FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS
About Interlibrary Loan

What is Interlibrary Loan who may use it?
What materials are available through Interlibrary Loan?
What materials are not available?
How do I submit a request?
How long does it take?
How will I be notified when the material arrives?
What is the loan period?
How much does it cost?
Where do I return materials?
Are there any restrictions?
What is the difference between Interlibrary Loan and Virtual Catalog requests?

What is Interlibrary Loan and who may use it?
Interlibrary Loan is a service provided to obtain materials which are not available in the Thomas Crane Public Library (TCPL) or from any other library in the Old Colony Library Network (OCLN). Any registered borrower in good standing of TCPL or OCLN may use interlibrary loan. Interlibrary Loan service is provided in accordance with the TCPL Interlibrary Loan Policy.

What materials are available through Interlibrary Loan?
Many books, including foreign language and large print books, out-of-print fiction and non-fiction, and government documents can be borrowed from other libraries. Sound recordings, audiobooks, VHS videos and DVDs are more difficult to obtain but can sometimes also be borrowed. Photocopies of magazine and newspaper articles can be requested in accordance with copyright laws. Reference and genealogy materials are not generally available for loan but sometimes a library will photocopy relevant pages in response to a request. For any genealogical request, please provide us with the family name you are researching if photocopies would be useful to you.

What materials are not available?
The following types of material cannot normally be requested: material owned by TCPL or OCLN that is on order or temporarily in use; entire issues of periodicals; multiple copies of a title for class or other group use; titles not yet published; inexpensive readily available paperbacks; bestsellers; and old, rare or valuable material.

How do I submit a request?
For material that you wish to borrow, search the OCLN library catalog first, to be sure the item you want is not located there. To avoid delays, you may also wish to consult a library staff member to confirm that the item is not available in the library. For photocopies of magazine and newspaper articles, consult a TCPL reference librarian to make sure the article is not available in the library's periodical collection or online in a full-text database.

To submit a request, either fill out the online request form or a printed request form (available at all TCPL locations). Please submit a separate request for each item you would like us to borrow. For efficient service, supply accurate and complete information about the requested item, along with the source of the information. If you have a specific deadline after which you will no longer need the material, supply the date on your request form; library staff will try to obtain the material by that date, or will cancel the request and notify you if it cannot be obtained within the time provided. Once you have submitted a request form, it will be forwarded to the TCPL Interlibrary Loan Department for processing.

Due to budgets cuts to the state-funded regional interlibrary loan program, you are now limited to five active requests at one time.

How long does it take?
Plan ahead when requesting materials. The time taken for an Interlibrary Loan to arrive depends upon the availability and location of materials. It generally takes about 10 days to fill a loan request and sometimes longer. Photocopy requests are usually filled within a week but can sometimes take longer.

How will I know when the material has arrived?
For borrowed material, you will be notified by phone, mail or e-mail, according to your preference as indicated on the request form. If an online request form was submitted, material will be held for pickup or in-library use at the TCPL location you specified on the form. If a printed request form was submitted, material will be held at the same location where the request was submitted, unless you specified a different TCPL location on the request form. Photocopied material that does not have to be returned to the supplying library may be e-mailed to you by the TCPL ILL Department or held for pickup at a TCPL location.

What is the loan period?
Photocopies are usually yours to keep. Books and other borrowed materials may be checked out for 14 days with no automatic renewals. Material that is only available for in-library use will sometimes be available for longer. Renewals cannot always be provided and should be requested only when necessary. Please request renewals by telephone (617-376-1319), e-mail, or in person before the material is due; overdue materials cannot be renewed. Renewals are provided at the owning library's discretion and cannot be guaranteed.

How much does it cost?
There is usually no charge for borrowing materials, except for postage for mail notification. There is no charge for photocopied materials that can be e-mailed to you; there is a .15/page charge for photocopies that must be printed in hard copy. You are responsible for overdue charges if an item is not returned by the due date and for any repair or replacement charges if an item is damaged or lost while it is checked out to you. Replacement costs for damaged or lost items are set by the owning library and may be significant.

Where do I return materials?
All materials borrowed through interlibrary loan must be returned to a TCPL location. Please leave the white Interlibrary Loan label attached to the front cover. Do not put interlibrary loan materials in a book drop.

Are there any restrictions?
Lending libraries determine any conditions regarding the use of their materials and sometimes will lend items with conditions such as "No Renewals," "No Photocopying," or "In-Library Use Only." If you are unable to use a requested item in the library, be sure to notify library staff when you submit your request. However, be aware that sometimes libraries will only lend old, fragile, reference or genealogical works for in-library use.

Interlibrary Loan service will be limited or suspended for patrons who repeatedly fail to pick up requested Interlibrary Loan materials, who do not return materials by the due date or who damage or deface Interlibrary Loan materials. TCPL reserves the right to limit the number of materials requested for one patron at any one time.

What is the difference between Interlibrary Loan and Virtual Catalog requests?
Interlibrary Loan requests are processed by the Thomas Crane Library Interlibrary Loan Department according to the TCPL Interlibrary Loan Policy and the SouthEastern Mass. Regional Library System Interlibrary Loan Protocols & Guidelines and Procedures. The ILL Dept. only processes requests for materials not owned by any OCLN library. Materials may be borrowed from other Mass. libraries or from out-of-state libraries. Loan policies, including renewals, are determined by each owning library.

Virtual Catalog requests are handled by the automated Massachusetts Virtual Catalog system according to the borrowing and lending policies and practices agreed upon by member libraries. The Virtual Catalog only accepts requests for available materials not owned by OR temporarily unavailable at any OCLN library. Virtual Catalog requests are only sent to participating Massachusetts libraries. For more information, see About the Virtual Catalog. "Unfillable" Virtual Catalog requests for items not owned by any OCLN library may be requested via Interlibrary Loan.

More questions? Contact Thomas Crane Library Interlibrary Loan staff at:
617-376-1319 (Mon-Fri, 8:30-4:30)
E-Mail: quill@ocln.org

Last Modified: August 24, 2005
©Thomas Crane Public Library, Quincy, Mass. 02169