February 7, 2024

The default loan period is now 42 days.

Why the change? It’s to support the shifts in the shipping paradigm now being implemented by many Access PA participants. 

Please keep reading to find out how it will impact (or not) your library’s account. 

The 42 days is the default to build in another week for shipping time. 

It is merely the system default. 

However, if you have filled out and are using your Lending Policy to determine loans, loan periods, and renewals, this change will not supersede what you have in place.  

How do you know if you are using your lending policy? 

1.) Go to your Participant Record in SHAREit
2.) At the top, choose the “Lending” jump button – this will open a new window. 
3.) At the top of the Lending Policy screen, see if “Use my library’s lending policies to determine if my library should receive requests of specific item types”

Lending Policy

Y = Your library lends the format
N = Your library does not lend the format  
NA = Your library does not collect the format

If the loan or renewal is set to Y, a Loan Period or Renewal Loan Period of 0 (zero) will be automatically updated to use the Days to Return value from the Participant Record.

IF IT IS CHECKED AND YOU WANT TO UPDATE YOUR ACCOUNT TO MATCH THE DEFAULT:

You will need to go into each format in your Lending Policy and update the loan period to “42” from whatever it is now (likely 35, as this was the previous default) and click “Save.”

IF IT IS CHECKED AND YOU WANT THE LOAN PERIODS TO STAY WHAT THEY ARE ALREADY SET TO:

You don’t need to do anything. 

IF IT IS NOT CHECKED:

Then everything you loan out will default to 42 days automatically. 

For more granular details about setting and/or updating your Lending Policy, please see: 

https://document.powerlibrary.org/files/portal/pdf/documentation/ParticipantRecord.pdf

The section on the lending policy begins on page 12. 

If you need the password to access the documentation, please contact support@hslc.org. 

Check out the tutorials available in POWER Academy

Tutorials in POWER Academy offer short and concise training on a variety of topics that you can complete on YOUR time and earn continuing education (CE) and Act 48 credits. 

Content covers all staffing levels and library types, and are grouped by POWER Library service type and include:

Access Pennsylvania/SHAREit
* E-Resources
* PA Photos and Documents
* Chat with a Librarian
* POWER Library Basics

Immigration and travel records document the journey of your immigrant ancestors and their steps towards becoming citizens of their new country.

Explore records that include:
* Passenger Lists
* Immigration Documents
* Immigration and Emigration Records
* Citizenship, Passport and Naturalization

This tutorial is for all libraries serving researchers interested in the African American experience. School librarians supporting students doing history projects requiring primary source materials may also find this resource useful.  

With this tutorial you will gain a basic understanding of how to navigate the Black Freedom Struggle resource, and learn how to search and use the various sources found within the resource. 

What is the Black Freedom Struggle resource? This database features select primary source documents related to significant people and events in African American history. 

The technology support fee will remain the same for 2024-25.

Invoices will be distributed in April of 2024.

What are the cost-savings of participating in POWER Library?
Statewide contracts for POWER Library resources are paid by the Pennsylvania Department of Education/Office of Commonwealth Libraries.  In turn, your school or library benefits by not having to purchase these databases from local funds.

• It would cost a school $56,515 to subscribe to all of the e-resources in POWER Library on their own. 
• It would cost a public library $73,366 to subscribe to all of the e-resources in POWER Library on their own.

In addition to cost-savings, participants are provided with enhanced support, training, and custom programming for access to the e-resources.

Moving to a new school, retiring, or otherwise leaving your current position? Please let us know! Keeping us updated with contact changes ensures staff are kept up-to-date on lists, newsletters, and invoices issued by HSLC are received.

Help us keep the participant directory up-to-date!

Do You Need Support? We Are Here to Help!

If you need support, please use one of the options provided below to contact HSLC. 

Complete the POWER Library Support Form
Email us at support@hslc.org
Call us at 215-222-1532