The Scarborough Public Library will be closed Monday-Thursday to assign new bar codes and inventory the collection prior to converting to Minerva, a statewide, online catalog system.

Once the catalog conversion is complete, the Minerva system will allow all Scarborough Public Library cardholders to access 6 million materials from a consortium of over 85 libraries.

“We are very excited to be joining the Minerva consortium,” said Susan Winch, the library’s assistant director and manager of information systems. “We hope to convert to the new catalog system by mid-February; however, a great deal of behind-the-scenes preparation and staff training must be completed before we can go live.”

According to Winch, every item in the collection must receive a new bar code to accommodate the new software. “The library has more than 80,000 items in its collection. The decision to close was difficult, but it became evident that suspending services for a few days was necessary to ensure both accuracy and patron safety while thousands of materials are being moved for re-coding.”

The existing yellow library cards will be replaced with new cards that are compatible with the Minerva system. The new cards will feature a full color photo of the library and will offer a credit-card sized version as well as a keychain size. Before receiving a new card, users will be asked to fill out a membership agreement, including proof of residency or employment by a Scarborough business.

As a courtesy, fines on overdue materials incurred during the month of January will be waived.

The public is encouraged to access the library’s Web site at www.library.scarborough.me.us for updates on the Minerva conversion.