Peer-to-Peer FAQ

Prospector Services

Peer-to-Peer FAQ

What is the Peer-to-Peer project?

Peer-to-Peer (P2P) is a product that III licenses to connect one INN-Reach system to another to enable borrowing/lending of materials between systems.

Both systems retain separate databases; records aren’t shared between catalogs, rather searches are transferred from one system to another. The CO Alliance has licensed Peer-to-Peer software to connect to the MOBIUS consortium. If a patron doesn’t find what they are looking for in Prospector, there is a link to transfer the search into MOBIUS.  From there the patron can place a request on an available item just as they would in Prospector. 

When the lending library receives the item, the item shows up in the INN-Reach tab and is processed just like a Prospector request. Prospector libraries can print courier slips that are prepopulated with the library name, Missouri library courier code, MOBUIS Courier code, and library address. 

What is MOBIUS?

MOBIUS is a 501(3)C Non-profit Consortium based out of Columbia, MO. It has over 70 members, which includes academic, public and special libraries. MOBIUS manages the INN-Reach catalog as well as local Sierra systems for member libraries. 

What libraries can participate in the P2P connection with MOBIUS? 

Only Sierra, Millennium or Polaris libraries can participate in P2P.  Non-III libraries cannot participate in MOBIUS due to software compatibility issues. Only Marmot academic libraries participate in the P2P connection. None of the Marmot public libraries are part of P2P. For a list of participating Marmot libraries see: https://www.marmot.org/member-libraries .

Where can I find a list of the Circulation contacts for Mobius?

http://mobiusconsortium.org/circulation-and-ill-contact-list

Where can I find a list of MOBIUS libraries?

https://mobiusconsortium.org/members-by-cluster

Will the MOBIUS libraries request all of our popular items?

Quite the contrary--borrowing and lending is reciprocal and fairly balanced among Prospector libraries. This was a fear when we began Prospector back in 1999, but it never materialized.The same is true of MOBIUS.  MOBIUS requests make up less than 2% of of all Prospector requests.  This averages out to be less than 150 requests per month per library.  

How do we check in the Mobius items? Do we scan the barcodes on the material?

You will scan the barcodes to check the items in using the normal check-in function in Millennium or Sierra.

What are the MOBIUS loan rules? 

Prospector and MOBIUS have very similar lending policies. So to keep things simple, Prospector libraries have copied their existing Prospector loan rules to create two new loan rules for MOBIUS. When you receive a MOBIUS item for your patron, you will use the MOBIUS loan rule, which should be very similar, if not the same as the existing Prospector loan rule for either media or monographs. Prospector has two loan rules 7 days with no renewal on AV items and one checkout + one renewal for monographs.

Prospector libraries don't exchange money for lost items. Does this same practice apply to MOBIUS libraries?

Yes, MOBIUS has agreed to reimburse their libraries for items that Colorado patrons have lost. If an item being borrowed through MOBIUS is lost or damaged, please contact rose-at-coalliance.org and we will take it from there. 

MOBIUS charges $120 for a lost item. Does this charge apply to all items and is their room for negotiation?

The MOBIUS office has agreed to reimburse their libraries for items lost or damaged through Prospector.  Contact rose-at-coalliance.org for lost or damaged items. 

How do I send items to MOBIUS libraries? 

CLiC has created special labels for MOBIUS items.  Please be sure that you are using the latest set of labels: https://www.coalliance.org/sites/default/files/MobiusLabel1.pdf .   

1. Download the label and open it as a PDF with Adobe Acrobat Reader. 

2. Click the "reset" button to refresh the labels. 

3. Refer to the MOBIUS legend for identifying the correct library code/name. https://www.coalliance.org/sites/default/files/MobiusCodesLegend.xlsx

4, Attach the label to the outside of the item(s) just as you would a CO courier label.

Do we need to place MOBIUS items in bags when returning or sending materials? 

It's not necessary to place items in MOBIUS bags.  However, please do return MOBIUS bags when sending items back to Missouri. 

Will P2P requests show up on INNReach reports – institutional overdues, requested too long, returned too long, etc?

Yes, MOBIUS requests will be treated just as all your other INN-Reach requests.

Will custom print templates in Sierra and Millennium work with P2P requests?

Yes.

How do I get lending/borrowing statistics for MOBIUS?

The Prospector fulfillment report includes the number of items that MOBIUS libraries have borrowed from each Prospector library. Refer to the second row of the spreadsheet "Borrowing Site". http://prospector.coalliance.org:4444/olinkpatrep/report2/0/.  Here's an example.

For  the number of items Prospector libraries borrow from MOBIUS libraries, go to http://classic.searchmobius.org:4444/olinkpatrep/report2/0/ under "owning/lending site" each borrowing library is listed.  This is the total number of borrows from each MOBIUS/Prospector library. Refer to individual columns for the specific number of items borrowed from each MOBIUS library. Here's an example. 

Should we expect a lot of requests to/from the Prospector libraries?

The MOBIUS connection has been in place since 2014.  Requests continue to be very low; MOBIUS requests make up less than 2% of of all Prospector requests.  This averages out to be less than 150 requests per month per library.  

Reports and Statistics

Statistics 

TITLE REPORTS
detailed lending and borrowing statistics. Useful for collection development

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intials: tf
password: taskforce 

PROSPECTOR FULFILLMENTS

BIB & ITEM QUARTERLY STATS

 

Prospector Presentations

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Catalog Reference Presentations and Meeting Notes

December 7, 2023

Presentations

 

December 14, 2022

Presenters: Rose Nelson-CO Alliance, Paul Moeller-CU Boulder, Nicole Becwar-CO School of Mines, Jawahir Javaid-DPL, Sara Werling-CU Boulder

Resources

 

January 2022

Prospector Refresher (MP4)

 

October 22, 2021

How Prospector Works (MP4) (video does play audio, just muted at very beginning.) 

Presenter Slides: (Click on each name to download slides)

 

PREVIOUS PRESENTATIONS

Catalog Reference Committee Minutes

Catalog Reference Committee Minutes Archives

 

Catalog Reference Committee

Catalog Reference Committee

General Information

Best Practices

Codes & Tags

Prospector Resource Sharing Committee

Prospector Resource Sharing 

CONTACT  AND COMMUNICATION

TECHNICAL DOCUMENTS

 

POLICIES

 

RECONCILIATION PROCESS

 

BEST PRACTICES

 

PAGING SLIP TEMPLATES

Paging Slip Template Examples

 

PROCEDURAL DOCUMENTS

 

DIGITAL LENDING

 

Prospector Training and Marketing Materials

Prospector Training and Marketing Materials

 

 

 

 

 

 

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Prospector Union Catalog

Prospector is a union catalog of  nearly 200 academic, public and special libraries in Colorado and Wyoming. Prospector gives library patrons and staff access to more than 30 million books, journals, DVDs, CDs, videos and other materials held in the Prospector member libraries. With a single search, patrons can find materials and request free delivery to their local library via the Colorado Library Courier. 

Prospector Lending Policy

There are some exceptions, but most items in Prospector follow these lending policies:

  • 21 day loan period (1 week for most DVDs, CDs, and videotapes)
  • 1 renewal (No renewal for most DVDs, CDs, and videotapes)
  • Up to 70 requests/check-outs per person. However, local library limits may be more restrictive and take precedence over Prospector limits. 
  • Overdue fines and fees will be determined by your local library (the library whose card you used to check-out the item) 
  • If all copies of materials are checked-out a hold may be placed although books may not be recalled
  • Springer and Elsevier ebooks are requestable through Prospector and have the same checkout period as print books.  They are downloadable as PDF files. Other ebooks from publishers or vendors are not available through Prospector.
  • Some streaming videos may also be available through Prospector.  Lending policies for these items are dictated by license agreements and may be shorter than 21 days and don't allow renewals.

Technical Information

Prospector runs on the Innovative Interfaces, Inc. (III) software module called INN-Reach, which is administered through III but maintained locally by Alliance staff. Libraries who use a non-III system can still join Prospector. For more information, please send an email to help@coalliance.org.

History

Prospector was originally developed with funds awarded through a state technology grant in 1999. Prospector went live with 19 libraries and has more than doubled in members over the last several years.

Governance

The Prospector Directors Group consists of Alliance and non-Alliance deans and directors of Prospector member libraries. There is an Annual Prospector Director's meeting held in November. There is also a Prospector preconference each year at the Colorado Interlibrary Loan Conference .

There are two standing Prospector committees: Catalog Reference Committee and Document Delivery Committee that meet regularly to discuss policies and procedures.  Committees are chaired by staff from member libraries.  A representative from the Alliance sits on both committees helping to oversee activities and organize meetings. 

 

 

History

A Brief History

The Colorado Alliance of Research Libraries is a non-profit organization that began in 1973 and was formally incorporated as a 501(c)(3) non-profit in 1981 by Ward Shaw, the founding executive director. From the beginning, the consortium was designed to help research and educational institutions share information resources and reduce operating costs by working together.

In 1982, the organization began development of the CARL integrated library system (ILS) to replace the traditional card catalogs at the Alliance member libraries. In 1988, CARL formed “CARL Systems Incorporated,” a for-profit subsidiary whose purpose was to market the CARL ILS. The organization also launched an article request and delivery system called “UnCover” in 1988.

In 1995, the consortium sold CARL Systems, Inc. and UnCover, plus the “CARL” name, to Knight-Ridder Information, Inc. With that sale, the consortium legally became the Colorado Alliance of Research Libraries which is often shortened to "the Alliance.” There is no current affiliation between the Alliance and these historical products, and the Alliance no longer uses the "CARL" acronym.

With the advent of the Web, the Alliance began locally loading databases from vendors such as SilverPlatter and Ovid in the mid-1990s. This program evolved into a robust consortial licensing program for databases, journal packages, ebooks, and other resources used by member libraries.  The Alliance was a founding member of ICOLC (the International Coalition of Library Consortia) in 1999. This group represents library consortia around the world.

In 1999, the Alliance launched the Prospector union catalog and resource sharing system using the INN-Reach software from Innovative Interfaces Inc.  The system grew from a modest 8 libraries in 1999 to almost 200 libraries in 2025.  The system supports academic and public libraries throughout Colorado plus the University of Wyoming. 

The Gold Rush system was launched in the early 2000s as a link resolver and electronic resource management system.  In 2016 the focus of Gold Rush changed to support library collection analytics where libraries could load their entire catalog of holdings to support collection analytics, shared print programs, deselection of library materials, and other use cases. This change of focus was due to the establishment of the Alliance Shared Print Trust where libraries have made long-term retention commitments to portions of their collection to ensure long-term access to unique materials in the region.

An early history of CARL was published by Steve Fisher, the former University Historian at the University of Denver, in a 2009 article in Collaborative Librarianship.  Alan Charnes became the second executive director in 1991 until his retirement in 2011 (a tribute to Alan was published in Collaborative Librarianship in 2011).  Alan was succeeded by George Machovec who remains as the current executive director.

Mission

Our Mission

The Colorado Alliance of Research Libraries (The Alliance) increases, enhances, and facilitates cooperation among libraries. The Alliance achieves its mission in the following four strategic areas:

Library Services
Facilitate, develop, and improve library services to students, faculty, and the general public.

Library Resources
Share, leverage, and expand library resources.

Access to Information
Promote information creation, collection, access, preservation, storage, and distribution.

Collaboration
Engage in cost-effective collaboration among participating libraries.