Interlibrary Loan Policy

Interlibrary Loan (ILL) is a service offered by Webster Parish Library (WPL) to provide access to materials that are not in the Library’s collections for the Library’s users.

 

Our Interlibrary Loan Policy adheres to

• the “Interlibrary Loan Code for the United States,”

• the “Louisiana Interlibrary Loan Code,”

• and the “Loan SHARK Interlibrary Loan Policy.”

 

We recognize that our participation in Interlibrary Loan in no way absolves us from evaluating and developing our local collection.

• From the Louisiana Code: “Every library should provide resources to meet the ordinary study, educational, instructional, informational and research needs of its users.  No library should depend upon another to supply the normal needs of its clientele except under agreement for such a service.”

 

BORROWING

 

1.  Through agreements with other state and national libraries, we are able to request titles that we may not currently own.

• We do not request titles that we own or have ordered.

• We will request a title for which all of our copies are Lost, Missing, or Withdrawn and which cannot be replaced in a timely manner.

• We will attempt to borrow most materials; however, new materials (current year) are hard to borrow and often are not loaned by other libraries.

 

2.         We will request material for patrons in good standing who are residents of Webster Parish Library (and Taylor, AR).  Green Gold patrons in good standing may request a limited number of titles at a time.  Non-resident patrons must place ILL requests through their home library.

• A resident or Green Gold patron must have an active WPL library card with fines/fees less than $10.00.

• An eligible patron may be adult or juvenile; we do not restrict by age.

 

3.  We will screen requests made through Loan SHARK.

• We submit only those requests that conform to Interlibrary Loan codes and policies of the United States, Louisiana, and Loan SHARK.

• Users will be screened for eligibility.

• Requests will be checked to make sure the materials are not already owned by or ordered for our library.

• Titles not yet released will not be requested.  (Request slips for such titles will be returned to the patron.)

• Requests for materials will include as much information as possible: author, title, ISBN, where the title was found, format required, etc.  Magazine articles requested must include magazine title, volume and issue number (or date), name of the article and pages of the article.

 

4.  We will request genealogical and reference materials.

• Patrons will be informed of any limits placed upon the use of such materials by the lending library (for example, In-House use only).

 

5.  We will abide by the length of time for the loan set by the lending library.

 

6.  We agree to take care of loaned materials, following all policies and directions of the lending library.

• We will pay the lending library for extraordinary shipping or delivery charges.

• We take fiscal responsibility for borrowed materials from the time they leave the lending library until returned to the lending library, even if the Library never receives the materials shipped.

• We will pay for loss or replacement of damaged materials, in accordance with the preferences of the lending library, even if we do not recoup the expenses from our patrons.

 

7.  We process incoming requests and shipments and update the Loan SHARK system in a timely manner    (at least every other day).

 

8.  We return interlibrary loan material on or before the due date or request a renewal.

• Renewal requests should be at least 4 days before the due date.

• Loans received from out-of state libraries are not usually renewed.

 

9.  Continued disregard of the Library’s borrowing policy may result in the suspension of borrowing privileges of a patron.

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LENDING:

 

1.  We agree to loan to each other at no charge.

• We do not usually charge for photocopies.

• We will scan and send as email attachments without charge.

 

2.  We agree to loan as generously as possible to other Loan SHARK libraries.

• Because we add titles into our database that have been ordered but not yet received, we expect other libraries requesting materials to pay attention and not request a title with a  call number of “ON ORDER.”

 

3.  We lend materials in the same formats that they are requested.

 

4.  Continued disregard of our lending policy may result in the suspension of borrowing privileges by an offending library.

 

 

PROCEDURE:

 

1.  We allow ILL staff time for training to assure effective use of the system.

 

2.  We update our holdings in the union catalog monthly.

 

3.  We make every effort to exhaust our own resources, including full text articles available to patrons in electronic format, before resorting to interlibrary loan.

 

4.  We use settings available through Loan SHARK to attempt to first borrow from libraries in the nearby area; then widen the lender circle to other libraries in the state.

 

5.  We use standard bibliographic tools to verify all requested items.

 

6.  We are responsible for copyright compliance.

 

7.  We adopt a 42-day lending period for most interlibrary loan materials to allow for delivery time.  However, we do not lend the following:

• New releases requested by our patrons

• Whole issues of magazines and newspapers

• Materials which can be copied and/or scanned

• we set a 28-day loan period for: Blu-ray and DVD titles

 

8.  We provide request forms for our patrons at the circulation desk at all branches of the Webster Parish Library.  These can be filled out and returned to the desk. Or, materials may be requested online through Loan SHARK.

• We currently limit the number of requests by a resident patron to 20 items.

• We currently limit the number of requests by a Green Gold patron to 5 items.

 

9.  It usually takes up to 2 weeks for a request to be filled by an in-state lending library.  Materials coming from outside of Louisiana may take longer.

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10.  Notification that items have been received for:

• PILL (Patron Initiated Interlibrary Loan) with an e-mail address is generated by Loan SHARK.

• Patrons who have selected “Text message” as the means of notification receive a text message generated by the Webster Parish Library system.

• Patrons who have selected “Mailing address” as the means of notification are called by library staff.