Dani Lichtenberg wrote:

> Are there any public libraries on this list that are currently
> circulating periodicals?  If so, is it done at all branches, or selected
> branches?  What criteria do you use to decide which ones circulate, or
> when they are allowed to circulate?  How many can be checked out and how
> long is the borrowing period?
>
> If you do not circulate periodicals, what are your reasons?

We are a medium-sized public library with a main library and two branches.
We circulate magazines (except for the most recently-received issue at the
main library) but not newspapers from all three libraries.  They check out
for one week, although patrons are allowed to renew them for a second week
and we don't place any limit on the number of titles checked out.  At the
main library, we use locking plastic covers for the most recently received
issue of each title in order to maintain a browsing collection, but the
branch libraries circulate all magazine issues.  Because the magazine
browsing collection is physically distant from the reference desk, we order
second copies of magazines used frequently for Reference (Consumer Reports,
for instance) for a small reference collection.

--
Noreen Fish                e-mail: nrf@lacrosse.lib.wi.us
La Crosse Public Library      phone:  (608) 789-7144
800 Main Street               fax:  (608) 789-7161
La Crosse, WI  54601