Universal Library Card

1
Universal Library Card

• Presented by
• Merrilee Rasmussen
• And
• Michael Keaschuk

2
Universal Library Card

• Gippsland Libraries Co-operative Automation
  Feasibility Study Report
• The Alberta Library Card
• Access Pennsylvania
• Indiana Public Library Access Card
• Colorado State-wide Card
• Prince Edward Island access.ca Card

3
Gippsland Libraries Co-operative Automation
Feasibility Study Report

•  Produced by the Centre for Electronic Commerce
  at Monash University (Australia) in June 1997
• Objective
• examine the feasibility of implementing a
  system that will allow patrons of each of the
  four library service providers to
  make use of the cooperating libraries using a
  single library card

4
Identified Benefits

• increase patronage of libraries
• removal of the need for patrons to maintain
  multiple cards
• reduction in the number, and hence the cost and
  administration, of interlibrary loans
• better collection of statistics on library use
• development of easier cross-sectoral usage

5
Identified Disadvantages

• the cost associated with the requirement for
  hardware and software upgrades and customisation
• the increased number of books returned to
  libraries other than the one from which they were
  borrowed
• the requirement to develop new processes to
  support the use of the card
• the need to develop policies associated with
  borrowing status and eligibility
• the need to address privacy issues and develop
  policies associated with exchange of user data

6
Requirements of Universal Library Card

• It must be usable at all cooperating libraries
• It must be able to perform the functions of the
  current card system in terms of
• -identification and authentication
• -ability to capture data automatically
• -equity of access
• -usability at both fixed and mobile libraries
• In addition, it is desirable that it provides
  space for administrative information in the
  manner of the current library card

7
Database Format

• This database could be in one of three formats
• centralised database
• distributed database
• replicated database
• Whichever form the database takes, there are some
  basic functional requirements of it
• existing borrower data must be stored somewhere
• each library must have access to sufficient data
  to maintain a record of loans
• overdue notices, fines and other notices must be
  servable on the borrower concerned
• privacy requirements must be satisfied
•  

8
Format of the Universal Card

• Barcodes
• Magnetic stripe
• Silicon chip (smart card)

9
Recommendations

• Regional Approach
• A regional approach, focussed principally on
  reciprocal borrowing and based upon the use of a
  barcoded library card, that is technologically
  possible today. A replicated database of eligible
  library users would be maintained.
•  
• State-Wide Approach
• A smartcard could provide a wider range of
  library functions. Development in conjunction
  with other non-library applications would reduce
  some of the direct costs to libraries and
  increase the overall functionality of the card.
  Development of a solution based on this approach
  could be viable in a two to three year time
  frame. A replicated database of eligible library
  users would be maintained

10
THE ALBERTA LIBRARY CARD

• Policy
• Any primary client in good standing of a member
  library of The Alberta Library is eligible to
  participate in reciprocal borrowing through The
  Alberta Library. Special restrictions may apply
  to library card holders under the age of 18.
• The borrower is responsible for materials
  borrowed and fines incurred.
• The Alberta Library Card will be issued by the
  home library to primary clients in good standing.
  Participating libraries may add a local bar code
  to The Alberta Library Card. The card will
  include an expiry date.

11
Policy Continued

• Alberta Library Card holders will not be charged
  a fee when borrowing materials from participating
  libraries outside their home library.
• All local library policies and rules take
  priority and will apply to all persons using The
  Alberta Library Card. Restrictions may apply.
• A maximum of five items may be on loan at any
  time from each participating library system.
• Materials can be returned to any participating
  library. The receiving library will note the
  date returned and will make every reasonable
  effort to forward the item by its next business
  day.

12
ROLES AND RESPONSIBILITIES

• The Alberta Library
• Coordinates The Alberta Library Card program
• Develops guidelines for implementation of the
  program
• Produces and distributes information and
  promotional materials, as well as all necessary
  applications, agreements, and forms
• Prepares and distributes a list of participating
  libraries on a regular basis
• Reimburses libraries for lost materials
• Compiles statistics

13
ROLES AND RESPONSIBILITIES

• The home library
• Issues cards to primary clients in good standing
• Returns materials to the lending library
• May help lending library trace clients for the
  purpose of tracking overdue materials
• Keeps statistics and provides them to The Alberta
  Library
• The lending library
• Lends materials to Alberta Library Card holders
• Prepares overdue notices and traces borrowers
  with overdue materials
• Keeps statistics and provides them to The Alberta
  Library
•  The receiving library
• Returns materials to the lending library 

14
ACCESS PENNSYLVANIA
Access Pennsylvania is a reciprocal borrowing
program where participating public libraries (439
or 98) receive state aid for providing resources
to residents outside their direct service area.
Reimbursement is currently at a rate of .60 for
external transactions and .40 for internal
transactions with a distribution total of almost
5 million. To determine the payment, a sampling
period is held for a two-week period each quarter
with two payments each fiscal year. A blue and
white sticker (it says ACCESS PA) is furnished to
participating libraries that in turn place on
their own library cards.
15
INDIANA Public Library Access Card
The PLAC card is not considered a universal
library card. It is a paper card that the
library patron can get in addition to their
regular library card by paying an annual fee,
currently 23. The card entitles holders to
borrow books from any Indiana public library.
Individual libraries may also loan other types of
materials.  No central database is used and
patrons register at each library they use.  
16
Indiana continued
The money that is collected from PLAC cards is
turned in to the State Library, and once each
year, based on statistics collected from each
library, a payment is issued based on their
percentage of total PLAC loans for the
year.  Some libraries have decided to
individually enter into a reciprocal borrowing
agreement and not require the PLAC card because
of the additional work required with the card.
17
COLORADO State-wide Card
Participation is voluntary with no reimbursement.
School, academic, public and some special
libraries participate. School libraries do not
have open access to others. A list of
participating libraries is distributed.   A
universal database is not used. The local card
is used and after providing current i.d., the
patron is entered into the librarys database as
a non-resident. If the patrons barcode can not
be read by the other librarys system, they
simply apply their barcode on the card. Only two
barcodes are needed for state-wide use.
  Delinquency is not readily known from library
to library but academic libraries can recover
fines through an individuals income tax return.
18
PRINCE EDWARD ISLAND access.ca Card
In the summer of 1999, cards were delivered by
the federal and provincial governments as part of
a pilot project to help Island residents increase
their Internet use. Stamped access.ca, they
are free and come with an invitation to visit any
CAP site to learn more about the Internet. The
cards are swiped through a computer and upon
registration, the user accesses a personal
opening page or portal that can be developed
and saved for future use. Costs are being paid
by Industry Canadas Connecting Canadians program.