Hello All, Are there any libraries that have gotten rid of paper apps for library cards and switched to either directing patrons to an online digital form, or simply just enter their ID information directly into the system? For those that have gotten rid of the paper way, do you have patrons provide their signature digitally, or just skip that part? Is the signature even necessary? Thanks in advance for the feedback! --Robert Chartrand Robert Chartrand Circulation Supervisor East Lansing Public Library 517-351-2420 (Library) 517-319-6943 (Office) _________________________________ East Lansing e-news is just a click away. Sign up to receive East Lansing's Dialog e-newsletter and other e-publications. Just visit http://www.cityofeastlansing.com/news today!
Robert, Addison Twp. Public Library has done away with the paper app entirely by entering the information directly into the system. It was worked very well. Sincerely, Jaema Berman ----- Original Message ----- From: Robert Chartrand <rchartr@cityofeastlansing.com> To: michlib-l@mcls.org Sent: Wed, 09 Jul 2014 10:52:41 -0400 (EDT) Subject: [Michlib-l] Paper Library Card Applications Hello All, Are there any libraries that have gotten rid of paper apps for library cards and switched to either directing patrons to an online digital form, or simply just enter their ID information directly into the system? For those that have gotten rid of the paper way, do you have patrons provide their signature digitally, or just skip that part? Is the signature even necessary? Thanks in advance for the feedback! --Robert Chartrand Robert Chartrand Circulation Supervisor East Lansing Public Library 517-351-2420 (Library) 517-319-6943 (Office) _________________________________ East Lansing e-news is just a click away. Sign up to receive East Lansing's Dialog e-newsletter and other e-publications. Just visit http://www.cityofeastlansing.com/news today! -- Jaema Berman Director Addison Twp. Public Library 1400 Rochester Rd. Leonard, MI 48367 Phone: 248-628-7180 Fax: 248-628-6109 http://www.addisontwp.michlibrary.org “Today a reader, tomorrow a leader.” Margaret Fuller 1810-1850 Some books are to be tasted, others to be swallowed, and some few to be chewed and digested. ~ Francis Bacon
We at Ferndale Public Library no longer use a paper app for adult patrons, but we do still have an app for kids aged 5-17. We enter the information from adults using the ID and don't require a signature. For kids, we have parents sign so that they're aware that they are financially responsible for the items and fines of the child. We also have a section that allows parents to give their children movie checkout privileges. Kelly Bennett Head of Circulation, Ferndale Public Library 248-547-6001 -----Original Message----- From: michlib-l-bounces@mcls.org [mailto:michlib-l-bounces@mcls.org] On Behalf Of Jaema Berman Sent: Wednesday, July 09, 2014 11:15 AM To: Robert Chartrand Cc: michlib-l@mcls.org Subject: Re: [Michlib-l] Paper Library Card Applications Robert, Addison Twp. Public Library has done away with the paper app entirely by entering the information directly into the system. It was worked very well. Sincerely, Jaema Berman ----- Original Message ----- From: Robert Chartrand <rchartr@cityofeastlansing.com> To: michlib-l@mcls.org Sent: Wed, 09 Jul 2014 10:52:41 -0400 (EDT) Subject: [Michlib-l] Paper Library Card Applications Hello All, Are there any libraries that have gotten rid of paper apps for library cards and switched to either directing patrons to an online digital form, or simply just enter their ID information directly into the system? For those that have gotten rid of the paper way, do you have patrons provide their signature digitally, or just skip that part? Is the signature even necessary? Thanks in advance for the feedback! --Robert Chartrand Robert Chartrand Circulation Supervisor East Lansing Public Library 517-351-2420 (Library) 517-319-6943 (Office) _________________________________ East Lansing e-news is just a click away. Sign up to receive East Lansing's Dialog e-newsletter and other e-publications. Just visit http://www.cityofeastlansing.com/news today! -- Jaema Berman Director Addison Twp. Public Library 1400 Rochester Rd. Leonard, MI 48367 Phone: 248-628-7180 Fax: 248-628-6109 http://www.addisontwp.michlibrary.org “Today a reader, tomorrow a leader.” Margaret Fuller 1810-1850 Some books are to be tasted, others to be swallowed, and some few to be chewed and digested. ~ Francis Bacon _______________________________________________ Michlib-l mailing list Michlib-l@mcls.org http://lists.mlcnet.org/mailman/listinfo/michlib-l
Hello, everyone. How do you handle requests mailed to your reference department from prisoners incarcerated in Michigan prisons whether the prison is within your service area or not? When a prisoner asks for books we write a letter to the prisoner and suggest they use their prison's interlibrary loan system. We have been answering reference questions such as what is the address of a particular publisher, will you please send me a copy of a picture of a circus, etc., via return letter. Someone working at a Michigan prison is now questioning us as to whether the public library should answer reference questions from prisoners. Does your library have a policy about this? What do you do when you receive reference requests from prisoners? I suspect prison librarians are overworked and cannot answer all the questions they must get. Thanks for thinking about this and sending suggestions and comments. Cathy Cathy Sullivan Seblonka Collection Development/Reference Librarian Peter White Public Library 217 N. Front St. Marquette, MI 49855 906-226-4312 cathys@pwpl.info
Have always done it for the 23 years I've been librarianing here. I don't think the source of the question is salient unless there is some law we're not aware of that speaks to what information a prisoner is privileged to obtain. All questions from outside our cardholders are treated with respect, but limited to what is reasonable based on the limits of time and resources, understanding precedence is given to our taxpayers. We have less and less of the prison letters as time wears on, but they're always interesting! Kelli Perkins Head of Reference Services Herrick District Library 300 S River Ave, Holland MI 49423 616.355.3718 kperkins@herrickdl.org Listening: "Mr. Mercedes" by Stephen King Reading: "The Kraken Project" by Douglas Preston ________________________________________ From: michlib-l-bounces@mcls.org <michlib-l-bounces@mcls.org> on behalf of Cathy Sullivan Seblonka <cathys@pwpl.info> Sent: Wednesday, July 09, 2014 2:11 PM To: michlib-l@mcls.org Subject: [Michlib-l] serving the incarcerated from a public library question Hello, everyone. How do you handle requests mailed to your reference department from prisoners incarcerated in Michigan prisons whether the prison is within your service area or not? When a prisoner asks for books we write a letter to the prisoner and suggest they use their prison's interlibrary loan system. We have been answering reference questions such as what is the address of a particular publisher, will you please send me a copy of a picture of a circus, etc., via return letter. Someone working at a Michigan prison is now questioning us as to whether the public library should answer reference questions from prisoners. Does your library have a policy about this? What do you do when you receive reference requests from prisoners? I suspect prison librarians are overworked and cannot answer all the questions they must get. Thanks for thinking about this and sending suggestions and comments. Cathy Cathy Sullivan Seblonka Collection Development/Reference Librarian Peter White Public Library 217 N. Front St. Marquette, MI 49855 906-226-4312 cathys@pwpl.info _______________________________________________ Michlib-l mailing list Michlib-l@mcls.org http://lists.mlcnet.org/mailman/listinfo/michlib-l
participants (5)
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Cathy Sullivan Seblonka -
Jaema Berman -
Kelli Perkins -
Kelly Bennett, Ferndale Public Library -
Robert Chartrand