Welcome to Day 4 of the library books readathon. I'm reaching my 2nd to last day with my Kinder Camp students at this point. I hope you all are getting a lot of reading done. I know I'm knee deep in my book right now.
Today I'm talking about Inter-Library Loans. When I mention Inter-Library Loans to another blogger they often get confused with Requesting Books. As I have mentioned before my library system is made of 13 branches, but sometimes even then they don't have every single book I'm looking for.
That is when I place and Inter-Library Loan. Then the Library contacts other libraries in the United States usually in the midwest area since that is where I live. Once they find a library that is willing to land my library a copy of the book I'm looking for it is sent to my local library for me to pick up. Free of Charge!! I have got books from as far as Missouri, Illinois, Wyoming, Nebraska and more. I find it amazing how even if my library does not own the book I'm still able to get it.
When the book comes in there is a white sheet of paper and a blue sheet of paper in it. I have to sign the white paper to check the book out and the blue paper is taped in the book. I just have to sign the blue paper when I returned the book. They take care of the rest.
The only limitation on Inter-Library Loans which can be a bit of a downside is that I have to wait 6 months after the release date to place the request for Inter-Library Loan. I'm currently waiting for Infinite to turn 6 months old so I can Inter-Library Loan it.
Currently we are using the ILLIAD system, but I was requesting Inter-Library Loans before they had the online system to support it. The first book I ever Inter-Library Loaned was The Year I Turned 16 by Dianne Schwemm. Back before ILLIAD I used to have to email the library and tell them the name, author, publication, and which library branch I wanted it sent to. Now I basically do the same thing except it is so much easier because I can use the Library's WorldCat database and it will fill all the information into the form for me. Above is the list of books I have checked out on the ILLIAD system. My record is for sure this year. I have checked out from Incarnate on down in 2014. The only thing I wish it kept for me is where the book came from because I didn't keep track of the specific libraries.
This is a great resource for me to use and I would highly suggest that you check if your library has an Inter-Library Loan System. The next time you want to read a book that your library doesn't own you don't have to buy it. You can just Inter-Library Loan it as long as at least 1 library in the US owns the book.
Good Luck and Happy Reading!
Update your progress below. If you are using a different post for each day link up below. If you are using the same post for the whole week you should already be on the list. I'm going to use the same linky list for the entire week. Come back tomorrow as I talk about the Digital Collection.
I make a lot of use of ILL -- wish my library had the ILLIAD system available, mainly so that I could look back at *their* records to see what I have checked out in the past. This year because I've been getting so many books from other libraries -- whether through the Consortium or ILL -- I decided to record the holding library of each book I borrowed. So at least I know for 2014 where each book came from.
ReplyDeleteWhile ILL has a 6 month since release restriction, I've found that a lot of libraries have implemented their own 6 month since acquisition restriction. That can result in having to wait longer to borrow a book.
Now I'm off to write about my own ILL experiences.
That is an awesome idea to record. I usually don't even know what library my books came from. The 6th month restriction is hard, but I just wait a little longer to read and the hype dies down.
DeleteI try not to request too many books through ILL. Since I know a few librarians personally, they have told me it costs about $15 to get an items through ILL (on average). He told me that there is a library district near by that will buy books give those to the patrons and then toss the books because it is cheaper then ILL. I was shocked at this news.
ReplyDelete