Calhoun, Chesterfield, Dorchester and York County Public Libraries have gone live on the new SC LENDS online catalog system. SC LENDS is the South Carolina Library Evergreen Network Delivery System and is a growing network of libraries in South Carolina sharing resources. Now, SC LENDS provides access to almost 1.3 million items to more than 315,000 registered borrowers around the state.
Membership in SC LENDS maximizes a library's investment by providing a shared online catalog among member libraries. Membership is open to any public entity operating in South Carolina that provides library services and offers a collection for loan beyond its district of service according to the policies and procedures established by the SC LENDS Consortium.
The South Carolina State Library, along with Union and Beaufort County Libraries, moved to the SC LENDS system on May 28, 2009. According to Laura Sponhour, statewide SC LENDS Project Manager, "The system provides cardholders from member libraries access to library resources from all SC LENDS libraries. People who use the SC LENDS online catalog can see what member libraries have in their collections and request items to be delivered to their home libraries." She continued to say that, "SC LENDS opens up a world of possibilities for citizens in the state by providing them greater access to books and information than ever before."
Three additional library systems--Anderson, Fairfield, and Florence--are scheduled to go live in December. Once all 10 pilot libraries are using the catalog, SC LENDS will provide access to more than 2 million items to more than 400,000 registered borrowers.
For more information about SC LENDS, visit http://www.statelibrary.sc.gov/sc-lends-catalog or contact Laura Sponhour at 803-734-8663 or lsponhour@statelibrary.sc.gov.
