Special to The T&D

COLUMBIA -- Calhoun, Chesterfield, Dorchester and York County public libraries have gone live on the new S.C. LENDS online catalog system. S.C. LENDS is the South Carolina Library Evergreen Network Delivery System and is a growing network of libraries in South Carolina sharing resources. Now, S.C. LENDS provides access to almost 1.3 million items to more than 315,000 registered borrowers around the state.

Membership in S.C. 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 S.C. LENDS Consortium.

The South Carolina State Library, along with Union and Beaufort County libraries, moved to the S.C. LENDS system on May 28.

"The system provides cardholders from member libraries access to library resources from all S.C. LENDS libraries," said Laura Sponhour, statewide S.C. LENDS project manager. "People who use the S.C. LENDS online catalog can see what member libraries have in their collections and request items to be delivered to their home libraries.

"S.C. 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, S.C. LENDS will provide access to more than 2 million items to more than 400,000 registered borrowers.

For more information about S.C. LENDS, call Sponhour at 803-734-8663 or e-mail lsponhour@statelibrary.sc.gov, or visit statelibrary.sc.gov/sc-lends-catalog.

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