Temporarily Suspend MeLCat Service

Libraries that need to suspend MeLCat service for extended periods, e.g., summer break for K-12 libraries, local system migration, and building closure, will have:

 

  1. Lending turned off for their materials;
  2. Borrowing turned off for their patrons;
  3. Visiting patron service turned off for their patrons;
  4. Information for their items changed in MeLCat from "available" to "not requestable";

Libraries will:

  1. Notify MeLCat staff at least two weeks (preferably 1 month) in advance of the temporary closure.
  2. Be responsible for any MeL Delivery notifications/changes.
  3. Cancel all requests for their materials that come in one month before the closure.
  4. One month before closures longer than 3 weeks, put holds on all materials on MeL loan to block renewals.
  5. Run all "Too Long" reports and follow up on outstanding items before the closure.
  6. Post a message to the melcat listserv at least two weeks in advance of the temporary closure to alert all MeLCat libraries. This will give other libraries a chance to follow up on outstanding items with them before the closure.
  7. Notify MeLCat staff at least two weeks in advance of re-starting the service.

MeLCat staff will:

  1. Block requesting of their MeLCat items in the loan rule determiner table on elibrary.mel.org at least two weeks before the temporary closure.
  2. Submit a request to Innovative to remove that library from the drop down lists for authorization for patron requesting and visiting patron service.
  3. DCB libraries: change MeLCat item status to "not requestable".
  4. III libraries: re-map their requestable itypes to 240. Keep a copy of the original mapping on file.
  5. Change the library's visiting patron status on the "Participating Libraries" MeLCat screen.
  6. Remove from the MeL Delivery label maker.
  7. Do the reverse of steps 1 through 6 when the library resumes MeLCat service.

Innovative will:

  1. Remove the library from the drop down lists for authorization for patron requesting and visiting patron service.
  2. Keep the library on the MyMeL drop down list so that their patrons can review their "accounts" of MeLCat requests, as well as use MyMeL for other things.
  3. Reinstate the library in the drop down lists when service resumes.

MeL Delivery service will:

  1. Return all items to senders that are put in delivery to the closed library after the date their delivery service stops.

Recommended by the MeL Resource Sharing Policies Committee, August 2005.