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Frequently Asked Questions

• Why do I need my card with me?
• What is the procedure for books I claim I have returned?
• What happened to the Card Catalog?
• Why can't we put videos and cassettes in the book drop?
• How do we make complaints, comments, recommendations or requests?
• What is the difference between a hold, a reserve and interlibrary loan?
• Where can I use my card?
• Why did I get a message saying my Virtual Catalog request is unfulfillable?

Why do I need my card with me?

There are currently in excess of 1/2 million individuals with library cards in the SAILS system. This means that there are increased chances of checking something out to the wrong person if a library card is not used. For your own protection, you MUST present your library card to check out materials. To renew materials, you can either go to the catalog (you will need your barcode or alt.id) or call in with the item's barcode. We do not have e-mail renewal. Our policy is that the library card of person who places a hold must be used to pick up that hold. Again, this is for the protection of all our patrons.

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What is the procedure if I claim I have returned something?

If an item is still on your account, but you feel you have returned it, please contact the circulation desk immediately by calling or stopping by. We will make a note on your account, renew the item so that fines do not accrue, and will then search the building for the item. If we find it, we will call you and remove the fine. If we don't find it, we will look again the next day and notify you. We may end up renewing the item a few times to give everyone extra time to look rather than accepting payment for a lost item. If it is checked out on your account, you are responsible for it. If it is our item, there is a $3 processing fee as well as the cost of the item. DO NOT CONTACT US VIA E-MAIL FOR THIS!

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What happened to the Card Catalog?

For those of you who are too young to remember, a card catalog is a collection of 3x5 cards with the titles of all the books that a library owned. For each book there were at least three cards, so you could find a book by title, author or subject. Libraries in general no longer keep these paper records (which are expensive to maintain and store) because we think of our collection as more than just the materials in one building. In effect, the whole of the SAILS 50+ libraries house our collection. Some of the items are just stored off site.

What does this mean to you as the user?

• You can check what's available in the catalog from your home by using the computer.
• You can choose from a wider variety of materials than any one library could afford to own or store.
• If someone else has our copy, you don't have to wait as long to get another copy. If it is on the shelf at another library you will get it in a timely fashion.
• You can't browse the cards like you may be use to doing. You also need to spell the author's name more accurately than before.
• You can limit materials to video or audio when you are looking for something.

If you need help using the computerized catalog, any one of the staff are very willing to help. We actually love questions.

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Why can't we put the videos and audio cassettes in the Book Drop?

Video and audio cassettes are more likely to be damaged by changes of temperatures and by being "dropped" into the book drop than are books. It is also harder to detect the damage from the outside so that patrons take damaged items home and discover the problems through use. We regret the difficulty this may cause for those families who have tight schedules.

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How do we make complaints, comments or requests?

• To make a comment to the Trustees or the Director, you can fill out a form kept at the Circulation Front Desk or email   This is the appropriate forum if you wish to be heard about policy decisions, for example.
• If you wish to make a suggestion for a general change, there is a suggestion box near the Computer Catalogs (opposite the stairs.)

If you wish to request a particular book or material be purchased, you leave a message for any of the librarians and we will either order the book or make it available to you from another library system.

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What is the difference between a hold, a reserve and an interlibrary loan?

• A hold is a reserve. What they both mean is that you are selecting a book that is not currently on the shelf at the Richards Memorial Library and you want it either saved for you when it comes in or sent from one of the other libraries in the SAILS system. The item will usually arrive in a timely manner. However, delivery depends on the item's availability, the number of other holds on the item and a variety of circumstances beyond our control.
• An Interlibrary Loan is a book or material that is requested from a library outside of the SAILS system.
  • The Virtual Catalog allows you to place your own Interlibrary Loan request. Log-in to the iBistro catalog and click on the Virtual Catalog tab after you have check to see if any SAILS library owns the material.
  • Materials from university or out-of-state libraries have to go through the Interlibrary Loan Office at Quincy. Because the system involves sending requests out to five libraries at a time, each with five days to respond, we cannot even estimate a delivery date. 
  • Renewals must be authorized by the Interlibrary Loan Office so please plan ahead. There are NO renewals on Virtual Catalog items.

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Where can I use my card?

Massachusetts Law states that any resident of Massachusetts may use any public library in the state. If you have a valid SAILS or ABLE card, you can go to the Cape, Boston or any other Massachusetts community and get yourself registered in their computer system using the same card that you use with us. They may call us to first see if you have outstanding fines or some other block on your account. Once you are registered you often can use their museum passes just like you use ours. Your card will not work in RI because it is a different state. 

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Why did I get a message saying my Virtual Catalog request is unfulfillable?

• There are several libraries -- especially some small libraries in the CWMars consortium -- that are open very few hours or are only associate members of the consortium. If the item is in such a library, it may not be processed in the five day time period or at all. 
• Materials that have holds on them will not be chosen to fulfill Virtual Catalog requests by the owning system. 
• Some libraries have had more than their share of technical problems that might prevent them from filling the request in the 5 day limit. 
• Also sometimes when someone goes to look for the book or item, it turns out to be missing. There is no way for anyone to indicate this in the Virtual Catalog software.
• Want us to try to find the item somewhere else? Email us at the Interlibrary Loan account.