Report of the TBR/UT Borrowers Card Task Force
- Eligibility & Guidelines
- Borrower Privileges & Responsibilities
- Financial Guidelines
- Evaluation
- Withdrawing from the Program
Borrowers Card Task Force Members
July 17, 1998
TO: Paula Kaufman
Chair, Tennessee Academic Library CollaborativeFROM: Deborah Thomas
Chair, TBR/UT Borrowers Card Task Force
SUBJ: Report of the TBR/UT Borrowers Card Task Force
At the April 1998 TALC Governing Board meeting, the Board recommended establishing a "universal borrowers card" for the library patrons of TBR and UT schools. Library directors were asked name representatives to serve on a task force, and nineteen schools responded. A list of participating libraries and their representatives is included with this report.
On June 15, the Task Force met at Tennessee State University to discuss cooperative borrowing agreement policies and procedures. Fourteen schools were represented, and we were, if I say so myself, a most cooperative and efficient group. Using North Carolina and Georgia joint borrowing agreements as models, we used the meeting to reach agreement on general principles. I drafted the policies and circulated them to the Task Force, and the document was reviewed and revised via email. We intentionally wrote a very general agreement in which many decisions are made according to "local practice." The Task Force wanted to get the project off the mark, and to do this we needed a document that most libraries would feel comfortable endorsing. We now submit this document to the TALC Board for review and approval.
1. The Task Force has still to reach agreement on one procedural issue regarding billing for lost books. Lending libraries agree to bill borrowing libraries twice a year for materials lost by the borrowing libraries' patrons. We are still electronically debating whether these bills will be due immediately upon receipt, or whether the borrowing library should have a few months to try to retrieve the material from their patrons. Each option has advantages and disadvantages. I feel certain that we can work this out, perhaps by an electronic vote.
2. I have enclosed a draft TBR/UT borrowers card for your review. If the Board recommends proceeding with the project, the card must be approved by the Task Force, printed, and distributed. The UTK Libraries can handle the printing and distribution of the cards.
1. The more libraries that participate in the TBR/UT Borrowers Card project, the more effective the project will be. Ideally, we would like to tell our patrons that they could use their cards at any TBR or UT library. I have had no response from the libraries of the following schools: Roane State Community College, Cleveland State Community College, Walters State Community College, Chattanooga State Technical and Community College, and Shelby State Community College. The Task Force recommends that TALC Board personally contact the directors of these libraries and encourage them to participate. For your information, the following special libraries are also not participating: University of Memphis School of Law, and East Tennessee State University Medical Library.
2. A TBR/UT Borrowers Card page should be added to the TALC website. The draft borrowing agreement gives each library the right to establish its own rules governing loan periods, checkout limits, etc., so a summary of the privileges each school grants to TBR/UT card holders would be very helpful. The website should also the include name and address of each school's contact person for TBR/UT borrowers cards and each schools' contact person for TBR/UT billing, as well as the text of the borrowing agreement.
3. TALC should sponsor a meeting next summer of TBR/UT borrowers cards representatives to review the process and recommend changes. After a year's experience, the group might also feel comfortable enough with the program to work toward establishing some common borrowing privileges for all TBR/UT card holders.
4. Statewide authentication of borrowers will be critical in the success of many projects and would obviously facilitate cooperative borrowing. We urge TALC to take the lead in promoting statewide authentication.
A single cooperative borrowing agreement between TBR and UT libraries offers many advantages. It simplifies life for the student who must acquire only one card to use many libraries. It simplifies life for the circulation librarian who no longer must negotiate and renew multiple borrowing agreements. It facilitates library access for distance education students, and it opens our collections to each other without the expense of interlibrary loan. The Task Force hopes that we have outlined a cooperative borrowing program that TALC directors will want to support.
As chair, I would like to recognize the good work of the Task Force members. Each one came to the table with an open mind and a desire to improve service to the students and faculty of Tennessee public colleges and universities. Their thoughtful comments and prompt responses helped push this project along. They made my job very easy, and I appreciate the opportunity to work with them.
Special thanks from the Task Force to Dr. Yildiz Binkley and Annette Pilcher of Tennessee State University who hosted our meeting. We were made very welcome.
DRAFT DRAFT DRAFT TBR/UT Borrowers Card Program Policies
DRAFT
Currently employed and retired faculty and staff and currently enrolled students of participating libraries are eligible to apply for TBR/UT borrowers cards at their home libraries. This card permits checkout of circulating materials at any participating TBR/UT library in accordance with the lending library's local policies.
Card guidelines:
TBR/UT borrowers cards will be issued to full-time, retired, and adjunct faculty and staff for no more than one year. Issuing libraries may choose to limit the card period to the academic year or academic term according to local practice.
Students will be issued cards for an academic term. Cards will be valid through the issuing institution's last day of classes or last day of exams (depending on local practice) for that particular term.
The staff member issuing the card will verify eligibility and make certain that the borrower's home library account is not delinquent. The home library has final authority to issue or deny borrowers cards.
To be valid, a TBR/UT borrowers card must be filled in completely and include an expiration date, the identification number of the borrower at his/her home institution, and the name of home institution issuing the card.
The lending library may choose to issue their own library cards to holders of valid TBR/UT borrowers cards, or lending libraries may apply barcodes to the TBR/UT borrowers card. Lending libraries may not place a barcode on the home institution's university ID card or alter that ID card in any way.
Borrower privileges:
Holders of TBR/UT borrowers cards are accorded the borrowing privileges established by the lending library.
Each library reserves the right to establish its own rules and regulations governing the use of materials and services and may restrict the circulation of certain materials whenever necessary. The number of concurrent loans may vary according to local practice.
Faculty and staff are not entitled to special privileges or extended loan periods at other institutions.
Checkout privileges may be withdrawn according to the lending library's practice if borrowed material is not returned by the due dates or library fines and charges are not paid.
Borrower responsibilities:
Borrowers are subject to the rules and regulations of the lending library and are responsible for learning and observing these rules.
Borrowers must present the lending library with a valid TBR/UT borrowers card issued by their home library and a photo ID when borrowing materials. No other forms of identification will be accepted.
Borrowers are responsible for the safe and timely return of materials to the lending library.
Borrowers are responsible for all financial obligations incurred at the lending library. Failure to receive notification does not absolve borrowers of library obligations.
Borrowers are responsible for supplying current mailing addresses to the lending library.
Financial guidelines:
Borrowers will be assessed the fine schedule, replacement price, processing fee, and damage/binding charges established by the lending library.
Lending libraries will provide timely notification of overdues and lost books directly to borrowers. The number of notices and timing of notices will vary according to the lending libraries' local practice.
Participating libraries will bill each other for lost materials on January 31st and July 31st of each year. Itemized invoices will include the name and identification number of the borrower, the item replacement price, processing or administrative fees, and any damage charges. Libraries will not bill each other for unpaid fines. An institution's failure to pay invoices may result in the loss of TBR/UT borrowing privileges.
Libraries that are invoiced for lost and damaged items may block or encumber their patrons according to local practice. The borrower's library is responsible for reimbursing the lending library in a timely manner for any unpaid lost and/or damage charges accrued by its patrons whether or not the borrower's library is successful in collecting from its patrons.
Refunds for lost and paid items will be processed according to local practices of the lending libraries.
Representatives from participating libraries will meet once a year to evaluate the program and recommend improvements.
Withdrawing from the program:
Libraries may end their participation in the TBR/UT Borrowers Card Program by giving three months written notice to the Chair of the TALC Board.
D.Thomas 6/98
607 Hodges Library, University of Tennessee,
Knoxville, TN 37996-1000
423 974-4127