All Pathfinder Central member libraries should be familiar with this document. Policies are updated annually. A copy of the latest document can be found here:
2024
Pathfinder Central Policies and Annual Agreement - 2024
Pathfinder Central Policies and Annual Agreement - 2024 (changes from 2023 noted)
Pathfinder Privacy & Confidentiality Agreement Only - 2024
2023
Pathfinder Central Policies and Annual Agreement - 2023 (includes privacy agreement)
Pathfinder Privacy & Confidentiality Agreement Only - 2023
Pathfinder Central Values:
Administered by the Central Kansas Library System (CKLS), Pathfinder Central is a patron-centered, high-quality, affordable and responsive regional catalog.
Development of Pathfinder Central is based primarily on patron needs.
Pathfinder Central embraces a participant driven model that evolves at a rapid pace of change and is based upon collaboration and open sharing of materials and expertise.
Pathfinder Central members provide open access to their general, circulating collection. Access is available to all patrons of participating libraries.
Pathfinder Central is a shared system with a shared patron database and shared responsibility for maintaining and expanding the system in a professional manner.
CKLS has made a long-term commitment to supporting Pathfinder Central as a primary system service.
CKLS staff has a primary role for ongoing training and support, with extensive contributions of time and knowledge by Pathfinder Central participants.
Patron service standards dictate that some Pathfinder Central procedures will require standardization across the system, with local control remaining a guiding tenet of CKLS.
Responsibilities of Pathfinder Central members:
To share most materials, regardless of where the borrower is registered.
To fill holds each day the library is open.
To maintain confidentiality of patron registration and borrowing information.
To commit to making the database as clean as possible (no duplicate bibliographic records, standard cataloging practices, etc.)
To abide by Pathfinder Central policies, prescribed procedures, and best practices.
To share information on Pathfinder Central problems, solutions and best practices.
Pathfinder Central Vision:Library patrons in central Kansas have rapid, direct and open access to an enriched and comprehensive shared collection of library resources.
Approved August 17, 2016