[Genealib] Research Services fees

Fri Apr 24 17:23:32 EDT 2009

  ----- Original Message ----- 
  From: Mara Munroe 
  To: Librarians Serving Genealogists 
  Sent: Friday, April 24, 2009 3:15 PM
  Subject: RE: [Genealib] Research Services fees

  Wisconsin libraries are also forbidden to charge Interlibrary loan fees, other than late fees.  We have several patrons who constantly ask for junky videos, and we spend lots of staff time locating and processing the items, when they could get them from Family Video or Netflix for a minimal fee.  We finally put a 3-item per card per week limit.  Some families use multiple cards, of course. The line between loving this service and abusing it is very thin. 

  We do charge $5.00 per obit or similar article from microfilm.  Most but not all the newspapers are in our obit index (we're still working on the short-lived papers),  http://www.oshkoshpubliclibrary.org/vitalrecords.html. A large chunk of the longest running paper can be accessed through NewspaperArchive.com,

  which all public libraries in WI are subscribed to through the state office for library services.

  Note that "or similar article."  When the fee was first set, it was written to be only obits.  Given the fact that we'd have the exact newspaper date and page for an obit, I objected to changing for those but not other articles such as sporting events, spelling bees, grand openings for which we tended to have less precise info.  And we did get asked for the box scores of every baseball game of the season once!  The policy was changed to cover everything. 

  Smaller libraries in our area tend to charge $3.00 per obit. 

  Mara B. Munroe
  Local and Family History Librarian
  Oshkosh Public Library
  Oshkosh WI 54901-4985

  "History is where the evidence leads us; heritage is what we choose to remember and celebrate."  Edward T. Linenthal, May 2005

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  From: genealib-bounces at mailman.acomp.usf.edu [mailto:genealib-bounces at mailman.acomp.usf.edu] On Behalf Of Linda Koch
  Sent: Friday, April 24, 2009 2:13 PM
  To: hlgoebel at yahoo.com; Librarians Serving Genealogists
  Subject: Re: [Genealib] Research Services

  As part of their contract agreement, Michigan Libraries on the MeLCat Interlibrary Loan program are forbidden to charge for ILLs.  We may charge late fees, but not fees to order, deliver, or return items.  This sometimes can be an large investment of staff time, but our patrons love the ILL services.

  Sincerely,

  Linda Koch
  Reference & Adult Services Librarian
  The Allegan Public Library
  331 Hubbard St.
  Allegan, MI 49010
  269-673-4625
  FAX 269-673-8661
  open M-Th 10-9; F & Sa 9-5:30
  www.alleganlibrary.org

    ----- Original Message ----- 

    From: Heather Goebel 

    To: Librarians Serving Genealogists 

    Sent: Friday, April, 2009 11:20 AM

    Subject: Re: [Genealib] Research Services

          Perhaps six months ago, the Maricopa County Library District (where I work) decided to charge for ILL. Our business has sharply declined. We charge $5 but I understand that once we charge the lending library may add additional charges to the customer.

          Heather Goebel
          heathergoebel at mcldaz.org

          - 

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