MichiCard was a voluntary program between
Michigan
Michigan () is a U.S. state, state in the Great Lakes region, Great Lakes region of the Upper Midwest, upper Midwestern United States. With a population of nearly 10.12 million and an area of nearly , Michigan is the List of U.S. states and ...
libraries that was the first step in developing a statewide
library card
A library card can refer to several cards traditionally used for the management of books and patrons in a library. In its most common use, a library card serves similar functions as a corporate membership card. A person who holds a library card ...
for the residents of Michigan. The program was proposed and established by the
Library of Michigan
The Library of Michigan is a state-run library and historical center located in Lansing, Michigan that was created to provide one perpetual state institution to collect and preserve Michigan publications, conduct reference and research, and suppo ...
Board of Trustees' Task Force on Interdependency and Funding. This led the Michigan state legislature to approve funding in 1989 for the MichiCard program. The program was established as a universal program for statewide access to the large network of resources throughout the state in local libraries where residents from another community may not be able access these resources otherwise. The program is coordinated by the Library of Michigan. The program is a form of
interlibrary loan
Interlibrary loan (abbreviated ILL, and sometimes called interloan, interlending, document delivery, document supply, or interlibrary services, abbreviated ILS) is a service where patrons of one library can borrow materials and receive photocopies ...
which allows the patron to visit another library and check out material directly from another library in another community from which they live.
Current program
MichiCard was discontinued in December 2013 due to decrease in amount of use and the greater functionality offered to libraries through the Michigan eLibrary's MeLCat statewide resource sharing program. In the early years of the Michicard program the Library of Michigan provided reimbursement funds for lost materials. Over time this funding ended and the support of the MeLCat program increased and also provided funding for lost materials.
History
The program started in 1990. From 1990 to 1993 only public libraries were allowed to be part of the Michicard system. In 1994 the program was extended to allow academic libraries to become members of the programs. Then the program was opened to all libraries in the state of Michigan. As of 2009, there were 306 libraries and 205 branches that are current members which are part of the MichiCard system .
Problems
Some people have suggested that this program is a form of tax evasion as it allows communities not to build resources and burdens other communities by adding to the number of patrons the other libraries have to serve.
This came to a head when a resident and attorney; Robert Toohey, of the City of