…because there’s always a question, and hopefully an answer!

• Technical matters:
  • Does it work with clover? No.
  • Does it integrate with our ILS? No.
    • LibCal is an independent reservation system. If you desire, you can add your kits to your own catalog as well as LibCal, and loan them out through your ILS with whatever workflow process is best for you. Some libraries choose not to put their kits into their ILS as it can be confusing. It is much simpler to maintain only LibCal. Member libraries are required to have their kits available through LibCal and need to figure out their own work flows to accommodate this.
  • Are kit barcodes and patron barcodes required? No, kit barcodes can be used by libraries but are not required. Patron barcodes will not be used since the service is for librarians only.
  • Can I update my own library’s contact information and kits?
    • Yes.
  • How do I get my library’s kit into LibCal?
    • First make sure the committee adds your library to the system.
    • Check out the “How to Add Kits” page to get you started–but please don’t hesitate to ask for help!
  • Whose Email do I use when completing a request form?
    • When requesting a kit, no matter which library or personal name is entered on the request form, the email needs to be that of a staff member who is going to be responsible for keeping track of the kit. This should be the Contact Email listed in your LibCal Account.
  • Can you explain the Kit lending times in more detail?
    • The 8 weeks is the total time the kit will be in use, from the date the host library sends the kit out via the courier to the date the host library receives it back from the borrowing library. The “borrowing time” is 6 weeks. 
    • When placing a reservation the pick up date is the date you want to use the kit or a few days before. You know best how long the courier takes for your library. The system has 7 days built-in before the ‘pick up’ date for shipping. The system has 7 days built in to return the books to the lending library so it cannot be reserved during this time.

• Communication
  • Is there a mailing list?
  • We have started a Google Groups list for discussion around the VT Book Club Kits project.
  • You will need to sign in to Google Groups, and search for VT book club kits, and click on “Apply for membership”
  • Here’s a handy link for creating a Google account for your work email.

• Usage
  • Will the service be accessible to patrons?
    • No, the borrowing library is the ‘patron’. Our service is currently designed for librarian use only. Patrons will still need to speak to librarians to reserve kits through their library. If you want to provide a list to your patrons, you will need to do that work flow.
  • Who can request a kit?
    • Only library staff place requests. We do not have the capability to allow for direct patron requests at this time. You can choose to loan a kit to your patrons, but it is done with you, the library, as the borrower.
  • What is the recommended workflow since there is not a notification option?
    • So, unfortunately, because there is not the option to get emailed when a reservation is coming up we recommend checking the booking explorer tab every day to see if you have any new reservations. More info on this process is in the video on the page.
  • What if my library has the same kit as another library?
    • We have limited record space. Please combine your kit with the other library to have 10 copies in a kit.
    • We also have a wish list of desired titles to help the shared collection to grow. Suggestions are welcome!