Interlibrary Loan Policy

Printable Version of Interlibrary Loan Policy

I. Purpose 

Interlibrary Loan (ILL) is a method of resource sharing in which library materials are made available from one library to another where libraries are not under the same administration. The purpose of this policy is to define the parameters within which ILL service is provided to APL cardholders and extended to other libraries which ask to borrow Alamosa Public Library materials on behalf of their patrons.

II. Scope 

Our ultimate objective for the Library is to provide the patron with the material which he or she is seeking. If the patron cannot find the material, we try to find it for them. If we don’t have the material, we can inform and assist him/her with every possibility for acquiring that material (reserve, interlibrary loan, referral to another agency, etc.). As a member of SWIFT (StateWide Interlibrary Loan Fast Track), this free of charge service allows APL to widen the amount of information available to our patrons in order to fill their reading, viewing, and listening needs. This policy pertains to all lending and borrowing activities conducted by the ILL staff of the Alamosa Public Library. 

III. Provisions

A. Materials Borrowed From Other Libraries 

  1. Interlibrary loan materials are subject to the loan periods, renewals, fines, fees and any other applicable policies of the lending library (the library which owns the material). APL will honor the lending library’s condition of loan including observation of dates and duration of loans, recall notices, fees (if applicable), and special handling provisions. APL will explain these conditions to the patron at checkout. 
  2. Books owned by APL will not be requested unless these items will not become available to the patron in a reasonable amount of time or if additional copies are needed to fulfill the needs of a book club. 

B. Materials Loaned to Other Libraries 

  1. Materials available for loan to other libraries include single books; audiovisual materials; limited photocopies of periodical articles, book chapters, essays, poems, etc.; printout copies from microfilm, and printouts from an electronic database.
    • a. ILL staff may make one (1) copy of the following:
      • A chapter from a book,
      • An article from a periodical or newspaper,  
      • A short story, short essay or short poem,
      • A chart, graph, diagram, drawing, cartoon, or picture from a book, periodical or newspaper. 
  1. Materials not available for loans include, downloadable materials, actual microfilm, items cataloged as reference materials, new-stickered items, materials with prohibitive replacement costs, or board books 
  2. The initial circulation period for materials loaned to other libraries is five (5) weeks. Extensions may be granted when requested and will be based on whether or not there is a local need for the materials. 

 

C. Limits and Fees 

  1. There is no overall limit on the number of ILL requests that any one patron may submit, but, at any given time, a limit of five ILL requests per patron can be processed. Items requested by an individual patron will be processed in the order received. 
  2. Materials will be borrowed from and loaned to libraries in the Continental United States. When borrowing, materials are always requested first from lenders who provide the materials at no cost. When a free source is not located, patrons are charged the fees specified by the lending library. Permission will be obtained from the patron before the request for any item with an associated fee is submitted.

 

D. Patron Responsibilities and Rights 

  1. To be eligible to borrow an item through the Interlibrary Loan process, a patron must have a valid APL library card with no fines due. 
  2. Overdue Materials 
    • a. Patrons are to return borrowed items by the due date which is found on the band on each item. 
    • b. The maximum fine due shall be the value of the item plus any applicable fees, as determined by the lending library. 
  3. Patrons are expected to return items in the same condition as received. Patrons may be billed an amount named by the lending library if materials are returned damaged or if the item is lost. Patron purchased replacement items will not be accepted. If an item that has been reported lost is returned by a APL patron after the item has been paid for, no refunds will be issued. 
  4. If an item loaned to another library is reported lost, staff will charge the replacement value of the item to the borrowing library. If an item reported lost is found by the borrower after payment, no refunds will be issued. 
  5. Patrons are to pick up materials obtained through Interlibrary Loan before the due date. Items not picked up by the due date will be returned to the lending library. 
  6. Interlibrary Loan requests may be cancelled at any time by the patron for a no-cost request. If a patron wishes to cancel a request for an item requiring a fee after the item has been shipped by the lender, the patron will be responsible for the total cost of the fee. 
  7. All paperwork that is with ILL materials at checkout must be returned with the item. 

Approved by Library Board of Trustees
8-25-09