The library as a concept is a living, breathing organism that changes all the time. We have to because the communities we serve are constantly changing. Needs change, tastes change and ideas change and it’s our job to try and keep up to make sure that our communities are able to use the library for exactly what they want and need, not what we tell them they want or need. Sometimes these changes come in the form of a new program or service, sometimes it’s a new policy designed to make sure that the patrons are treated fairly. Whatever it is, we always hope it’s for the best.

I’m sure many of you (perhaps all of you) use some form of inter-library loan (ILL). No matter how hard we try, any individual library (especially one as small as the South Branch) can’t have enough space or budget to purchase every single item that every patron would want (try though we may). That’s why being part of the NOBLE consortium is so beneficial to both North Shore library professionals and our patrons. Getting books from another library that your home library may not have is a huge boon for all of us, and this information is unlikely to surprise any regular library user.  You may not know, however, that libraries in the NOBLE system have a feature called “holds go home.” This means that Peabody patrons have preference for books circulating from the Peabody Libraries.

This week was the start of something new, not just for the Peabody Library, but for all the libraries in the NOBLE system. The due dates for books circulating through the ILL system have been standardized for when an item goes out from its home library. Peabody books picked up from a Peabody location will still have the same due date rules we always have: 2 weeks for a new book; 3 weeks for a book on the shelf more than 1 year, or audiobooks, or large print books; 1 week for DVDs and music CDs. However, if borrow an item from another NOBLE library and pick it up at a Peabody location, there will be a standard due date for any item from a library outside of Peabody: 2 weeks for any book, 1 week for a media item.

This is likely to cause a bit of confusion for a brief time because some libraries have wide due date discrepancies and post stickers on book spines such as “7 Day Loan” and some libraries will give as much as 4 weeks with a book or a DVD that’s a TV series. With the new system in place, regardless of what the item may tell you, if it came from a library outside of Peabody, you’ll have 2 weeks with a book and 1 week with a DVD. For most people, this won’t cause any issue, but for those of us who have extensive hold lists, we may have to adjust our strategies slightly. If you’re at all concerned as to whether you’ll be able to read/watch/listen to all of your items by the due date posted, might I suggest you take advantage of suspending some of your holds. I’ve talked about suspending holds previously here, with step-by-step instructions on how to do it. This will allow you to stagger when your holds come in and, if you’re in a long queue for an item you will not lose your place in line.

Because of the “holds go home” rule embedded in the system, if you have an item on hold and one of the Peabody Libraries has a copy, you are more likely to get the Peabody copy and possibly have a slightly longer due date. This standardization of due dates, however, will not affect our level of service and dedication to our patrons. The only thing that will possibly change is the due date on your receipt. (FYI- if you don’t have one already, feel free to ask about the magnetic receipt holders that have been generously provided by the Friends of the Peabody Institute Libraries.) You also have the opportunity to take advantage of our digital services like Overdrive and the newly added Hoopla for downloading and streaming of ebooks, audiobooks, music and videos .

Standardizing can be a good thing in a lot of ways; it allows procedures to be less confusing overall in the long run and it helps us treat everyone equally and fairly, which is something a public library should always keep as a top priority. But when any change takes place, it takes a bit of getting used to. If you ever have questions about library policies or any changes that have taken place, never hesitate to ask your friendly Peabody Library employee! We’re here to help and serve. Till next week, dear readers, know that we’ll never stop working, and occasionally implementing changes, to make the Library serve you the best it possibly can!