JerseyCat Guidelines

Using JerseyCat

JerseyCat is a way for Englewood library patrons to borrow items that would not otherwise be available to them through BCCLS. For Englewood patrons, a JerseyCat request may be made for any item that is not available in any BCCLS library.

Who can and cannot use JerseyCat:

  • The Englewood Public Library will process JerseyCat requests only for Englewood Library cardholders who are residents of Englewood.
  • Patrons from other BCCLS towns must ask their home library to process any JerseyCat requests they may have.
  • Patrons who have Englewood Library courtesy cards but do not live in Englewood are not able to make JerseyCat requests.
  • Englewood Library cardholders are not able to make JerseyCat requests through other BCCLS libraries.
  • A patron who owes more than $5.00 in BCCLS fines, or whose library card is expired or blocked, may not use the JerseyCat system until his or her card has been returned to good standing.

What types of items may be requested via JerseyCat:

  • Patrons may make JerseyCat requests for items that are not available from within the BCCLS system.
  • Patrons may not place JerseyCat requests for items owned by EPL. If the library’s item has a reserve list, the patron will be placed on that. We will not bypass people already waiting in line.
  • Items that are fewer than six months old should be submitted to the library director (through the Reference Department) for purchase consideration, not to the Reference Department for borrowing through JerseyCat.

Making JerseyCat requests:

  • A patron may place JerseyCat requests in person at the Reference desk, over the phone, or using JerseyCat’s online catalog. The JerseyCat system will not process online requests until they have been approved by the Englewood Public Library staff.
  • There is no guarantee that owning libraries will send a requested JerseyCat item.
  • IFor JerseyCat items that are shipped, there is an estimated shipping time of 7 – 10 business days, which reflects the fact that some items may come from the furthest reaches of the state.
  • A patron may have no more than 4 active JerseyCat requests at one time. Each subsequent request will be processed as active requests are resolved (shipped or canceled), or checked out items are returned.
  • It is the responsibility of the patron to ensure that he or she has access to the method of communication that was given at the time a JerseyCat request was made.

Received JerseyCat items:

  • An item’s due date is determined by when it is received by the Englewood Public Library, not by when the patron picks it up.
  • If, at any point before its due date, a requested item is no longer wanted, a patron may contact the Reference Department and cancel his or her JerseyCat request.
  • The name of any patron who requests a JerseyCat item but does not pick it up by its due date will be noted by Reference staff. After two such occurrences, a patron will not be able to use the JerseyCat system for two months.
  • A patron who would like to renew a JerseyCat item must contact the Reference Department about doing so before the item’s due date. Any renewal request made on or after an item’s due date will be rejected.
  • There will be a late fine of $.50/day for any JerseyCat item that is more than one day overdue. Overdue JerseyCat fines will be added to a patron’s Englewood Library card. If a patron fails to return a JerseyCat item within 10 days of its due date, his or her library card will be blocked and billed for the cost of the missing item.
  • JerseyCat items must be returned to the Reference Department. Any item placed in the book drop or returned to any other library department is considered to be in the possession of the patron until it is received by Reference staff.