library in the RIDES labelmaker, check the Participating Libraries page (http://elibrary.mel.org/screens/participating.html) to see if that library is temporarily suspended. 
• If the library is temporarily suspended, please wait to return their materials. We do not want to overload the warehouses.
• If MeLCat shows an item as requestable but the request won’t go through, check the Participating Libraries page (http://elibrary.mel.org/screens/participating.html) to see if that library is temporarily suspended. Depending on the owning library’s local ILS, we may not be able to set their materials to display as nonrequestable without reloading their entire collection into MeLCat. 
• You will see an increase in overdue materials.  Materials will take longer to move between libraries.  Be flexible and gentle with each other! 
• Please do NOT violate the renewal policy to avoid overdues.  Not all libraries have systems that talk directly to MeLCat.  Those owning libraries will still see the original due date on their local ILS and things get very confusing if the borrowing library is trying to work around the system.  Live with the overdues; if you charge overdue fines to your patrons for MeLCat materials, waive them at your discretion.
• If your library decides to close or to suspend MeLCat lending/borrowing, please inform us by emailing melcathelp@mcls.org and via the RIDES Assistance form at mcls.org/rideshelp

CARE OF MATERIALS

• Currently, the CDC does not recommend disinfecting library materials. If we learn of a change to this recommendation, we will notify you.  
• Do not spray, wipe, or otherwise treat an item that does not belong to your library.  Although it may not be immediately obvious, it is likely that the item will be damaged by such treatment.

Thank you.

Debbi

*****************************************************
Debbi Schaubman
Manager, Shared Library Systems

Midwest Collaborative for Library Services (MCLS)

1407 Rensen St, Suite 1, Lansing, MI 48910

(800) 530-9019 ext 113
(517) 492-3889 fax
schaubmand@mcls.org