WVLC Interlibrary Loan Portal
ILL Best Practices and ALA Guidelines
» West Virginia ILL Best Practices
Developed by the West Virginia Library Commission and the Reference and Interlibrary Loan Roundtable of the West Virginia Library Association -2007
Introduction
Interlibrary loan service is essential to the vitality of libraries of all types and sizes. It provides every library an opportunity to reach beyond the local collection to meet the information needs of the community. West Virginia Interlibrary Loan Best Practices, in conjunction with the Interlibrary Loan Code for the United States, assists libraries in West Virginia to share resources within a framework of mutual understanding and good faith.
1. Become familiar with and adhere to the Interlibrary Loan Code for
the United States.
2. Have a written Interlibrary Loan policy. A written policy is
essential for every library. It provides staff and patrons with a
consistent plan of action. The policy may be simple or elaborate but
needs to address the following points.
a. What materials in the collection are loaned
b. What materials are photocopied
c. Length of the circulation period
d. Renewal of interlibrary loans
e. Procedures for overdue or lost materials
f. Eligibility of patrons for interlibrary loan 1) In public libraries,
all registered patrons in good standing should be eligible for
interlibrary loan, including children and young adults. 2) Section V of
the Library Bill of
Rights states that "A person's right
to use a library should not be denied or abridged because of origin,
age, background, or views." The ALA interpretation of "use" includes
services as well as materials and facilities.
g. Limits on number of requests
h. Photocopying, postage, and/or service fees
i. Subject requests
3. Be as liberal and nonrestrictive as possible. Lend unto others, as
you would have others lend unto you. The item you refuse to lend today
may be the same type item one of your patrons requests tomorrow.
Materials often not available on interlibrary loan are:
a. Books in current and/or recurring demand
b. Bulky or fragile materials
c. Rare materials
d. A large number of titles for one person at any one time
e. Genealogical materials
A library may consent to loan a reference book or other item but limit
it to use in the borrowing library. The policy designates the person
responsible for making such decisions. Promptly return, with an
explanation, requests for materials that are on loan, missing, or not
available for loan.
4. Be a responsible borrower.
a. Requesting Libraries should exhaust local resources before
initiating an interlibrary loan request.
b. If the book is in print, consider buying it instead of requesting it
on ILL. This helps develop a collection based on patrons' needs.
Interlibrary loan is not a substitute for collection development at the
local level.
c. Do not request current bestsellers. Local demand takes precedence
over interlibrary loan requests.
d. If you own the item and it's checked out, consider placing a local
hold for your own patron.
e. If your copy is lost, consider buying a replacement.
f. Check full text databases online for journal articles (e.g. EBSCO).
g. Verify format, citations and holdings. Clearly identify the specific
format requested (VHS, DVD, CD, CASSETTE, LARGE PRINT, ETC.)
h. Do not request electronic books.
i. Suggest reciprocal borrowing as an alternative to ILL. If a nearby
library owns the book, consider asking the patron to visit the owning
institution to check out the book.
j. The Borrowing Library is ALWAYS responsible for requested items,
including materials lost in the mail, on the courier, or by the patron.
k. The Borrowing Library is responsible for copyright adherence.
5. Use large libraries as a last resort. Use large libraries (e.g.
Kanawha County Public Library, Cabell County Public Library, West
Virginia University, Marshall University) only if there are no other
owners. If there are other owners, request from them first - spread the
load around the state.
6. Use electronic methods to request items. An interlibrary loan
management system (IMS) such as OCLC ILLiad is essential for many
medium to large libraries. Consortia may develop electronic forms
and/or procedures for member libraries. Fax requests should be a last
resort. Avoid phone requests if at all possible.
7. Be a responsible lender.
a. Do not charge other West Virginia libraries for ILL if at all
possible.
b. Respond to requests promptly, daily if possible. If a request cannot
be filled, include the reason with the response.
c. Supply the format that was requested.
d. Honor the requesting library's cost and use limits.
e. Verify copyright compliance.
f. Package the material in a way that prevents damage during shipping.
Include any special packaging instructions.
Conclusion
Improving the process of interlibrary loan is worthless unless service to the patron is also improved. A library's policies and regulations should not create barriers that shut out the user in an effort to keep everything neat and tidy within the library. In reviewing the above guidelines, remember that what is convenient for the staff, is not always what is best for the patron. The library exists to serve patrons.
» Interlibrary Loan and Copyright Law
Federal Copyright Law (PL94-553; Title 17, United States Code) requires libraries to post a notice of warning concerning copyright restrictions (preferably near the copying machine) and to indicate compliance with sections 107 and 108 of the law on interlibrary loan request forms. At least a paraphrase of the following warning should be included in the written interlibrary loan policy.
WARNING CONCERNING COPYRIGHT
RESTRICTIONS
The copyright law of the United States (Title 17, United States Code)
governs the making of photocopies or other reproduction of copyrighted
material. Under certain conditions specified in the law, libraries and
archives are authorized to furnish a photocopy or other reproduction.
One of these specific conditions is that the photocopy or reproduction
is not to be "used for any purpose other than private study,
scholarship, or research." If a user makes a request for, or later
uses, a photocopy or reproduction for purposes in excess of "fair use",
that user may be liable for copyright infringement. This institution
reserves the right to refuse to accept a copying order if, in its
judgment, fulfillment of the order would involve violation of copyright
law.
Periodical Articles Guidelines developed by the National Commission on New Technological Uses of Copyrighted Works (CONTU) specify that, during one calendar year, no more than five copies may be received from any one work whose publication date is within five years of the date of the patron's request.
Sections of Books Chapters or sections of books may be copied if the library does not receive more than five requests for copies from the same work from any individual library, during a calendar year.
Entire Works Libraries may copy an entire work if the library determines that another copy is not available or cannot be obtained at a fair price "Fair price" is not precisely defined. The copy of the work becomes the property of the user for private study, scholarship, or research only.
Retention of Request Forms CONTU Guidelines require libraries to retain the current calendar year's records of filled requests for copies or reproductions, plus the records of filled requests for the previous three calendar years. This requirement only applies to requests for copies or reproductions and not to loan requests.
Electronic Resource Licensing and Interlibrary Loan Increasingly, copies are provided from electronic resources. Because many of these electronic products are licensed and not owned by the library, uses for interlibrary loan activity may be prohibited by the license agreement. Libraries should try to ensure that license agreements contain language that permits use for interlibrary loan.
» Interlibrary Loan Code for the United States
» Interlibrary Loan Code for the United States Explanatory Supplement