MeLCat is great … and about to become even better!  Last year, Michigan library patrons placed more than one million requests for book and AV loans through MeLCat. This year, Michigan residents will be happy to hear that MeLCat plans to add an article requesting service, ArticleReach, later this fall.

ArticleReach will allow MeLCat library patrons to place requests for full-text articles in three ways: (1) finding the journal title in MeLCat and clicking on a link for an article request form, (2) using the “Article Finder” to look for a specific article in MeL Databases and MeLCat, or (3) using OpenURL to request articles discovered in resources outside of MeLCat.  The MeLCat Advisory Committee will meet on May 27 to begin drafting the policies needed for implementation of the ArticleReach service.

When MeLCat investigated an earlier version of ArticleReach three years ago, full implementation was not possible due to lack of desired functionality to pre-set copyright thresholds and due to MeLCat server limitations.  Today, with the new MeLCat central server installation in April and with Innovative’s development of an upgraded version of ArticleReach, MeLCat is now able to move forward with testing and implementing this article requesting service. The new version of ArticleReach allows for libraries to pre-set thresholds for copyright compliance.

MeLCat will begin testing of ArticleReach this summer with a select group of libraries representing different types, sizes, and systems. If your library is interested in being considered for the test group, please contact Debbi Schaubman at MCLS (800-530-9019 x113 or schaubmd@mcls.org) before June 3, 2011.

The MeLCat project is made possible by grant funds from the U.S. Institute of Museum and Library Services administered by the State of Michigan through the Library of Michigan.