Dear Library Customer,
Your comments below were submitted to MCPL Ask a Librarian and have been referred to me for a response.
You mention your concerns about our libraries’ decision to have some A/V materials as well as large print books and reading list titles stay at the branch where they are checked in.
Montgomery County Public Libraries’ decision to do this was made in an effort to provide a wider range of browsing choices for our customers, and to reduce time that these particular items are unavailable to library users during transit from one branch to another.
You are concerned that our catalog will show that an item is at one library when it has been checked in and shelved at another. This certainly would be confusing.
Fortunately, our catalog will always indicate the current branch for an available item. You then have the option of calling or visiting that branch, or of placing a hold on the item.
Our county and our library collections are too large to have every item available in a single branch at a given time—placing holds offers you a way to get the books and other materials you want or need if they are not at your home library. This can be especially important for those students who require multiple resources for a research paper.
Our library staff can instruct you on how to place a hold from home, and our staff can also explain to you how to use the catalog to determine the location of an item—please do not hesitate to ask for help.
You may also contact our Ask a Librarian staff at 240-777-0001 for assistance.
Thank you for your interest in Montgomery County Public Libraries.
Montgomery County Public Libraries
From: Amie
Sent: Mon 4/28/2008 8:55 PM
To: MCPL Ask A Librarian
Subject: MCPL Website
Comments Montgomery County Public Libraries
Message submitted: 4/28/2008 8:55:29 PM
The following message was sent:
To whom it may concern,
I think the offerings available from the MCPL system is lovely.
However, I must protest the new circulation policy that leaves materials in the branch where they are returned, regardless of place of origin. It's LUDICROUS. Also, it makes a liar of your catalog system. For example: I am at home and look online for a book via the MCPL web site. The site tells me that the item is being reshelved at the Bethesda branch. I take myself over to the Bethesda branch only to find that, no, the item ISN'T at the Bethesda branch, it's being reshelved wherever it was returned, even though it CAME FROM Bethesda. My item is not only not at the library your web site claims it to be at, but has no reasonable hope of returning there unless I place a hold and request it - a process that can take upwards of of a week.
This can really suck for someone, say, trying to complete a research paper.
This change in the circulation policy was poorly considered and is a disservice to library patrons.
Contact information is:
Library Customer
Library Customer
2 comments:
So far, there were no complaints from "Alien Floaters" and nobody cried for HELPPPP ! :)
Arnie wrote, the catalog indicated "that the item is being reshelved at the Bethesda branch. I take myself over to the Bethesda branch only to find that, no, the item ISN'T at the Bethesda branch, it's being reshelved wherever it was returned, even though it CAME FROM Bethesda."
It seems to me that he was misinformed at the branch. If the catalog says a floating item is being reshelved at Bethesda, it IS being reshelved at Bethesda. Am I mistaken?
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