Province-wide library access

Shannon LeClair
Times Reporter

 

A new way of borrowing books from the library was opened up to Marigold patrons last fall. Me Libraries, otherwise known as Alberta Wide Borrowing (AWB) allows patrons to use other libraries as their home base.
“Alberta Wide Borrowing just means that as an individual with a current library card from your home library system, you can borrow materials as though you’re a resident of the other system,” said Michelle Toombs, Marigold chief executive officer.
The initiative originally came about because the Province of Alberta, through the Public Services Library Branch, came up with a network policy that sets the stage for Alberta Public Libraries to work together and share resources.
The first stage of the initiative is in person borrowing, which is what the Me Libraries is achieving.
“The next stage is a big idea, and that’s to have the same library system, computer system, or library systems that talk together so that we can place holds and order those books seamlessly from any place in Alberta,” Toombs.
Marigold has always been fortunate because they partner with three other library systems, which have a combined 175 libraries for patrons to access print materials from. With the new AWB initiative it opens the doors even more for people to access all sorts of printed resources.
“I believe that the Me Libraries initiative is a first stage to bringing libraries to the forefront where all Albertans have opportunities to participate in the sharing, and the contributing to a better global community, through being an active participant in their local library and thereby building their own health, wellness and capacity, and also contributing to the success of their communities,” said Toombs.
By networking together it allows province wide library systems to share resources. Not every library can have everything that everyone needs, said Toombs, so having a clear way in which people can access and share materials just builds on the assets of the province and makes it one that everyone would like to be part of.
“I think it is fantastic because the whole point of libraries is to share what we have with as many people as we can. This just opens out resources to more patrons and it opens more libraries (and selection) to our patrons,” said Rachel Dick Hughes, director of library services at the Strathmore Municipal Library.
“It’s so nice because if you go to visit your grandkids for a month, or your grandkids are coming to see you, you can just use the library as though it is your own. I think that is exactly the way libraries should be, it has been a long time coming and I’m really happy to see it come to fruition now.”
Signing yourself up takes a few minutes on the computer, and a current library card. Go to melibraries.ca, log in with your card number and pin number. It will pull the information you have registered with your home library, then click ‘accept’ to allow the info to be shared with the other libraries in the Me system. From there choose the library or library system where you want to use your card and you’re ready to go.
If you’re having problems setting it up, the staff at the Strathmore Library are able to help.