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1.7. Multi-card Policy

Last Updated 11/04/2024

NC Cardinal Multi-Card Policy

It was decided by the NC Cardinal consortium members in 2015 that all member libraries honor the library cards of all other member libraries, allowing patrons the fullest access to NC Cardinal consortium materials. Because the consortium does not currently share electronic resources consortium-wide, patrons may maintain library accounts in more than one member system in the consortium based upon the established patron registration policy for each library system. While a library system may want to ensure they issue only one card per person within their own library system (except in the case of Student Access accounts), patrons may not be limited to a single NC Cardinal consortium account and are absolutely permitted to have multiple library cards/accounts for multiple different library systems within the NC Cardinal consortium. This allows patrons the broadest possible access to any electronic resources they are eligible to use.

The NC Cardinal multi-card policy allows patrons to maintain library accounts with any and all library systems in NC Cardinal which they are qualified to join, based on the library systems' registration eligibility requirements. Some NC Cardinal library systems allow any North Carolina resident to register for a card, other systems only grant no-cost library cards to people who reside, own property, attend school, or work in the county, while other systems grant no-cost membership to anyone who resides/own property/work in the the county and any adjoining county. Some library systems may charge an annual fee to out-of-county users. It is up to each individual library system to set their own policy for who is eligible to join. That could mean that a library system that allows patrons who reside in contiguous counties to join may find that these patrons maintain cards in both counties/systems, when both library systems belong to NC Cardinal. Library systems may not ask patrons to give up one library card in favor of another.

Additionally, patrons are always permitted to use their existing library card from any NC Cardinal library system to check out at any other NC Cardinal library, so long as their account is eligible (e.g. not assigned to Internet or School permission group) and does not exceed the circulating library's fine thresholds. Patrons cannot be required to register for an additional account for the library system where they want to check out.

For example: Say a patron has an existing NC Cardinal card at Library System A, but indicates they have moved and wish to apply for a library card at their new location (Library System B). Staff at Library System B should not alter the existing library account created by Library System A. Instead, staff should search NC Cardinal to see if there are any other accounts attributable to the patron with unresolved bills.

If there are existing bills, staff should consult the NC Cardinal Fines and Fees policy and let the patron know they will need to be resolved before a new card can be issued. If no outstanding bills exist, staff should let the patron keep the card for Library System A and issue a new card for their own Library System B (if the patron meets local eligibility criteria). Staff can create a note in the old library account (for System A) to indicate that the patron has moved and a new card was issue by System B. Staff can also group the two library accounts following the patron grouping instructions in the Circulation knowledge book. 

Policy:

It is the policy of the NC Cardinal consortium that all member libraries honor the library cards of all other member libraries, allowing patrons the fullest access to NC Cardinal consortium materials. Because the consortium does not currently share electronic resources consortium-wide, patrons may maintain library accounts in more than one member system in the consortium based upon the established patron registration policy for each library system. If a patron requests a new library card or wishes to use their existing library card in another NC Cardinal library, please follow these recommended procedures.

Procedures:

When a patron requests a library card, staff should: SEARCH the NC Cardinal consortium database for patrons with the matching name and other identifiers. The scope of the patron search MUST be set to NC CARDINAL.

1. Does the patron have an existing account in NC Cardinal database?

• Yes - go to question 2
• No - Use patron registration to create NEW patron account following your library’s local patron registration policies.

2. Does the patron owe money to ANY NC Cardinal library?

• Yes - go to question 3
• No - go to question 5

3. Is the patron account above the fine limit (purple box around name) or sent to collections?

• Yes - NO checkout or NEW card. Patron MUST pay bills before proceeding. Patrons in collections must resolve with library system owed.
• No - go to question 4

4. Is patron paying off ALL fines?

• Yes - go to question 5
• No - Use patron’s card AS IS. Do NOT change patron’s Home Library or Permission Group. If patron’s existing card is expired with no fines, verify/update contact info & extend expiration date for a week. Do NOT use Update Expire Date button.

5. Does the patron wish to check out with the existing NC Cardinal card?

• Yes - Use patron’s card AS IS. Do NOT change patron’s Home Library or Permission Group. If patron’s existing card is expired with no fines, verify/update contact info & extend expiration date for a week. Do NOT use Update Expire Date button.
• No - go to question 6

6. Does the patron want to get a NEW local card and keep their existing card, thereby maintaining 2 accounts, or do they want to migrate their existing account to the new library?

• Maintain 2 accounts - Use patron registration to create NEW patron account following your library’s local patron registration policies. Patron’s other library account(s) remain in the database as is. Do NOT merge accounts into one.
• Migrate existing account to the new library - Replace barcode in existing account with barcode of new card for your library. Update patron info, including Home Library and Permission Group to your library system.