Interlibrary loan (ILL) is the process by which a library requests materials from, or supplies materials to, another library. The interlibrary loan policy of Fondulac District Library (Library) applies to borrowing and lending of materials from outside of the collections owned by the Library and Resource Sharing Alliance (RSA) member libraries and to lending of Library-owned materials to eligible non-RSA libraries. Circulation of materials between the Library and RSA member libraries is administered under the policies of the Library and RSA.
The Library affirms that ILL is an adjunct to, not a substitute for, the Library’s collection. The Library utilizes local resources first for ILL and will request materials from within Illinois before requesting items from libraries out of the state.
The Library complies with Illinois Library and Information Network (ILLINET) Interlibrary Loan Code (2015), American Library Association (ALA) Interlibrary Loan Code for the United States (2023), and Copyright Law (17 U.S.C.), and accompanying guidelines, as well as licensing agreements into which the Library has entered.
INTERLIBRARY BORROWING
Eligibility
The Library offers ILL services to eligible cardholders. A cardholder is eligible if they are a registered Fondulac Public Library District resident or non-resident with a valid Fondulac District Library resident or non-resident card in good standing and currently do not have privileges related to ILL, circulation, or Library access suspended or revoked. Library staff will assist patrons from other libraries in locating materials beyond the collections in the RSA catalog, but cannot facilitate ILL requests for the materials for ineligible cardholders.
Submitting a request indicates the cardholder agrees to abide by the terms of this policy. If a cardholder does not agree, they should not use the Library’s ILL service.
Requests and Fees
Eligible cardholders may request materials owned by non-RSA Illinois libraries and U.S. libraries that participate in OCLC. Eligible cardholders may place an ILL request at the Library or by contacting the Library by phone or electronically through email or chat via the library’s website. Requests may also be made by completion of an online ILL request form on the library’s website. When placing a request, cardholders must provide as much information as possible about the item, along with their full name, Library card number, and phone number. Cardholders may request the same title via ILL only once every three months.
Cardholders are limited to 10 requests per calendar month. Of the 10 requests, no more than 4 may be fulfilled by out-of-state materials. Requests are not guaranteed to be fulfilled. Cardholders are notified if the Library is unable to fulfill a request or obtain an item.
Hard-copy formats may be requested (e.g., books, audiovisual materials, periodicals, government documents, microfilm, photocopies, etc.). Partial scans of printed materials, within copyright law, may be requested. Availability of items is determined by the owning library.
The Library will not request materials via ILL that are owned by the Library or that are owned by libraries in the Resource Sharing Alliance. The Library does not process simultaneous ILL requests from one cardholder for multiple copies of the same title in the same format.
Service is provided as quickly as possible, but turnaround time is not guaranteed and often can take weeks or more. The time varies depending upon staffing, processes and policies of the libraries, and the status of materials requested (e.g. on-order, checked out, etc.), and delivery.
When materials requested by ILL arrive, Library staff will attempt to contact the cardholder by phone, email, or text (if subscribed). The cardholder has 14 days from the item’s arrival to pick up the item. If the item is not picked up, it is sent back to the owning library.
All items from Illinois libraries are returned via the Reaching Across Illinois Library Systems (RAILS) delivery service or Illinois Library Delivery Service (ILDS). Out-of-state items are returned Library Mail via the U.S. Postal Service.
The Library does not charge a fee for borrowing materials from other libraries unless the owning library assesses a fee in order to provide the item. Some libraries charge a handling fee to supply materials or assess fees for photocopies. Cardholders are apprised of borrowing charges and must agree to pay them before a request is processed. Borrowing charges are owed only if the Library is able to obtain the item and are payable upon receipt (i.e. when the item is checked out to the cardholder). If an item associated with a borrowing charge is not picked up by the cardholder, the fee is attached to the cardholder’s record and is still due.
Loan Periods and Renewals
The length of the loan period and renewal terms are at the sole discretion of the owning library and cannot be guaranteed. Copied items generally may be kept by the requestor and do not need to be returned.
The Library strictly observes any terms and conditions for use of loaned materials determined by the owning library (e.g., recalls, in-library use only, availability or number of renewals).
Cardholders who wish to renew items obtained via ILL should contact the Library. Staff who coordinate ILL service will attempt to renew the item and notify the cardholder if the item may or may not be renewed, as well as of any revised due date.
Cardholder Responsibility
The cardholder is responsible for picking up the requested item and for returning items on or before the due date and in the same condition as issued by the Library, including returning all paperwork issued with the item. If an item is lost or damaged, the cardholder is responsible to pay the Library for the item cost and for any other fees as assessed by the owning library. If the owning library assesses the Library any fees, e.g. overdue fines or repairable damage fees, the cardholder will be billed by and is responsible to pay the Library for the associated costs.
ILL borrowing privileges of cardholders who consistently abuse the privilege may be suspended for 12 months or revoked permanently at the discretion of the Library Director.
INTERLIBRARY LENDING
Materials Lent
The Library endeavors to make available the broadest range of materials for ILL, with exceptions for purposes of liability, local patron priority, delivery costs, and condition and/or format of the materials. Exceptions include, but may not be limited to: new materials less than 1 year old (from acquisition), games, kits, equipment, materials with license restrictions, oversized materials, and non-circulating materials. The Library also reserves the right to refuse to lend materials or to restrict use of materials lent, including, but not limited to in-house usage.
Copies (photocopies and scans) of up to 25 pages per request will be provided within copyright limits and will be sent by U.S. mail, fax, or email to the borrowing library. There are no charges for copies, nor do they generally need to be returned. Materials are copied from hard copy, microfilm, or digital text resources, as permitted by copyright law. All copies made by the Library include original copyright information, if available, and a disclaimer statement.
All items requested by Illinois libraries are sent and may be returned via RAILS delivery service or ILDS. Out-of-state loans are sent Library Mail via the U.S. Postal Service. The library does not fulfill rush requests or use rush or special or commercial delivery services for ILL.
The library reserves the right to refuse requests in order to sustain library resources as necessary. Budget or staffing restraints may limit the ability for the library to fulfill requests.
Eligibility
The Library loans materials through ILL to non-RSA members of ILLINET and to U.S. libraries that participate in OCLC. RSA libraries may request items from the Library via RSA procedures.
Submitting a request indicates the library agrees to abide by the terms of this policy. If a library does not agree, it should not use the Library’s ILL service.
Requests and Fees
Illinois libraries may submit written requests by mail, fax, email, or OCLC. The ALA form or equivalent is required for non-OCLC requests. Out-of-state libraries may request via OCLC.
The Library does not charge a fee for lending materials to eligible libraries.
Loan Periods and Renewals
Materials are checked out to the library for 35 days. If an item is not on reserve for another patron, the item may be renewed not more than twice. Renewals and renewal lengths are determined by the Library, in conversation and collaboration with the borrowing library.
Borrowing Library Responsibility
The borrowing library is responsible for returning items in a timely fashion and in the same condition as issued by the Library, including returning all paperwork and associated materials issued with the item. Fees for lost items, damage that is irreparable or makes the item unusable, repairable damage, and/or missing pieces are charged per the Library’s Circulation and Fees Policy and current Fee Schedule. The borrowing library is responsible for payment of all fees.
ILL service to borrowing libraries that consistently abuse the privilege may be suspended for 12 months or revoked permanently at the discretion of the Library Director.
Approved March 31, 2025