Frequently Asked Questions - Staff

Q1. How can my library sign up to participate?

To sign up, simply complete the LiLI Express Agreement, and fax it to the Idaho Commission for Libraries at 208-334-4016. LiLI Express services will be active January 1, 2004; although your library can sign up at any time.

Q2. Who should sign the LiLI Express Agreement?

The agreement has a place for two signatures. The Library Director will always sign the agreements. And, for libraries that require additional authority, a place is provided for a board chair, superintendent, or city manager to sign.

Q3. What happens after my library signs up?

After your library’s registration form is received at ICFL, the library name will be added to the participating libraries list and a packet of materials will be sent to you. Materials will include stickers to affix to LiLI Express customers’ library cards, sample procedures and documents that can be customized for your library, and other marketing materials to help inform your customers of their LiLI Express options.

Q4. What does it cost to participate in LiLI Express?

LiLI Express is a free service coordinated by the Idaho Commission for Libraries through the Libraries Linking Idaho program. There is no cost for a library to join, and no borrowing costs for the library customers who choose to take advantage of the service.

Q5. Is LiLI Express going to mean more work for circulation staff?

Libraries who have participated in similar programs have indicated that they did not see a significant change in work load. When a LiLI Express customer wants to check out a book from your library, the transaction might look like this: Example Procedure.

Q6. How will my library’s home patrons benefit from LiLI Express?

Your customers will benefit with improved services. Now their expectations can be met with access to wider selections. Plus, they’ll have the convenience they enjoy by having options to either drive to a nearby library to borrow an item or use the traditional ILL services you already provide to them.

Q7. What if a user takes all our books?

The LiLI Express service was designed to allow for local customization. Your library can impose restrictions on the number and type of materials non-resident borrowers can check out. In addition, you may choose to have borrowers sign off on their responsibilities. Of course, any publicly funded lending institution can follow the steps outlined in Idaho Code 33-2620 regarding the failure to return materials borrowed.

Q8. What’s the incentive for my customers to keep using their home library?

Your library’s services are reflection of your community. In addition to meeting their primary needs through traditional lending services, your customers still want to take advantage of your reading programs, electronic information services, and the other local services you provide based on identified community needs. These services, and their need for them, will not change as a result of their occasional reciprocal borrowing needs.

Q9. If my customer needs a special item from another library, why not just use ILL?

Interlibrary Loan is a wonderful service to find specialized items for library customers, and the need for ILL will not go away by participating in LiLI Express. LiLI Express will be an alternative option for customers willing to drive a short distance to retrieve a needed item, as opposed to waiting for 2 or more days for ILL delivery. This kind of LiLI express option also saves money that the library would otherwise have spent on ILL services to request and ship an item.

Q10. How will I know if a borrower is in good standing?

Participating LiLI Express libraries have agreed to respond to queries regarding the status of patrons registered at their libraries. This means that you can contact a patron’s home library and inquire as to outstanding fines or fees.

Q11. Will LiLI Express extend to Idaho citizens that do not pay property taxes for a local city library or district?

Yes. Residents in unserved areas of the state have the option of paying a non-resident fee for library services outside of their area. LiLI Express will recognize the non-resident cards held by those customers.

Q12. Can we still keep our lending policies for kids?

Sure. Regardless of a borrower’s home library’s lending policies, they will still abide by the lending policies of the library from which they are checking out materials.

Q13. What kind of statistics will we need to keep?

The Idaho Commission for Libraries will periodically request the following information from participating libraries: (1) number of LiLI Express patrons using your library and (2) the number of items borrowed by LiLI Express customers in your library

Q14. After my library joins, can we withdraw from the program?

Any library participating in the RBI program may discontinue participation by submitting at least a 30-day, written notification to the Idaho Commission for Libraries.