LARGE PRINT CIRCUITS: Questions & Answers
- When do we receive the books?
- Do we get to choose the genres our patrons use the most?
- Will there be a list of the titles that are in our boxes?
- Will it cost us anything to belong to a circuit?
- How much paperwork will be involved?
- How are we supposed to communicate with the other libraries in our circuit?
- Do we have to buy new books or can we add something that's already in our collection? When we add books, what happens to the books we pull out of the circuit collection?
- Will there be a program to help us pay for the new books?
- How do we avoid duplicating titles when we buy our new ones?
- Can we leave the circuit we're in if it doesn't work out for us? Or can we join a circuit at a later date?
- What happens if a patron doesn't return a book in time to send it on to the next library in the circuit?
- The two-month turn-a-round may not be long enough for our library to send and receive books back from the outreach areas. What do we do about that?
- Who's in charge if there's a problem with the circuit?
- Who actually owns the books in the circuit?
- What happens if a patron loses or damages a book?
- If we don't join a circuit, or even if we do, can we receive some of the extra large print books that are being dispersed through the main dispersal project and add them to our own collection?
- How do I get more free matter mailing labels?
- When do we receive the books?
- The books should be dispersed by the end of February.
- Do we get to choose the genres our patrons use the most?
- The books will be a balanced, random selection of titles from all genres, plus one large print non-fiction book in every 25 that you initially receive. This way, no matter which libraries are in your circuit, the collection will have titles for everyone's reading tastes. You should discuss this topic among the libraries in your circuit. You may find that all of the libraries have patrons who read a lot of mysteries or a lot of westerns, etc. Based on this knowledge the libraries may choose to purchase books in the future that lean more towards these genres. That's a decision that will need to be discussed within your circuit.
- Will there be a list of the titles that are in our boxes?
- There will be a list of the titles in your original shipment of books from the State Library. You will need to communicate with the other libraries in your circuit in order to know what titles to purchase in the future without duplicating.
- Will it cost us anything to belong to a circuit?
- The only cost for belonging to a circuit is the cost of the replacement books each year (4 for every 25 books you initially receive). The postage for mailing them from library to library or from library to patron and back is free. There will be free mailing matter labels provided by the National Library Service for the Blind and Visually Impaired in your boxes when you receive them. Should you run out of them, just call the State Library and we can send you some more. Keep in mind, however, that only large print may be mailed using these labels.
- How much paperwork will be involved?
- The amount of paperwork involved will depend on what kinds of decisions you make within your library circuit.
- How are we supposed to communicate with the other libraries in our circuit?
- Staff at the State Library can help you set up an e-mail listserv for all the libraries in your circuit. This will enable you to send a single e-mail that will reach all your member libraries at one time.
- Do we have to buy new books or can we add something that's already in our collection? When we add books, what happens to the books we pull out of the circuit collection?
- In order to keep the rotating collection in good condition, you will need to add books that are in new or almost new condition. You should be able to find books in this condition on Amazon.com or Half.com or purchase them from a large print vendor. The books that you weed from the rotating collection can be added to your own library's collection or discarded.
- Will there be a program to help us pay for the new books?
- At this time the State Library does not have a program in place to help with purchasing books. However, the libraries in your circuit may choose to form a cooperative purchasing unit that will be able to buy books at a discount from large print vendors. Or, as mentioned above, you may choose to purchase used books in almost new condition from used booksellers.
- How do we avoid duplicating titles when we buy our new ones?
- This is one of the reasons that communication among the libraries is so important. You should talk among yourselves via your listserv about the genres and the titles you are considering purchasing.
- Can we leave the circuit we're in if it doesn't work out for us? Or can we join a circuit at a later date?
- The methods for joining or leaving a circuit will need to be decided among the libraries in each circuit.
- What happens if a patron doesn't return a book in time to send it on to the next library in the circuit?
- If books aren't back by the time you need to send the books on to the next library, don't wait for the overdue books. You will just send them on as soon as they are returned using the same free mailing labels you use for the boxes.
- The two-month turn-a-round may not be long enough for our library to send and receive books back from the outreach areas. What do we do about that?
- This is another issue that will need to be decided by the libraries in your circuit. If your circuit should decide that three months works better for all of you, you are free to make that decision among yourselves.
- Who's in charge if there's a problem with the circuit?
- Again, this is an issue that will need to be decided by each circuit.
- Who actually owns the books in the circuit?
- The circuit will own the books in the rotating collection. Those books that are weeded and replaced will be discarded or become part of the weeding library's own collection.
- What happens if a patron loses or damages a book?
- As the owners of the rotating collections, the circuit members will need to make that decision.
- If we don't join a circuit, or even if we do, can we receive some of the extra large print books that are being dispersed through the main dispersal project and add them to our own collection?
- The large print books not sent out as part of the circuit collections, will be available in the dispersal of the main collection. There will be a place on the survey you received in the mail for you to mark if you want to receive large print books for your own collection. The fiction books (including large print) will be a balanced, random selection of titles.
- How do I get more free matter mailing labels?
- Because the large print program is a program of the Braille and Talking Book Library at the State Library, you will need to contact us whenever you run out of labels. We will send you the official mailing label as authorized by the U.S. Postal Service.
Notes and comments from the State Library:
Always remember that the visually impaired, especially those in your local nursing homes and assisted living centers, as well as those home-bound individuals in your area, should be one of your primary concerns within the large-print program.
We want to thank all of you who have chosen to participate in this very important program. We realize that this is leap of faith for many of you and that there will be some confusion until the circuits are up and running. Remember to communicate often with the other libraries in your circuit. The State Library will be here to offer support, but your first avenue of help should be to communicate with the other members of your circuit. This communication will be very important to the success of the program.