[Publib] Online only library cards

[Rebecca Bronson]

While we have not yet received requests from locales quite as far-flung as
you, we have had requests from residents of other states for our cards so
that they may access our genealogy databases, and we have so far declined
online-only requests. Now if someone is willing to appear in person and pay
the out-of-area yearly resident fee, we do not turn them down.
 
Hope this helps,
Becki
 

Rebecca Bronson 
Reference Librarian 
Handley Regional Library 
P.O. Box 1300 
Stephens City, VA  22655 

540-869-9000 (voice) 
540-869-9001 (fax) 

www.hrl.lib.state.va.us 

-----Original Message-----
From: publib-bounces at webjunction.org
[mailto:publib-bounces at webjunction.org]On Behalf Of Rawles-Heiser, Carolyn
Sent: Thursday, June 14, 2007 6:44 PM
To: publib at webjunction.org
Subject: [Publib] Online only library cards



Hello collective wisdom, 

As we implement more and more online services (esp downloadable audio and
video) we are getting online requests from people in places like Dubai and
Bakersfield for library cards just to download items.   Does any library
offer online only cards to people for some kind of nonresident fee?
Normally we need to verify identity to issue a card, but with the
downloadable items what difference does it make?   The items "expire" on
their own without the possibility of overdues, so we don't need to worry
about recovering the items.    

The downsides I thought of were that it could suck up availability of the
items to our own patrons and our vendors might believe we were violating
licensing agreements which are sometimes based on population.  I think they
look the other way right now with the minimal number of nonresident users we
have but if we got to be big providers of these items they might not be so
happy.  

Carolyn 

Carolyn Rawles-Heiser 
Library Director 
Corvallis--Benton County Public Library 
645 NW Monroe Ave. 
Corvallis, OR  97330 

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