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Who We Are | |||||
The Suburban Library Cooperative is a network of public libraries in the Macomb County area which have joined together to secure services which can be performed more effectively and economically as a group. Established in 1978 under Michigan Public Act 89 of 1977, the Cooperative provides member libraries with several important services, ranging from automated circulation of library materials to access to the Internet. The Suburban Library Cooperative also assists member libraries in a variety of ways in their efforts to better serve the public. Libraries in the following communities are members of the Suburban Library Cooperative: Armada, Center Line, Chesterfield, Clinton Township, Eastpointe, Fraser, Harper Woods, Lenox, Macomb Township, Mount Clemens, New Baltimore, Ray, Richmond, Romeo, Roseville, Shelby, St. Clair Shores, Sterling Heights, Troy, Utica, and Warren,. The Cooperative offices are located at 44750 Delco Blvd., in Sterling Heights, Michigan. For more information, please call (586) 685-5750. | |||||
What We're About | |||||
Administrative
Services The Suburban Library Cooperative administers broad,
cooperative-wide services and programs, allowing member library directors
to attend to library issues at the local community level. Planning and
budget preparation are two major activities of the Cooperative. Another
important function is fiscal responsibility for the Macomb Literacy
Project and the Macomb Region of Cooperation. In addition to general
administration of its own operations, the Cooperative also writes and
administers many grants each year. Monies received from member libraries,
state funds, grants and donations must be carefully managed to operate the
computer system and other ongoing cooperative services. The Cooperative
provides centralized bookkeeping and accounting for programs of member
libraries, supplies financial reports for members of its board of
trustees, and prepares statistical reports for the state.
Group Discounts Buying books as a group allows member libraries to receive discounts with book vendors greater than most of them could manage individually. This enables the local library to purchase more books and materials with its tax dollars. Special Collections Many member libraries have special collections of books and other materials. Included are St. Clair Shores and Mt. Clemens Public Library's Michigan Collections, Romeo and Sterling Heights Public Library's CD-ROM collections and Troy Public Library's business collection. | |||||
The Computerized Library | |||||
Circulation The
Suburban Library Cooperative manages the SIRSI Unicorn online system for
its members. A shared database of over 2,000,000 items provides close to
400,000 registered patrons with easy access to information sources. The
Cooperative has been online with this system since June 2001. By using
this system, libraries throughout the cooperative can access the holdings
of all of the participating libraries, check out items to patrons, place
holds on items, process library materials, and access online databases.
Patron Access Library patrons are able to access the Suburban Library Cooperative's online catalog from outside the library. The catalog is available through the world wide web at http://catalog.libcoop.net/ Internet The Suburban Library Cooperative provides access to the Internet through computers at each of the participating libraries. SVA SVA (Sirsi Voice Automation) is the Suburban Library Cooperative's automated telephone circulation system. It is an interactive voice messaging system that allows library patrons to call in and renew materials, list the items that are checked out on the patron's card, find out library fines, and cancel holds for materials that are available for pickup. SVA will also call patrons that have overdue materials to remind them to return these items, thus stopping the accumulation of fines. Patrons must have a valid library card from one of the Cooperative's participating libraries and a PIN. These may be obtained at the library circulation desk. | |||||
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