Origins of The Mug Library
The Mug Library was a special project that started as an idea by a student, Susan Bonta. Phillip Wiggs and Amanda Peach applied for a grant through the Work College Consortium to have Susan's idea come to life. The Mug Library serves several functions, one being an art installation, but also as a way to make art more accessible to our students. Berea College students made these ceramic mugs, and though you can purchase them through the craft department, they can be a bit unaffordable for students. But with the Mug Library, anyone can check out a mug for a whole semester for free!
So You Want to Checkout a Mug
If a student colleague wants to check out a mug, follow these steps:
1. In WMS, scan the patrons ID.
2. Once you have pulled up the patrons account, click into the "enter barcode" field.
3. In the "enter barcode" field, you will need to type in the barcode for the mug.
- To type the Mug's barcode, you will need to do the following:
- You will first need to type in the word "MUG", followed by the 3 digit number assigned to the mug (this will be located at the bottom of the mug).
- So, if a Mug number is 420, you will type "MUG420" in the enter barcode field.
4. Once you have entered the Mug barcode in, you can either press the "enter" button or click the "Go" button to the right of the "Enter barcode" field.
5. Once you have done this, you will see the item show up on the patron's account- this will indicate that the item was correctly charged to their account.
If your student colleague is returning a mug,
1. In WMS, click into the "Check In" tab.
2. Then you will type in the mug's barcode.
- To type the Mug's barcode, you will need to do the following:
- You will first need to type in the word "MUG", followed by the 3-digit number assigned to the mug (this will be located at the bottom of the mug).
- So, if a Mug number is 420, you will type "MUG420" in the enter barcode field.
3. Once you have entered the Mug barcode in, you can either press the "enter" button or click the "Check in" button to the right of the "Item barcode" field.
***If you are unable to read the Mug number, ask the patron for their name. Pull up their account and find the Mug Barcode. Once you have this information, follow the check-in procedures. Make sure to note the Mug number on a piece of paper and place the paper in the mug on Sienna's desk. This is so we can later rewrite the mug number onto the mug.
You can find a mug number located on the bottom of each mug in our collection!!
Oh No, The Mug, It's Broken
If a patron returns to inform you a mug has broken:
That is okay, Accidents happen! Just inform the patron to bring back the broken mug and all is forgiven! We DO NOT charge patrons for a broken mug.
So You're thinking of buying a mug
If a patron comes in and asks to purchase a mug, inform them that all mugs are a flat cost of $35. The library patron must come in Monday-Friday 8:00 am – 5:00 pm to purchase the mug. Sienna, Mrs. Patty, and Calvin are the only individuals who can process the mug purchases.
