Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)
• What is LOGIN?
LOGIN is a consortium of public, school, and academic libraries, mostly located in Gloucester County, New Jersey. The libraries included are:• East Greenwich Public Library
• Franklin
Twp. Public Library
• Gloucester County College Library
• Gloucester
County Institute of Technology Media Center
• Gloucester County
Library - Glassboro Branch
• Gloucester County Library - Greenwich
Twp. Branch
• Gloucester County Library - Logan Twp. Branch
• Gloucester
County Library - Mullica Hill Branch
• Gloucester County Library - Swedesboro Public Library
Branch
• Johnson Memorial Library
(Deptford Twp.)
• Newfield Public Library
• Salem Community College
Library*
• Wenonah Public Library
• West Deptford Public
Library
• Westville Public Library
• Woodbury Public Library
• What are the benefits of LOGIN to library users?
When the consortium is fully operational, anyone who holds a borrowers card at one of the LOGIN libraries will be able to use it at any other LOGIN library. Because Salem Community College issues cards to any Salem County resident, these cards will not be honored at Gloucester County Library System libraries.• When will LOGIN be fully operational?
The projected date is May 13, 2004. At this time, all of the LOGIN libraries will begin using the Sirsi automation system.• How will the LOGIN consortium benefit residents of Gloucester County Library System municipalities?
The current automation system used by GCLS libraries is almost ten years old and must be replaced. The server used by the system will no longer be supported by the manufacturer after May 31, 2004. The software used is very old fashioned and does not support many of the features demanded of today's library automation software, such as cover art, tables of contents, and reviews of books. It was significantly less expensive to participate in the LOGIN system than it would have been to purchase a new system just for GCLS libraries. Ongoing costs will also be lower. The new consortium will make available to GCLS users total collections exceeding 600,000 items located in 14 libraries.• Will this result in any changes for GCLS customers?
GCLS customers will use the same library cards they currently use. But now they can also use these cards at additional libraries, including the Gloucester County College Library. GCLS customers will have a new, modern interface to use when they access the catalog, either within the libraries, or from home computers. This new interface will work with popular Internet browsers and should be much easier to use than the current interface. In addition, new features such as book covers, reviews, and automatically generated lists of new books and bestsellers will make the catalog much more user-friendly.• Will the GCLS libraries issue cards to residents of communities served by LOGIN libraries, but not part of the GCLS service area?
No. These individuals are still considered "nonresidents" and must have cards issued by their municipal library. After LOGIN is operational (May 2004), residents of LOGIN municipalities (but who do not live within the GCLS service area) will need to visit their municipal library to obtain a library card. This card will be honored at GCLS libraries.• Will residents of Gloucester County municipalities whose libraries are not LOGIN members be affected?
Not in most cases. Residents of the four non-LOGIN municipalities within Gloucester County (Monroe Twp., Paulsboro, Pitman, and Washington Twp.) will be charged full price for a GCLS nonresident card ($60 per year, $30 for six months), as will residents of other counties. Students with cards issued by Gloucester County College Library or Gloucester County Institute of Technology Media Center will be able to borrow materials from GCLS libraries.• Who pays for this system?
The Gloucester County Library Commission is paying for the needed upgrades to the current GOLD library system (the precursor of LOGIN) to enable the software and hardware to accommodate the larger consortium. These costs were significantly less than if the GCLS libraries bought a new system. Ongoing costs for LOGIN are borne by all of the members of the consortium, including GCLS, in proportion to their usage of the system. For GCLS, these ongoing costs will be considerably less than current costs.