The Cape Libraries Automated Materials Sharing (CLAMS)

library A library is a collection of Book, books, and possibly other Document, materials and Media (communication), media, that is accessible for use by its members and members of allied institutions. Libraries provide physical (hard copies) or electron ...

network is a non-profit

consortium A consortium () is an association of two or more individuals, companies, organizations, or governments (or any combination of these entities) with the objective of participating in a common activity or pooling their resources for achieving a ...

of 35 member libraries and 38 locations throughout Cape Cod,

Martha's Vineyard Martha's Vineyard, often simply called the Vineyard, is an island in the U.S. state of Massachusetts, lying just south of Cape Cod. It is known for being a popular, affluent summer colony, and includes the smaller peninsula Chappaquiddick Isla ...

, and

Nantucket Nantucket () is an island in the state of Massachusetts in the United States, about south of the Cape Cod peninsula. Together with the small islands of Tuckernuck Island, Tuckernuck and Muskeget Island, Muskeget, it constitutes the Town and Co ...

. Since it was founded in 1988, the number of items available has grown from 568,000 in 1991 to over 1.6 million in 2022. Deliveries of materials between member libraries and other library networks in Massachusetts through an interlibrary loan program are made by the Massachusetts Library System located in Waltham. The network uses the Koha Integrated Library System (ILS) for staff function workflows: acquisitions,

cataloging In library and information science, cataloging (American English, US) or cataloguing (British English, UK) is the process of creating metadata representing information resources, such as books, sound recordings, moving images, etc. Cataloging ...

, circulation, ILL, and serials and Aspen Discovery for their patron's Online Public Access Catalog (OPAC). The libraries provide access to reference databases, digital libraries, free music online, museum passes,

genealogy Genealogy () is the study of families, family history, and the tracing of their lineages. Genealogists use oral interviews, historical records, genetic analysis, and other records to obtain information about a family and to demonstrate kin ...

, workshops, and other free services that vary from each location.

Digital services

Cape Libraries Automated Materials Sharing began a partnership with OverDrive in Spring 2008 to offer patrons 24 hours a day, 7 days a week access to a public

digital library A digital library (also called an online library, an internet library, a digital repository, a library without walls, or a digital collection) is an online database of digital resources that can include text, still images, audio, video, digital ...

where they could check out

ebook An ebook (short for electronic book), also spelled as e-book or eBook, is a book publication made available in electronic form, consisting of text, images, or both, readable on the flat-panel display of computers or other electronic devices. A ...

, audiobook, digital magazines, music, and video titles through the CLAMS OverDrive website. All of the public libraries participate in the OverDrive lending program. Cape Cod Community College is the only member of the CLAMS network that does not participate. However, students from the college are encouraged to obtain a CLAMS card from the library in the town that they live in. All towns on Cape Cod,

, and

have at least one library that is a member of the Cape Libraries Automated Materials Sharing network, except for the town of Sandwich. The CLAMS library network is a participant in the state's Library eBooks and Audiobooks (LEA) program; it is a lending program that allows the patrons of one network to check out ebooks and audiobooks from the collection of another network. "This service is made possible by the CLAMS member libraries and the Massachusetts Board of Library Commissioners, with funding from the Institute of Museum and Library Services and the Commonwealth of Massachusetts."

Member libraries

Public

* Aquinnah Public Library * Sturgis Library, Barnstable * Jonathan Bourne Public Library * Brewster Ladies' Library * Centerville Public Library * Eldredge Public Library, Chatham * Chilmark Free Public Library * Cotuit Library (Barnstable) * Jacob Sears Memorial Library, East Dennis * Dennis Memorial Library, Dennis * Dennis Public Library, Dennis Port * South Dennis Free Public Library * West Dennis Library * Eastham Public Library * Edgartown Public Library * Falmouth Public Library ** East Falmouth Library ** North Falmouth Library ** West Falmouth Library * Brooks Free Library, Harwich * Hyannis Public Library (Barnstable) * Marstons Mills Public Library (Barnstable) * Mashpee Public Library *

Atheneum Library * Oak Bluffs Public Library * Snow Library, Orleans * Osterville Village Library (Barnstable) * Provincetown Public Library * Truro Public Library * Vineyard Haven Public Library, Tisbury * Wellfleet Public Library * Whelden Memorial Library, West Barnstable * West Tisbury Free Public Library * Woods Hole Public Library (Falmouth) * South Yarmouth Library * West Yarmouth Library * Yarmouth Port Library

Academic

* Cape Cod Community College, Wilkens Library

References

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External links