Under the Regional program, Boston Public Library provides specific services to BRLS member libraries. These services include:

	Access to Electronic Databases	Interlibrary Loan
	Continuing Education	Document Delivery
	Cooperative Purchasing	Reference Assistance
	Delivery Service
	Consulting and Advisory Assistance

Contact Information for Member Library Services
 
 

Access to Online Databases

Member libraries are eligible to access the online full-text periodical databases provided through a cooperative effort between the MA Board of Library Commissioners and the six Regional Systems.

Database Name	Access Locations	Content Descriptions
Infotrac from Gale	In Library and Home access too!	Databases Included
EBSCO databases	In Library for Public, School & Academic Libraries and Remote access for all members
ProQuest databases	In Librarary and Home access too!
FirstSearch from OCLC	for Library Staff only
The Boston Globe from Newsbank	In Library and Home access too!
The Boston Herald from Newsbank	In Library and Home access too!
The Worcester Telegram & Gazette from Newsbank	In Library and Home access too!
netLibrary Electronic Books from netLibrary	In Library or Home access too!

Supplemental Reference Services

The Boston Public Library provides access to its reference and research collections and services to supplement the resources of each member library. Member libraries may request assistance by calling BPL's General Reference Department (617-859-2016) and specialized departments in the Research Library at 617-536-5400, or the direct line for the Kirstein Business Library specified below.

Interlibrary Loan (ILL)

The Boston Public Library accepts verified ILL requests for items held in its collections. In addition, BPL will assist member libraries in verifying citations for items sought on interlibrary loan, and if desired, will initiate ILL requests on behalf of member libraries to holding libraries within and outside the BRLS; this mediated ILL service is available to any member library that does not charge for loans requested by BPL on behalf of other member libraries. Interlibrary loan requests should be submitted online via ILLiad, at http://illiad.bpl.org. If you require your library's login information, please contact the Regional Services Office or the Interlibrary Loan Department. All materials are delivered by the Regional delivery service or postal service on a regular basis.

The Boston Public Library provides deposit collections of large print and world language books to members of the Boston Regional Library System. For more information, contact the Regional Services Office or the Interlibrary Loan Department (ext. 2343).

Document Delivery

Beyond the full-text retrieval capability provided statewide, Boston Public Library provides document delivery service for journal articles held in its collections or available through other sources. Requests for journal articles may be submitted by fax to the Boston Public Library's Telefax Office (617-267-8273). It is possible to expedite requests by including an IAC (Information Access Company) control number if the article is known to be in the IAC Magazine Collection or Business Collection. The requesting library is responsible for compliance with the copyright law (Title 17, U.S. Code) and its accompanying guidelines, and should inform its users of the applicable portions of the law. An indication of compliance should be provided with all copy requests.

Consulting & Advisory Assistance

Your Library Services Consultant is a phone call away! We are available to consult on whatever issue you need help, from basic library organization to automation. If more expertise needs to be brought to bear, we can tap the knowledge of the vast Boston Public Library staff, and your colleagues in the region.

The Boston Region has a high proportion of small, even one-person libraries. When you are a regional member you are never alone. There is always a professional colleague ready to help.

Consulting is a basic regional service provided to you at no additional charge!

The RSO has a circulating professional collection and vertical file materials available for use by member libraries. These resource materials are collected in areas of library operations for which information and technical assistance is sought.

Continuing education programs for member library staff on reference training, customer service, use of the Internet, and other topics responsive to the needs of member libraries and their users are offered throughout the year. For information on upcoming programs, the registration guidelines, and the online registration form, see the online Continuing Education Section.

Delivery Service

All member libraries are eligible to receive on-site delivery service, provided that they do not charge for any loans made to other member libraries under the Region's interlibrary loan program. On-site delivery service is provided through a variety of means, such as van, per piece carrier, and U.S. Mail. The means and frequency of delivery are determined by the total number of items sent and received on a regular weekly basis.

Here is the most current courier delivery schedule for the Boston Region.

To find out if a member library receives Regional delivery consult the MA Delivery Routing Directory. Any library that is not listed in this Directory does not receive Regional delivery services. Items being sent to libraries not on a delivery route must be mailed by the sending library. 
Massachusetts Delivery Routing Directory
 

Cooperative Purchasing

• Statewide Materials Cooperative Purchasing Program.
• Statewide Supplies Cooperative Purchasing Program.

Take advantage of the combined bidding power of libraries across the State of Massachusetts. The materials coop will let you order from specific vendors at a statewide discount. In a recent year Trade Hardcover books were available at 45.4% from the leading vendor. The supply coop will let you take advantage of group prices for a wide variety of specific supplies--with free shipping. To start taking advantage of these discounts, you just need enroll, then be sure to mention the Cooperative whenever you place an order. There is one combined enrollment form for both programs, which we mail to our members each spring. New participants can enter the program every three months. If you need a Participation Form, please ask and we'll send you one.

Both coops are administered by the Western Regional Library System on behalf of regional members across the state.

• More Information from the Western Region website.

Copyright 1997-2002, BPL
Last Updated: 02/25/05

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