In celebration of the season, the AIA Library and Archives announced on the first day of spring this year that April 2001 will be amnesty month. AIA members may return overdue items without penalty between April 1 and April 30.

The timing of the amnesty announcement is tied to the recent launch of the library's online catalogue, SIRSI. To accommodate SIRSI, the AIA Library and Archives needs to bring all of its records up-to-date. With the cooperation of the members, national AIA component staff will be able to recover missing materials that still exist and either remove lost items from the catalog or replace them with new copies or editions.

"We are currently in the process of reorganizing our collection and checking our stacks for missing items to identify problem items," said Managing Director Kimberly Allen. "Once this is done, we will begin checking and mailing notices in early May for overdue materials and fines."

The AIA Library and Archives adopted the SIRSI electronic cataloguing system because it offers broad searching capabilities, easy request processing, and up-to-the-minute information on availability of items in an easy-to-use Web-based format.

How the amnesty works
"You'll wish your taxes were so easy," Allen effused. "If you have long-overdue materials from the AIA Library, return them by April 30, 2001, and we will waive your fines. If you have existing fines, give us a call before April 30, 2001, and we will waive them too! And, if you have a book that we say was not returned and you wish to dispute it, contact us and we will work with you to clear the matter up."

Beginning May 1, 2001, the AIA Library and Archives will begin issuing invoices for payment of long-overdue fines and outstanding items. So April is the time to return those overdue AIA Library books taking up space on your shelf, clear your fines, and begin borrowing from the library again.

Copyright 2001 The American Institute of Architects. All rights reserved.