MeLCat Resource Sharing & Union Catalog Participation Application Form

Submit this application to apply to join the MeLCat Resource Sharing System. The person submitting this application must be an Authorized Representative of the Library/Institution. Contact melcathelp@mcls.org with any questions. By submitting this application form, the Library/Institution agrees:

1. To abide by the MeLCat Policies and Procedures, available at https://mcls.org/melcatpolicies.
2. To participate in the MeLCat Resource Sharing System through:
   1. Lending to, and borrowing from, MeLCat libraries in accordance with policies.
   2. Monitoring MeLCat requests and responding to requests in accordance with the policies.
   3. Participation in the statewide delivery service. View cost and policy information.
3. To participate in the MeLCat Union Catalog through:
   1. Making bibliographic and holdings records available for loading into the MeLCat Union Catalog. Libraries using a shared system are responsible for working with their shared system administrators to make records available.
   2. Maintaining the currency of the library’s bibliographic, holdings, and patron records for MeLCat.
   3. Sharing their bibliographic records in the statewide union catalog with other Michigan libraries for cataloging purposes.
4. To follow required steps for withdrawing from participation in MeLCat, as follows:
   1. The library will inform the State Librarian in writing of its intent to withdraw three (3) months in advance.
   2. The library will continue to respond to MeLCat resource sharing requests until a mutually-agreed date within three (3) months notice of withdrawal.
   3. Upon withdrawal, the library’s holdings will be removed from the public interface.
5. Failure to abide by MeLCat policies and procedures may result in suspension of MeLCat privileges.

Please note:

• Your participation in MeLCat will not be valid until approved by MeLCat staff.
  • Please be aware that your library/institution will need to take further steps after receiving approval to schedule loading of records and other activation events before your participation is fully functional.
• If you participate in a Shared System, your Shared System’s participation in MeLCat will not be valid until approved by MeLCat staff.
  • Please be aware that your Shared System will need to take further steps after receiving approval to schedule loading of records and other activation events before your participation is fully functional. Shared Systems may need to agree to:
    • Provide bibliographic and holdings records for loading.
    • Provide links to patron records, as needed for your library/institution to participate in MeLCat.
  • Each member library/institution will need to complete this form before patron borrowing functionality will be activated.

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