SEMLS INTERLIBRARY LOAN PROCEDURES
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Introduction
These guidelines provide specific information on interlibrary loan procedures. These guidelines are to be use in conjunction with the National Interlibrary Loan Code for the United States. These guidelines do not supercede other cooperative agreements to which member libraries subscribe.

Interlibrary loan (ILL) may be requested in the following circumstances:

• material is not within the scope of the member libraries collection development policy
• material is missing from the collection
• material is out-of-print.

Borrowing Library Responsibilities
Member libraries should provide the resources to meet the current and recurring needs and interests of its primary clientele. When a member library initiates an ILL request, it should be aware that the following items should not ordinarily be requested:

• entire issues of periodicals
• Readily available inexpensive paperbacks
• titles not yet published
• titles on current bestseller lists
• titles in recurring demand (if in print)
• excessive number of materials for one person at any one time
• duplicates of titles owned by the library
• multiple copies of a title to support group activities

Some materials, such as Reference and Genealogy, will not usually be loaned but locations may be identified for on-site use.

Specific Instructions

1. Each request should have a specific "not needed after" date. Terms, such as "Rush" and "ASAP" are ambiguous and shouldn't be used. The processing centers will automatically cancel an interlibrary loan request 6 months after the date of receipt. The requesting library will receive a notice informing it of any canceled ILL requests.
2. Libraries should attempt to verify all requests and provide a complete citation if possible. A complete monograph citation should include full author name(s), monograph title, date of publication, publisher and ISBN or LCCN numbers. A complete periodical citation should include full-unabbreviated periodical title, full author name(s), article title, volume and issue numbers, date, page numbers and ISSN number.
   
   If a library is submitting an unverified request, the library should supply as much information as possible. Unverified requests may take longer to fill and could possibly not be filled at all.
3. ILL requests are to be used for one (1) circulation only. Interlibrary materials may not be renewed, generally. Renewals should be requested through the ILL processing centers.
4. Libraries should indicate if a patron is willing to accept a "for use in library only" copy of an ILL request.
5. The borrowing library must comply with specific loan regulations, such as "For library use only", that the lending library issues.
6. The borrowing library should ensure that the material is returned on or before the due date. Failure to due so may jeopardize the library's ability to borrow materials in the future.
7. Each interlibrary loan request must be reviewed for completeness by an authorized staff member. Member libraries must supply the processing center with the name of a contact person.
8. Requests for materials will generally be routed to those libraries not charging for interlibrary loans. If this is not possible, the local library will be asked to authorize responsibility for any charges imposed by the lending library prior to the initiation of the request.
9. The borrowing library is financially responsible for any materials borrowed from the time the material leaves the lending library until it is received back by the lending library. The borrowing library also assumes financial responsibility for:
   • lost or damaged material
   • overdue fees, when charged
   • photocopy costs, if charged
   • mailing and insurance costs for materials borrowed, when charged
   • loan fee, if charged.
10. When returning materials, the borrowing library should make sure that materials are carefully packaged and clearly labeled.

Lending Library Responsibilities:

1. The lending library should mark all items with its name and address to assure return.
2. The lending library should process requests quickly and should notify the borrowing library when unable to fill a request.
3. Conditions of the loan should be clearly stated, and should accompany the item being loaned.
4. Information to identify the specific ILL request, such as a copy of the ILL request form or an OCLC printout, should accompany the material sent.
5. The lending library should carefully package and clearly label all materials it loans.

Last Modified: December 22, 2004
©Thomas Crane Public Library, Quincy, Mass. 02169