Monterey-area libraries set May 6 launch for shared catalog; Carmel to take system offline

Trustees were briefed on plans to combine Monterey, Pacific Grove and Carmel library catalogs into a single Koha catalog that Melissa Mejia, assistant library director, said is scheduled to go live on May 6.

"Our live date is May 6," Mejia said, adding that staff from all three systems have been meeting regularly to align circulation, acquisitions and records procedures and prepare staff training. She said Carmel's ILS will be taken offline for two days (reported in the meeting as the 4th and 5th) to transfer records.

Mejia described how records will display multiple locations in a single catalog entry so patrons can see availability across the three systems and said digital-resource entitlements will remain tied to the owning library. She told the board staff will confirm whether Monterey patrons will gain access to Carmel's interlibrary loan system and follow up on any restrictions.

Director Brian Edwards and trustees discussed interlibrary loan options, noting some consortia use Link+ (which carries annual shipping and licensing costs) while others rely on traditional ILL processes and WorldCat searches. Edwards said the effort aims to "maximize our resources for the public" through collaboration while noting operational and staffing trade-offs.

Trustees asked how patron cards and digital access will function after the merge; Mejia said patrons will continue to have a card associated with their home library but will be able to request materials across the consortium. Staff and trustees said they will develop public messaging and a phased communications plan, including social media notices the week before the change.

Trustees also discussed the effect of Carmel's ongoing branch renovation projects on demand and service patterns. Edwards said Carmel is undergoing a major restoration of its Harrison Memorial branch and that the system-wide catalog change and Carmel's renovation could shift patron traffic during the transition. The board did not confirm an exact renovation budget at the meeting.

Next steps: staff will finalize technical migration steps, confirm ILS downtime dates with Carmel, develop public-facing communications, and schedule staff training ahead of the May 6 launch.