Save & Close
Currently, our shared system with the Main Library Alliance is undergoing essential adjustments to improve hold times and system stability. This page has the latest status updates, service changes, and answers to your frequently asked questions.
Moving Forward: A Shared "Pause"
To address the current delays and ensure you get your books faster, SCLSNJ and the Main Library Alliance have agreed to pause our shared system while we evaluate the best path forward.
What does this mean for you?
Starting immediately, we are implementing the following changes to speed up your hold requests:
- Prioritizing SCLSNJ Collections: We are turning off access to SCLSNJ items for patrons of other Main libraries. This keeps our local books available for our local community first.
- Restricted External Borrowing: We are limiting access to other Main library items for SCLSNJ patrons to reduce the backlog and stabilize the delivery system.
Recent and Upcoming Updates
App and Catalog Improvements
We are currently working on updates to the SCLSNJ app and the catalog to improve usability and make finding desired materials more intuitive.
Searchable Online Resources
We are making it easier to discover our collection of online databases. You can currently find them all on our Online Resources page. In the coming weeks, we will be working to make as many of these online resources searchable directly within our catalog for a more seamless experience.
Suggest an Item
The Suggest an Item form is officially back online! You can once again submit requests for specific titles you’d like to see added to our collection.
Frequently Asked Questions
We entered this partnership with the best information available, confident that the Main Library Alliance's software could support SCLSNJ's high demand. Unfortunately, the tools designed to manage this complex movement of materials have fallen short of expectations. Rather than continuing with a system that creates delays for you, we are stepping back to re-evaluate and ensure our technology actually supports—rather than hinders—your library experience.
There will be no changes to holds that are currently in transit or awaiting pickup, even if they are coming from outside SCLSNJ. Pending holds on titles where SCLSNJ owns copies will also be filled as usual.
If you have pending holds on titles where SCLSNJ does not own copies, we will work with our neighbor libraries to fill those requests. We appreciate your patience as we figure out the best way to get this material to you as quickly as possible.
We will continue to automatically renew checked-out items as long as there are still renewals remaining and other patrons are not waiting for them. When you return items that belong to other Main Library Alliance members, they will be sent back to their home library as usual.
You will not be able to automatically search for and place holds on titles unless SCLSNJ owns copies. To find titles that SCLSNJ does not own, you are welcome to search the Main Library Alliance catalog (discover.mainlib.org).
You can continue to use your SCLSNJ card in person at other Main libraries, or submit our Suggest an Item form to make requests to have materials sent to an SCLSNJ branch.
SCLSNJ has a backup of all of your saved list information from the old catalog. We are still working to find a way to transfer that information into the new catalog.
The Main affiliated libraries are located in 6 counties across New Jersey (Essex, Hunterdon, Morris, Somerset, Union, and Warren). Click here for a full list of Main Library Alliance member locations.