DEFINITION AND
PURPOSE
Interlibrary Loan (ILL) is the process by
which a library requests material from, or
supplies material to, another library. In
the interest of providing quality service,
libraries have an obligation to obtain
material to meet the informational needs of
users when local resources do not meet
those needs. Tazewell County Public Library
(TCPL) recognizes that the sharing of
material between libraries is an integral
element in the provision of library service
and believes it to be essential to the
vitality of all libraries.
GOVERNANCE
Interlibrary loan policies of this library
are governed by the American Library
Association's Interlibrary Loan Code for
the United States (2001), the Virginia
Interlibrary Loan Code (1989), the
Copyright Law, Title 17, U.S. Code, HAL's
Reciprocal Borrowing Agreement (2000), and
by the regulations of lending libraries.
TCPL also works in cooperation with SWING
and other groups of libraries to make
resources available for patron use. Within
the limits of the policy set forth here,
TCPL will offer to obtain for patrons
requested materials not available in the
collections of this system. TCPL will
consider such factors as geographic
proximity, type of library, and lending
fees when determining to which library an
interlibrary loan request will be made,
when there is a choice.
BORROWING
FROM OTHER LIBRARIES
Eligibility
Patrons must have a
valid TCPL borrower's card and be in good
standing (accounts free of fines or overdue
materials) to request material via ILL.
Faculty and students of local colleges are
encouraged to borrow material for their
academic research through their own
institutions. Non-residents are encouraged
to request ILL service through their local
public libraries. All transactions are from
library to library.
Confidentiality
Confidentiality of library users is
protected by Virginia law and will be
maintained in ILL transactions.
Type of Material
Borrowed
TCPL will generally attempt to borrow any
material the patron needs. Patrons are
cautioned, however, that certain types of
materials may not be
lent by other libraries.
These include:
-
current bestsellers and popular
titles published in the last six to
twelve months
-
reference
-
genealogy
-
rare or valuable material
-
audiovisual material
-
bulky or fragile items that are
difficult or expensive to ship
TCPL will
not borrow:
-
an item which is already owned
by TCPL unless it is long overdue or
lost
-
textbooks
-
material determined to be in
violation of copyright law
-
more than 5 items for one patron
at any one time
Restrictions on Material
Borrowed
The lending library may impose restrictions
on material lent, including requiring that
the material be used only in the borrowing
library. The lending library determines the
length of time for which the material is
lent, whether renewals will be granted, and
has the right to recall material before the
due date.
Charges
TCPL provides
ILL service at no charge. Fees for
photocopying and occasionally other charges
may be assessed by the lending library.
Such charges will be passed on to the
patron. TCPL will obtain authorization form
the patron before ordering material for
which there is a charge. Patrons using
rental microfilm must pay rental fees at
the time of placing the request.
TCPL assesses fines for the late
return of ILL material at the rate of $1
per day per item with no maximum fine. The
lending library will assess repair or
replacement charges if materials are
returned damaged or are lost. In order to
insure the effectiveness of ILL service, it
is necessary to maintain good relations
with cooperating libraries. Loan periods
and use restrictions set by the lending
library must be strictly observed. Abuse of
ILL privileges (failure to return material
on time or to pay fees for late return,
damage or loss) may result in loss of these
and other library privileges.
ILL is a costly service and TCPL
cannot afford to borrow material for
patrons who do not claim material borrowed
for them. TCPL will, therefore, assess a
$5.00 fine for each unclaimed item.
Turnaround Time and Loan
Period
Time required to receive requested material
can vary considerably, depending on
availability of material, location of the
lending library, and shipping method. Some
materials may arrive in 2-3 days, while
others may take weeks or months. When
making his ILL request, the patron should
indicate any deadline for receipt of
material and whether material will not be
needed after a given date. Requests will be
processed in the order in which they are
received. If a patron has an urgent need,
he must specify his deadline on his request
form to receive priority processing.
The lending library determines the
loan period, which can vary from two to
four weeks. A renewal period, if any, is
determined by the lending library. A TCPL
patron who desires a renewal must notify
TCPL at least four days before the stated
due date to allow time to file a renewal
request with the lending library.
Returns
Patrons must return ILL materials directly
to a staff member and sign for their
return. ILL materials may not be deposited
in book drops.