8/3/10 -- Changes to I-Share, Part 1

I-Share connects the resources of 76 academic libraries in the state of Illinois. Thanks to I-Share, Northern Seminary students, staff, and faculty can access over 9 million library items either by requesting them online or by going to any I-Share library and checking out books directly from that library.

One of I-Share's strengths has been its flexibility. Cooperatively, the I-Share libraries agree to loan materials to each other; individually, each I-Share library is free to establish local policies that determine things like how long their own students can borrow a book.

Starting on Wednesday, August 4, there will be a significant change to how I-Share libraries will loan materials to each other. There will now be a single, unified policy to ensure that every I-Share library offers the same loan periods and policies to every other I-Share library. Those of you who have used I-Share in the past may have noticed that some I-Share libraries let you keep books longer than others. That will change; starting on August 4, every I-Share loan will be for 28 days with 3 renewals permitted.

Note that each school will still have the freedom to establish different policies for loaning materials to their own students. What will change is that I-Share loans -- loans from one I-Share library to a patron at another I-Share library -- will now all be a uniform 28 days. This new policy is meant to reduce confusion and ensure equitable loan arrangements between I-Share libraries.

This is the first of two changes. The next change to be implemented will affect how much libraries charge for overdue fines for I-Share loans and the kinds of fines that can block someone from using the I-Share system. Keep watching this blog or subscribe to blog postings to learn when I-Share Change, Part 2 will happen.

11/4/08 -- Faster Mail Delivery

As Northern Seminary is expanding its classes to multiple campuses, the library is expanding its services to get materials to our students more quickly.

Any student who wishes to receive books by mail instead of picking them up in the library may request to have them mailed. In the past, we have relied on media rate mail as a less expensive option for mailing books. Unfortunately, it is also an unreliable option for quickly delivering books, sometimes taking several days, but sometimes taking over two weeks.

The library will now mail all books to students by first class mail in an effort to ensure reliable delivery.

Remember, you have several options for receiving your library materials from the Brimson Grow Library:

1) You can always pick up your materials from our library in Lombard. For students taking classes in Rockford or Lawndale, you can also make use of the reserve and reference materials stored in the library cabinets at those sites.

2) You can request to have materials mailed to you. Just call the front desk at (630)620-2104 or email us at library@seminary.edu to let us know you want your materials mailed. We will also email or fax journal articles for $0.15 per page.

3) If you use the I-Share system, you can request to have books from other I-Share libraries delivered either to the Brimson Grow Library in Lombard or to any other I-Share library. You can view a 4-minute tutorial on how to place I-Share requests.

We hope these options will continue to ensure convenient access to library materials for all of our students.

8/1/08 -- 5 New I-Share Schools

This summer, the number of schools in the I-Share network have increased from 71 to 76. The five new schools are:

Adler School of Professional Psychology
Chicago School of Professional Psychology
Harrington College of Design
Principia College
Rush University

Remember: Your Northern Seminary library card is valid at all 76 I-Share member libraries. Requests placed through the I-Share catalog are delivered by courier five days a week to all I-Share libraries.

7/10/06 -- Welcome to 6 New I-Share Libraries

The CARLI consortium has added six new libraries to the I-Share system, bringing the total number of I-Share libraries to 71. The six new libraries are:

Carl Sandburg College, Galesburg

Illinois Eastern Community Colleges, with four locations: Frontier Community College, Fairfield; Wabash Valley College, Mt. Carmel; Olney Central College, Olney; and Lincoln Trail College, Robinson

Knox College, Galesburg

Monmouth College, Monmouth

Saint Francis Medical Center College of Nursing, Peoria

Trinity International University, Deerfield

Note that now that Trinity International University is part of the I-Share system, Northern Seminary students, faculty, and staff will no longer need to make use of an ACTS card to borrow materials from Trinity's library. Just like any of the other 70 I-Share libraries, your Northern Seminary library card is all you need to borrow books from one of these libraries.

For more information, you can view the CARLI news posting at http://www.carli.illinois.edu/news/52/65.html.