Goleta and Santa Ynez Valley Libraries Remain Black Gold Partners

What You Need to Know About Changes to Service and Exciting Future Plans

The Goleta and Santa Ynez libraries want to inform patrons about changes to service now that Santa Barbara and San Luis Obispo libraries have announced that they are leaving the Black Gold Cooperative system effective July 1, 2022. This means that their catalogs will become separate, and materials will no longer be shipped outside of these two library systems to the Black Gold member libraries. However, Goleta remains firmly committed to being a member of Black Gold.

We know how our library users enjoy access to a myriad of resources and should rest assured that they still can expect the high level of service that they are accustomed to receiving.

Here is what you need to know about Black Gold Changes to service:

  • You can no longer place holds on items or renew items owned by the Santa Barbara and San Luis Obispo Libraries.
  • Please return any items you have borrowed from the Santa Barbara and San Luis Obispo libraries by their due date.
  • Please make Goleta your pickup location for holds that are received from any non-Santa Barbara or San Luis Obispo libraries. You are no longer able to pick them up at Santa Barbara. Santa Ynez Valley libraries can continue to pick up their items at either Buellton or Solvang.
  • After June 30, you will no longer be able to return Santa Barbara or San Luis Obispo items to any of the Goleta branches. Anything you check out from Santa Barbara must be returned there yourself. 

The future is bright for Goleta and Santa Ynez Valley Libraries. We are working behind the scenes to transition the circulation system to an open-source software called Koha, provided by the same company that hosts the library’s new user-friendly online catalog which debuted last fall. This exciting change will take place on Monday, April 25th. Stay tuned for more details as the date approaches.

PLEASE CHANGE YOUR PASSWORD NOW:
The new circulation system will require you to use the last four numbers of your phone number as your password to get into your account to place holds or download items. It’s a good time to go into your record now before we make the transfer to Koha. Check that all your information is correct and change your password to the last four numbers of your phone number. That way you’ll be all set come April 25th. Thank you!

We are also excited to share that we will have an increased book budget for the fiscal year beginning on July 1st to enrich and expand our collection for your use and enjoyment. We would love to hear which titles you’d like to see added to the library and encourage you to use the Suggest a Purchase form on our website to make a request.

Questions can be directed to goletavalleylibrary@cityofgoleta.org.