Name

The name of the Association of Christian Librarians, Inc.’s OCLC Group Access shall be the Christian Library Network (herein referred to as CLN). Its OCLC symbol is CL@N.

Purpose

CLN consists of members of the Association’s Christian Library Consortium (herein referred to as CLC) that have joined the OCLC access group CL@N by signing agreements provided in the Association’s Standing Rules. The purpose is to provide a mechanism for resource sharing among members.

Membership

Membership shall be open to any CLC member library. After joining CLC, a library must notify the CLC Team that it wishes to be profiled on OCLC for the group access (CL@N) and be willing to subscribe to the agreement that governs the group access. Libraries maintain their group access membership by indicating their willingness to remain in the group access when they renew their annual CLC membership. A library’s membership may be terminated by failure to pay dues to CLC or by failure to follow the terms of the CLN agreement.

Agreement

  1. Introduction
    Interlibrary loan service is essential to the vitality of libraries of all types and sizes as a means of greatly expanding the range of materials available to users. Lending between CLN libraries is in the vested interest of members and should be encouraged.
  2. Purpose
    The purpose of this agreement is to provide reciprocal interlibrary loan service by which library material, or a copy of the material, is made available by one library to another.
  3. Scope
    1. Each library is responsible for developing collections in response to local needs and interests. Interlibrary loan is not a replacement for responsible collection development.
    2. Interlibrary loan is a mutual relationship and libraries should be willing to supply materials as freely as they request materials.
    3. Any materials, regardless of format, may be requested from another library. The lending library will determine whether the material can be provided.
    4. Libraries are urged to give special consideration to the lending of materials that might not normally be available for loan. Such options as In-Library Use Only, Staff Handling Only, special delivery/mailing arrangements or shortened loan periods might be offered.
    5. Each library should establish and maintain an interlibrary loan policy and resource sharing guidelines and make them available upon request.
  4. Responsibilities of Borrowing Libraries
    1. The borrowing library is responsible for compliance with the copyright law (Title 17, U.S. Code or other international agreements) and its accompanying guidelines, and should inform its users of the applicable portions of the law. An indication of compliance must be provided with all copy requests. Copyright files should be maintained as directed by CONTU guidelines.
    2. Borrowing libraries should make every effort to facilitate fair and equitable distribution of interlibrary loan load.
    3. Requested items should be described completely and accurately using accepted bibliographic practice.
    4. The borrowing library is responsible for borrowed materials from the time they leave the supplying library until they have been returned and received by the lending library. If damage or loss occurs, the borrowing library is responsible for compensation or replacement, in accordance with the preference of the supplying library.
    5. The borrowing library is responsible for honoring the lending library’s conditions of loan including observation of dates and duration of loans, recall notices, fees (if applicable), and special handling provisions specified by the supplying library.
    6. The borrowing library should request a renewal before the item is due.
    7. The borrowing library should package materials to prevent damage in shipping, and comply with special instructions stated by the lending library.
    8. CLN members shall use the OCLC Interlibrary Loan Subsystem for originating request to CLN members. The status of the request should be maintained according to OCLC-ILL protocol.
    9. Selective OCLC member libraries may contract with other CL@N member libraries to serve as a referral library to forward interlibrary loan requests to non-CL@N member libraries in the OCLC system. Such agreements will be between the two parties involved and will not be a part of this agreement.
  5. Responsibilities of Lending Libraries
    1. The decision to lend material is at the discretion of the lending library. Each library is encouraged to interpret generously its own lending policy with due consideration to the interest of its primary clientele.
    2. The lending library should process requests promptly.
    3. The lending library should clearly state the due date or duration of the loan and any special handling conditions of the loan. Any particular return packaging or shipping conditions should also be clearly indicated.
    4. The lending library should package the items to prevent damage in shipping.
    5. The status of the request should be maintained according to the OCLC-ILL protocol.
    6. The lending library should respond promptly to renewal requests.
    7. The lending library may recall material at any time.
    8. The lending library may suspend service to any requesting library that fails to comply with the provisions of this agreement.
  6. Participant Agreement
    CLN Participant Agreement Form