Subcommittee Recommendations for New Profile: Institution
(This is an excerpt from a document presented at the May 2014 PINES Executive Committee Meeting.)
An Institution profile may be issued to institutions with a regular daily population or a population that is
housed long term. Examples include school media centers, day care centers, nursing homes, assisted
living facilities, or jails.
Cards should not be issued to users outside a library’s service area. The name on the card should be the
name of the primary representative of the organization (ie, Director or Manager). This person must sign
the application form to confirm that the institution will take responsibility for any fines and fees. The
name of the institution and the names of any individuals allowed to check out items to the card should
be listed in the account's Alert field.
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Each Library System's Director shall determine which of their staff members are permitted to
create user accounts with the Insitutional profile. The Director may also choose not to allow any
Institution profile accounts for their Library System.
Each library system shall determine whether Institution cards are kept at the library or kept by
the institution.
Do you agree with the above proposed definition and policies?
Yes
No
Other
Responses
36
2
5
Percentage
84%
5%
12%
Other:





Would prefer no Institution cards
I really think the name on the account should be the institution and not the manager. There is a
lot of staff turnover in some institutions.
I have the same concerns here about extended due dates an responsibility for lost/damaged
materials for items borrowed from libraries outside the home library system.
Cards should be kept by the institution. The primary representative for the organization should
have the responsibility of who is using the card. Library staff may not know if someone no longer
works there or is no longer allowed to check out for the institution.
I am still not sure how the institutional works PINES wide. If my system does not do institutional
profiles but other system does, do they get to borrow any books from PINES or just their
system's holdings?
December 2014 PINES Executive Committee Meeting - page 1
How long should an Institution account be valid before expiring?
Two years
One year
Other
Responses
25
12
5
Percentage
60%
29%
12%
Other:





one year unless the institution changes directorship
1 year or less; an institutional card for a school should expire at the end of July so that it must be
renewed each year by the Director/Principal.
A year seems like it might work, but a 6 month renewal might be better---we have recently had
a situation where the director of the institution had been replaced, within the time frame of
their 2 year card agreement, and the new director refused to pay for lost/overdue materials on
their account because they were not the "representative" at the time the card application was
filled out. There should maybe be something added to the agreement that states regardless of
change in card "representative" at time of application/agreement the institution is still liable for
any charges billed to the account.
3 - 5 years, otherwise too cumbersome for outreach to keep up
This depends on who it is impacting- just that system or all of PINES
How many simultaneous checkouts should an Institution user be
allowed?
Unlimited
200
100
50
Other
Responses
Percentage
7
2
9
19
5
17%
5%
21%
45%
12%
Other:





one per student, client, etc.
200 sounds reasonable, but the size of the institution will determine the number of cko's and
needs. For example we deliver to individual schools who is the institution, but the requests are
from individual teachers.
determined by system director to allow for adjustment for various sized collections
50 with the ability to use an override
Who does this impact? Just that the system that chooses this option or all of PINES?
December 2014 PINES Executive Committee Meeting - page 2
What is the preferred circulation period?
14 days with 2 renewals
30 days with 1 renewal
60 days with 0 renewals
Other
Responses
10
28
1
3
Percentage
24%
67%
2%
7%
Other:



30 days with no renewals
30 days with 0 renewals
Again, who is it impacting? We are seeing a lot of PINES holds on kids and YA materials
disappear for months at a time because it keeps coming up for renewal at the library who
borrowed it.
Should Institution users be charged overdue fines?
Yes
No
Responses
15
27
Percentage
36%
64%
Should Institution users be charged for lost, damaged, and long
overdue items?
Yes
No
Responses
Percentage
39
3
93%
7%
How many simultaneous holds should an Institution user be allowed?
50
15
Other
Responses
22
18
2
Percentage
52%
43%
5%
Other:
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
I do not believe they should be allowed holds outside the home lirbary system
Are these PINES wide? If not, 50.
December 2014 PINES Executive Committee Meeting - page 3
Implementation:
Responsibilities
Each library system will need to review their current list of Outreach users and determine which of the
new profiles to change them to (or, if they should be switched to a normal patron profile).
Timing
Options
Allow users that are currently using the Outreach profile to continue
with it until their cards expire. After the card expires, inform the user of
the rule changes and change the account profile.
Inform all Outreach users of the rule changes and change the account
profiles on a specific date.
Responses
15
Percentage
35%
28
65%
Date
The group did not discuss a date to make this change.
December 2014 PINES Executive Committee Meeting - page 4