Southern Ontario Library Service

Southwestern Large Print Pool

Terms of Membership (as of February 2005)

1. PURPOSE
   
   To share resources in a cost-effective manner by co-operative acquisition of materials which are rotated to all member libraries.
   
   
2. MEMBERSHIP
    
   1. Membership is open to any public library that is willing to contribute and maintain a block of large print books.
   2. Member libraries agree to abide by the Terms of Membership. The library is represented by the CEO or designate.
   3. Member libraries agree to attend an Annual General Meeting, or to send a proxy vote to the Annual General Meeting.
   4. Written notification of withdrawal from the Pool must be sent to the Secretary of the Pool and the SOLS Pool Administrator by November 30th. At the time of withdrawal, members keep the block(s) that they are currently holding.
   5. New members contribute sufficient titles to create the necessary block(s). Large print large format books will not be accepted by the Pool. The books contributed by a member must be in good condition, and comprise a mix of genres and a copyright date of no later than 5 years.
      
      
3. GOVERNANCE
    
   1. A two (2) person Management Team will be elected to direct pool activities. The Management Team will be comprised of the Chair and the Vice-Chair/Secretary. All terms are for two (2) years. No more than two (2) consecutive terms may be served.
   2. The duties of the positions are as follows:
      • Chairperson: sets agendas, calls meetings, chairs meetings
      • Vice-Chair/Secretary: keeps membership lists, handles correspondence, liaises with SOLS Pool Administrator, records minutes of meetings
        
        
4. FEES
    
   1. The membership year is January 1 to December 3
   2. The annual membership fee is $175.00 (+ GST) per block, payable upon receipt of the SOLS invoice sent to participating libraries sometime after April 1st in the membership year.
   3. SOLS charges an Administration Fee of $50.00 (+ GST) per Board.
      
      
5. BLOCK SIZE
   
   There will be no fewer than 50 titles in each block. A clean, accurate master list must accompany each block at the time of the rotation.
   
   
6. SELECTION
   
   The Annual Meeting participants will be responsible for selecting items to be purchased with the annual fees.
   
   
7. ACQUISITIONS
   
   The Management Team will send a list of the items to be purchased to the SOLS Pool Administrator who will place the orders up to the amount available. All items will be purchased processed. If Pool members do not want the items processed, the member libraries will be required to process all items themselves.
   
   
8. WEEDING
    
   1. Weeding is the responsibility of the library holding the block. As new material is received from the Pool Administrator, an equal number of older or worn titles should be weeded so that each block holds 50 titles. Current titles should not be weeded. This is really the only time that weeding should be done.
   2. Titles weeded from a block can become part of the participating library’s collection, or discarded. If you want to keep the title in your collection, please remove all SLPP labels and the block designation and affix your own library identification.
   3. On the accompanying list of titles in this block, indicate which titles you removed and send the list to the SOLS Pool Administrator who will return an updated list for this block.
      
      
9. LOST/DAMAGED BOOKS
   
   If a title is lost or damaged while on rotation in your library, it is your responsibility to replace the missing title(s) with a book(s) of equal value (and approximately equal publication date but no more that 10 years olfrom your own collection. If you add a title from your collection, make sure to mark the book with the SLPP Block Number and add a SLPP label to the book.
   
   
10. ROTATIONS
    1. There will be three (3) rotations per year February, June and October. SOLS will provide an annual list of rotations dates for all pools. SOLS will also post the rotation schedule for each rotation on the Web site.
    2. SOLS will provide courier service to all members of the pool. Libraries not on regular delivery stops will receive special stops at the time of the rotations, or if this is not feasible, SOLS will provide and assume the cost of providing commercial courier service (e.g. Purolator) to and from the library. If a library’s block(s) are not ready for courier pick-up on the scheduled day, they will be responsible for shipping the blocks to the next location by other means at their own expense.
        
11. ROTATION PROCEDURES
     
    1. Receiving Books:
       • Using the block list that accompanies your new block, check the shipment of books to make sure that all titles have been received.
       • Make sure there are at least 50 titles in each block. If less, check to see if the forwarding library has sent you a note indicating when the missing titles should arrive. If there are problems with the total number, please contact the forwarding library first, then the Pool Administrator.
       • Check each book to ensure that it is marked with current block number and that each book has a proper, readable card.
          
    2. Sending Books:
       • As a member of the pool, it is your responsibility to ship your block(s) on the specific date given on the rotation schedule.
       • Remove all books from shelves in plenty of time before rotation date to ensure that complete blocks can be shipped at one time.
       • Make sure that all cards are in the proper books.
       • Box items carefully, making sure that all the titles in the original shipment you received are now accounted for. Label and address boxes as in example.
          

         FROM:   TO:	St. Mary’s Public Library Route L Wainfleet Public Library Route I
         Large Print Books                                                  Box 1 of 3

       
       
       • If there are overdue titles that will be shipped at a later date, inform the next library in writing as to the status of these titles (e.g. two titles, The Jury and The Firm are out on circulation and are overdue, expect that we should be able to send by the end of next week). Make sure that you keep the receiving library informed of the status of these missing titles. Please do not send overdue titles to the SOLS office, they can be sent directly to the library that now has the titles in that particular block.
       • Four (4) weeks following the rotation, if the books are still missing, it is your responsibility to replace the missing titles with books of equal value (and approximately equal publication date), or be invoiced by SOLS for replacement cost.
       • Report all changes in block lists to the SOLS Pool Administrator.
         
         
12. SOLS ROLE
    
    The Southern Ontario Library Service will provide organizational support as follows:
    1. invoice members
    2. order pool items
    3. assign titles to blocks
    4. label inside cover of book with fiscal year sticker (i.e. “96”)
    5. provide SLPP stickers
    6. schedule rotations
    7. deliver pool items
    8. provide annual financial statement
    9. convene Annual General Meeting
    10. maintain pool files