April 16, 2008

The Board of Supervisors' Library Citizens Advisory Committee tonight passed the following resolution in support of San Francisco Public Library's amended Link+ inter-library book borrowing system:

Whereas, Link+, the library's new statewide book borrowing system, provides San Francisco Public Library patrons with access to 23 million books in 50 libraries; and

Whereas, the American Library Association recognizes that such inter-library cooperation expands the scope of individual library systems; and

Whereas, Link+ enhances the benefits of the current Inter-Library Loan (ILL) system and delivers books requested more quickly and efficiently; and

Whereas, SFPL has increased its own book budget annually in recent years and intends to continue this trend; and

Whereas, SFPL has heeded the advice of the Library CAC and others to permit patrons who lose books to replace them at cost, plus a small processing fee; and

Whereas, SFPL provides patrons with a way to avoid the Link+ $115 lost book fee, as well as its $1 per day late book fee;

Therefore be it resolved that the San Francisco Board of Supervisors' Library Citizens Advisory Committee supports the Link+ system and recommends (1) that the San Francisco Library Commission approve it and that (2) the Link+ consortium permit SFPL to charge its standard late fees for Link+ books that are overdue and that (3) fines and fees are clearly stated when a book is ordered and when it is checked out.