Thanks to a merging of online catalogs, Mat-Su libraries and their members now have access to the collections of libraries throughout the state. KTNA’s Phillip Manning spoke with Talkeetna librarian Ann Yadon to find out more:
Small libraries have limitations in terms of funding and space to store large collections of books and other media. The Mat-Su libraries have been linked for some time, but their reach has just been greatly expanded after they joined the Joint Library Catalog. Anchorage’s municipal libraries and many of the UAA libraries are part of the system. Ann Yadon, Librarian at Talkeetna Public Library, explains what that means for local users:
“Now, if you have a library card at a Mat-Su library, you can use it in Anchorage; you can use it at UAA Mat-Su. So, you can go to Mat-Su College with your public library card and check things out from them.”
In addition to having access to their catalogs with a single library card, the library partnership means they can act as drop-off locations for each other.
“If you check something out at any of those libraries, you can return it at any of those libraries, which is really nice for people who come up from Anchorage for the weekend.”
Individuals do not have to physically go to the other libraries to have access to their collections, however. Ann Yadon says that anyone with a library card can reserve a book remotely, even from home.
“You can go online to the catalog…and you can see all of these. And, you can put a hold on it.”
Once an item is put on hold, it travels through the system and eventually winds up at the library the user requested. The check-out time starts once it’s picked up, and stops once it’s returned to the user’s local library, not the one it came from.
Ann Yadon says that users should know that not all libraries work exactly the same, and the rules from where an item originates are the ones that are followed.
“Because there are so many libraries involved in this, there are some of the rules that go from library, to library, to library that are going to be a little bit different.”
For instance, if someone checks out a DVD from the Talkeetna library, the rental period is seven days. After that is a grace period, and eventually a late fee of twenty-five cents per day. The same DVD checked out from an Anchorage library, though, has no grace period and a late fee of a dollar a day.
Inevitably, there are some things to work through, like duplicate library cards and duplication of catalog entries. Ann Yadon says she’s confident that those will be worked out in time, though.
In addition to the catalog changes at the current library, Ann Yadon says the new Talkeetna Public Library’s construction is going well.
“They say they’re ahead of schedule, and they say they’re under budget. We’re still getting word that we should be able to get moved in by the end of June.”
More information on the Joint Library Catalog is available by contacting your local Mat-Su library location.
