WebJunction - Connecticard

Program Description
Connecticard is a cooperative program among public libraries in Connecticut that allows a resident of any town in the state who holds a valid borrower card issued by their home library to use that card to borrow materials from any of the 192 public libraries participating in the program. Using their hometown cards, non-residents may borrow any of the materials that participating libraries lend to their local borrowers. Connecticard loans are governed by the same circulation rules and policies that govern loans to resident card holders. Print materials borrowed through Connecticard may be returned to any Connecticard library for delivery by Connecticar to the lending library. Lending libraries may require that non-print materials be returned by the borrower directly to the lending library. Participating libraries report their Connecticard loans to the State Library monthly.

For Further Information, Contact
Mailing address:

Tom Newman, State Library Data Coordinator
Division of Library Development
Connecticut State Library
231 Capitol Avenue
Hartford, CT 06106

Telephone: (860)757-6573
Fax: 860-757-6503

Amount of Funds Available
FY 07/08 $ 1,226,028.

Connecticard Regulations

Grant Awards:
Connecticard Reimbursement Payments

Eligibility
All public libraries in the state of Connecticut which:

have a signed Letter of Agreement on file with the State Library
File a record of the number of items loaned to non-residents of the town or towns it normally serves not later than seven days after March 1 and September 1 of each year (or monthly) with the State Library Board
Submit by November 1 of each year an Annual Connecticard Expenditure Report

Amount of the Grant
The formula for determining grant amounts is included in the state statutes. Payments are made annually. One-half of the total funds appropriated is used to reimburse participating libraries for all reported Connecticard loans. The other half is used to make an additional payment to those libraries that loaned more items to non-residents than their resident card holders borrowed from public libraries in other towns.

Key Dates
February 28 - The Connecticard reporting year ends.

March 8 - Final date for submitting Connecticard lending reports for the closed year.

By May 15 - State Library issues a report of Connecticard use at each public library in the state during the previous reporting year. State Library distributes a summary of the Annual Connecticard Expenditure Reports received for the previous fiscal year.

By June 1 - Libraries receive Connecticard reimbursement payments.

By Nov 1 - Completed Annual Connecticard Expenditure Reports must be received at the State Library.

Statutory References
Conn. General Statutes (CGS) 11-31a, 11-31b, 11-31c. Regulations of Conn. State Agencies, Sec. 11-31c-1, 11-31c-2, 11-31c-3, 11-31c-4, 11-31c-5.

Funding Source
State: General Fund

Connecticard Loan Reports
should be completed electronically by the lending library at the URL www.cslib.org/ccard.
A password and ID unique to the library is supplied by the State Library Data Coordinator.