San Diego University
Libraries, County Library
Launch Innovative Borrowing Partnership
San Diego Circuit Revolutionizes Library Services

March 12, 2007

By Paul K. Mueller

The San Diego Circuit, an innovative consortium of libraries established in 1997, will again revolutionize services to local residents and university library users with the addition of the San Diego County Library as an active member, joining the libraries of UC San Diego, California State University at San Marcos, San Diego State University, and the University of San Diego.  
    
Announcing the consortium expansion, San Diego County Library Director Jose Aponté and UC San Diego University Librarian Brian Schottlaender note that, for the first time, County Library cardholders will be able to freely borrow books from each of the member university libraries, and university library cardholders, from the County Library.

Until now, public library customers had to either drive to a university library and purchase a library borrowing card (at a cost of $30 to $80), or rely on interlibrary loan service, which can typically take weeks for delivery. At the same time, university borrowers looking for non-university items had to visit a County Library branch to apply for a card.
  
The Circuit creates a virtual library of several million books that can be requested by borrowers from all member libraries, and delivered free to their nearest County Library branch or university library within a few days.
  
"The Circuit represents a new trend in library and public service," says Aponté. "Through enhanced technology, customers can even visit the Circuit Web site and request a book from the comfort of their home and pick it up at the library most convenient to them."
   
"The San Diego Circuit is one of the first such consortia in the nation," says Schottlaender.  "It provides quick and easy access to library resources for many thousands of students, educators and the reading public. Borrowers can request books in a wide range of subjects, from popular fiction in the County libraries to scholarly and research materials in the University libraries." 
   

   Inclusion of the San Diego County Libraries in the Circuit will increase the size of the Circuit database by approximately 1.5 million book titles.  Books will be delivered to each member library every weekday by a delivery service provided by the Circuit following a dedicated route. Books may be checked out for 28 days. Customers of the Circuit are allowed to have 20 books checked out at any given time

 

Media Contact: Paul K. Mueller, 858-534-8564