Reference and Loan Clientele and Goals

The library staff serve public library systems, public, school, academic, state agency, institution and other special libraries, state government employees, businesses and other organizations as appropriate according to service guidelines.

Development of Resource Sharing tools:

Develop and distribute a statewide database(s) of library bibliographic records and holdings (WISCAT) for all types of materials including serials.

Develop and distribute statewide interlibrary loan software that creates, transmits, and maintains records on interlibrary loan request traffic.

Provide machine-readable records from the statewide database for use in other local, regional, or state automation projects.

Develop methods for including automated circulation/online catalogs in the statewide resource sharing system to allow for use in interlibrary loan.

Provide technical support and training for software products developed and distributed to libraries.

Provision of Reference Services:

Provide information in response to reference requests submitted by clientele serviced.

Maintain a collection of print and audiovisual materials, subscribe to electronic resources, and make other contacts as needed to answer reference questions.

Plan, coordinate, develop, and consult on reference referral guidelines and procedures.

Manage the statewide contract with the Cooperative Children's Books Center which provides information on children's materials and intellectual freedom issues.

Maintain BadgerLink as an information portal for Wisconsin residents, provide access to full text magazines, newspapers, and reference information and links to reference web sources, and provide BadgerLink training & technical support.

Provide access to unique resources in Wisconsin libraries by coordinating the digitization of information & making it available through BadgerLink.

Provide staff & funding support for virtual statewide reference.

Provision of Interlibrary Loan and Interlibrary Loan Clearinghouse Services:

Loan materials from the Reference and Loan Library collection in response to requests for materials.

Maintain a videocassette collection and collections of specialized print materials to fill interlibrary loan requests for materials not owned or readily available from other sources.

Refer requests to other libraries and interlibrary loan clearinghouses at the state and public library system level within Wisconsin and to out-of-state libraries.

Plan, coordinate, develop, and consult on interlibrary loan guidelines, protocols, and procedures and delivery services.

Manage interlibrary loan contracts with WILS and Milwaukee Public Library and agreements with libraries in other states.

Manage the contract with the Regional Library for the Blind and Physically Handicapped, for provision of recorded and braille materials and with the National Federation of the Blind for recorded newspapers through Newsline.

Maintenance of the Wisconsin State Document Depository Program:

Identify, collect, and distribute Wisconsin government documents to libraries designated as state level, regional, or selective depository libraries.

Maintain a Wisconsin government documents collection.

Make state documents in electronic form more easily available to libraries, other agencies & individuals through the Internet, including archiving of historical publications.

Consult with the document depository libraries and state agency contacts about the depository program.

State Library Agency Processing Center

Provide cataloging and processing services to state government and other libraries.

Child Care Information Center

Provide information on and materials to licensed and certified childcare providers, libraries, organizations, and to Wisconsin residents.

Publish and disseminate a quarterly newsletter on childcare topics.

Publish a calendar of childcare continuing education events.

Guidelines for sending requests to the Reference and Loan Library

Public library system clearinghouses may send any requests not filled locally directly to the Reference and Loan Library.

Public and school libraries may send requests for information in the areas of education and library science and may book audiovisual materials directly through the Reference and Loan Library. Other requests should be sent through the public library system, or in the case of schools, through the public library if this is required within the system area.

State agency libraries, legislators and their staffs, and state government employees not served by agency libraries may send work-related requests directly to the Reference and Loan Library.

State institution libraries may send any requests not filled locally directly to the Reference and Loan Library.

WILS members may send requests directly to the Reference and Loan Library for items verified as owned by the Reference and Loan Library.

Library staff in libraries or individuals in organizations not included in the categories listed above should contact the Reference and Loan Library interlibrary librarian at (608) 224-6163 or toll-free at (888) 542-5543 to discuss appropriate channels for service.

For questions regarding the Reference and Loan Library and its mission, contact Sally Drew at (608) 224-6161, toll-free at (888) 542-5543 or by email at sally.drew@dpi.wi.gov

For questions about this information, contact Shiela A. Pollock (608) 224-5395

Last updated on 2/26/2008 10:31:59 AM