Interlibrary
Loan Best Practices
for the
Northeast Massachusetts Regional Library System
Approved by the NMRLS Executive Board, February 19, 2004.
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NMRLS recognizes that no individual library has the
resources available to meet all user needs.
Thus interlibrary loan (ILL) is
an essential service. ILL supplements
and expands local collections and removes many geographic and economic
barriers
for patrons. NMRLS encourages borrowing
and lending between libraries of all types in the Region.
The Region recommends: member libraries make
efforts to reduce barriers to interlibrary lending; free up restricted
collections and allowing loans of as many materials as possible;
promote the
availability of ILL to library staff and patrons to improve overall
library
services; and adhere to National standards outlined in the NMRLS ILL
Code. The NMRLS Interlibrary Loan Best Practices
are designed to
allow members to attain a vision of collaboration, providing timely
access to
information, materials, training, and expertise and are based on the
principals
listed below:
- Ensure availability
and maximize access to collections, resources, and services
- Expand ILL Center
services, maintaining the highest level of service possible to the
membership.
- Engage in timely
transfer of information and materials on behalf of users
- Encourage members
to cooperate in establishing policies and procedures to facilitate
access to services
- Expand multitype
library relationships by strengthening and creating new ties to enhance
library services
NMRLS supports Interlibrary Loan in the region by providing
targeted ILL and delivery services and supporting the resource sharing
activities
as follows:
- Formation of
member-driven NMRLS ILL Committee to advise in best practices and
efficiency.
- Access by all
member libraries to a full-service regional mediated ILL center.
- Delivery services
provided to the most active regional participants in ILL.
This document reflects the goal of the NMRLS Plan of
Service to insure that all people of the Northeast
Massachusetts
Region
have access to Interlibrary Loan services.
Interlibrary Loan Code
for the
Northeast Massachusetts Regional Library System
The
intent of this code is to provide a general guideline for lending and
borrowing
activities among regional members and to define the function of the
regional
ILL centers. This code is intended to
complement, not to replace, any other resource sharing agreements.
The
code is organized into three major sections:
- Responsibilities of
Borrowing Libraries
- Responsibilities of
Lending Libraries
- Responsibilities of the
ILL Centers
There are also eight Appendixes with information relating to the
procedures and recommendation in the Code. Most of the
information contained in the Appendixes is available online, the
Appendixes list the appropriate URLs. The Appendixes are listed
below:
NMRLS ILL Code Appendixes
A - Sample National & Local ILL Codes.
B - U.S. Copyright law relating to ILL.
C - Sample ILL policies.
D - Verification Tools: Online catalogs, NMRLS
ILL
Centers.
E - ILL request forms: standard ALA, NMRLS ILL
Centers, BPL
ILLiad.
F - Packing Recommendations & Regional
Delivery Routing
Directory.
G - Overview of OCLC.
H - Current NMRLS ILL Policies.
Definitions
An interlibrary loan is a transaction in which library material or a
copy of the
material is made available by one library to another upon request. The
Massachusetts Board of Library
Commissioners recognizes two types of lending/borrowing activities,
network
transfers and mediated interlibrary loan.
Network transfer - a transaction in which a member of a
library network (or consortium) requests materials electronically
from another member of a network.
Mediated interlibrary loan - encompasses all other requests.
If the material is requested from a network different from that to
which the requestor belongs, then the
request may also be referred to as a point-to-point request.
This code refers to mediated interlibrary
loan activity.
Libraries may request on interlibrary loan most library materials (see
Appendix H for current NMRLS policy). The owning
library determines whether a
particular item can be provided. As a
general rule the following types of materials are not ordinarily
loaned: rare
or valuable material; bulky or fragile items; materials in high demand
at the
lending library; entire issues of periodicals; materials cataloged as
reference
or genealogy.
1. Responsibilities of Borrowing
Libraries
A.
Each library provides the resources to meet the ordinary needs and
interests of
its primary clientele. Material requested from another library under
this code is generally limited to those
items that do not conform to the library’s collection development
policy or for
which there is no recurring demand. Interlibrary loan is designed to
serve as an adjunct to, not a
substitute for, collection development.
B.
Borrowing libraries will make every effort to exhaust their own
resources
before resorting to interlibrary loan (e.g.: MVLC, NOBLE, MassCat,
Mass.
Virtual Catalog).
C.
The interlibrary loan staff of each library will be familiar with, and
use,
relevant interlibrary loan documents and aids, including local network
or
cluster guidelines, NMRLS ILL policies and procedures and the National
ILL
code.
D.
The borrowing library is responsible for compliance with U.S. copyright
law (Title 17, U.S. Code) and its accompanying guidelines and will
inform its users
of the applicable portions of the law. An indication of compliance must
be provided where necessary. Unless specifically forbidden by the
lending
library, copying by the borrowing library is permitted provided that it
is in accordance with the copyright law and no damage to the original
volume will
result.
E.
Each library is encouraged to develop an interlibrary loan policy and
inform
its users of this policy and any regional or other policies which might
be
pertinent.
F. Requested material must be described as completely and
accurately as possible following accepted bibliographic practice.
Libraries should attempt to verify citations using appropriate
bibliographic tools available to Regional members: MassCat, MVLC, NOBLE
on-line catalogs; Massachusetts Virtual Catalog; OCLC WorldCat. If
an item cannot be verified, the statement
“cannot verify” is included along with information about the original
source of citation. Any library without access to the major
bibliographic verification tools can contact the regional ILL
centers.
G.
Accepted interlibrary loan formats are preferred for all requests,
regardless
of the means of transmission.
H.
The borrowing library accepts the responsibility of careful use
and prompt return of all borrowed materials. The safety of borrowed
material is the responsibility of the
borrowing library from the time the material leaves the lending library
until it is received back by the lending library. The borrowing
library is responsible for packaging the material so as to
ensure its return in good condition.
I.
If damage or loss occurs, the borrowing library is responsible for all
costs of repairs or replacement, in accordance with the preferences of
the lending
library.
J.
The borrowing library will comply with the conditions of loan
established by the lending library. The borrowing library is
responsible for honoring the due date and enforcing all use
restrictions specified by the lending library.
K.
The borrowing library should normally request a renewal before the item
is due.
L.
The borrowing library gives patrons realistic information regarding the
availability of materials (and as a general rule, not request such
items as
best sellers, high demand feature films, etc.) as well as realistic
information about the length of time needed to obtain them.
M.
The borrowing library may be restricted as to the number of titles any
one person may request at any one time.
N.
The borrowing library can provide alternatives to library users when
materials are not available for loan: for example, encouraging library
users to travel to other libraries for on-site access to material when
extensive use of a collection is required or the nature of the material
requires special handling.
O.
Each library is responsible for maintaining the provisions of this code
in good faith.
2. Responsibilities of Lending
Libraries.
A.Many regional libraries are used to loaning their materials,
especially those libraries belonging to automated networks which
participate in network transfer
activities. Regional membership assumes an obligation to loan
circulating materials to all members of the region, regardless of
network affiliation.
Regional members may also be asked to provide materials for other
libraries outside the region and the state usually in response to OCLC
requests.
B. The decision to loan materials is at the discretion of the
lending library. However, all libraries are encouraged to
interpret their lending policies as generously as possible. It is the
responsibility of the lending and borrowing library to ensure
confidentiality of the user.
C.
The lending library should process requests promptly. Conditions of
loan should be clearly stated. The duration of the loan (due date),
unless otherwise specified
by the lending library, is the period of time the item may remain with
the borrowing library disregarding time spent in transit. A
copy of the borrowing request should accompany the item.
D.
Clearly mark all materials sent out on interlibrary loan with an
ownership stamp; stating both the name and location of the owning
library.
E.
The borrowing library is notified by the lending library when unable to
fill a
request and, as a courtesy, state the reason for not filling the
request.
F.
The lending library may recall items at any time.
G.
Each library is responsible for maintaining the provisions of this code
in good
faith.
3. Responsibilities of the ILL
Centers
Introduction
The Northeast Massachusetts Regional Library System has provided two
interlibrary loan centers for its members. The purpose of the
centers is to receive, process and fill requests for materials
not owned by member libraries and to provide these same services,
reciprocally, to non member libraries.
The NOBLE ILL Center serves the libraries in the following
communities:
Beverly, Danvers, Everett, Gloucester, Lynn, Lynnfield, Marblehead,
Melrose, Nahant, Peabody, Reading, Revere, Salem, Saugus, Stoneham,
Swampscott, Wakefield, and Winthrop.
Memorial Hall Library, Andover serves the libraries in the
following communities:
Amesbury, Andover, Billerica, Boxford, Burlington, Carlisle,
Chelmsford, Dracut, Dunstable, Essex, Georgetown, Groveland, Hamilton,
Haverhill, Ipswich, Lawrence, Littleton, Lowell, Manchester-by-the sea,
Merrimac, Methuen, Middleton, Newbury, Newburyport, North Andover,
North Reading, Rockport, Rowley, Salisbury, Tewksbury, Topsfield,
Tyngsborough, Wenham, West Newbury, Westford and Wilmington.
A.
ILL Centers shall identify and locate resources in a variety of formats
for all
member libraries of the region.
B.
They shall provide clearing house services, including bibliographic
verification and locations, by accessing a variety of data bases on
behalf of member libraries.
C.
They will facilitate the delivery of materials to members not on the
regular delivery route.
D.
They will support network transfer activity.
E.
They will process requests from OCLC member libraries for items held by
members
of the Region whose holdings are not uniquely available (e.g. MVLC
&
NOBLE).
F.
They will provide advisory assistance and training in ILL procedures
according to NMRLS guidelines and encourage cooperation and
resource sharing among all members of the region.
G.
They will collect and compile appropriate statistical information
regarding regional ILL activity according to NMRLS and Board of Library
Commissioners guidelines.
H. All incoming requests for interlibrary loan materials will be
processed within 2 working days of receipt.
I.
All requests for status checks will be answered promptly and be made
available online.
J.
The ILL Centers will notify libraries of the unavailability of items as
soon as possible. Requests will automatically be considered cancelled
if not filled within 3 months.
K.
It is the responsibility of the ILL Centers to cover certain costs. It
may also be the responsibility of the borrowing library to cover other
or additional costs.
L.
The NMRLS ILL Centers will work with the borrowing and lending
libraries to ensure the safe receipt and return of borrowed material.
NMRLS
ILL Code Appendixes
APPENDIX A - Sample National & Local ILL Codes.
Guidelines
and Procedures for Telefacsimile and Electronic Delivery of
Interlibrary Loan Requests and Materials (1994).
Interlibrary
Loan Code for the United States(2001) (Includes link to generic ILL
form).
Interlibrary
Loan Packaging and Wrapping Guidelines (1997).
Interlibrary
Loan Code for the United States Explanatory Supplement:
Language
Suggested for the Notices Required by the Copyright Revision Act of 1976
APPENDIX B - U.S. Copyright law relating to ILL.
The requesting library is responsible for determining that any
interlibrary loan request for photocopied materials complies with
copyright.
For complete information refer to Reproductions of
Copyrighted Works by Educators and Librarians (PDF format)
published by the US Copyright
Office.
ALA/Copyright
& Fair Use.
CONTU Guidelines
on photocopying under ILL arrangements.
Facts about CCL
& CCG (from the Indianhead Federated Library
System ILL website.
The
following are basic steps to complete interlibrary loan requests.
As a borrower, copyright compliance must be noted on the
request.
You must indicate whether the request Complies with the Copyright
Guidelines (CCG) or the Copyright Law (CCL).
CCG Copyright Guidelines.
Applies to periodicals/materials published within five years of the
request.
Write CCG on the request form.
The guidelines established the number five as the key - five filled
copies from the current five years of a
copyrighted title during a single year.
CCL Copyright Guidelines.
Applies to periodicals which are older than five years.
For replacement copies, if an item is out of print and cannot be
obtained at a reasonable price, an entire work can be copied by the
lending library.
Write CCL on the request form.
Some examples of when to use CCL:
When the work is in the public domain.
When the article is more that five years old.
When the copy is for a collection to replace a copy that had been
purchased and is now lost, deteriorating etc. and the library has
determined after a reasonable effort that an unused replacement is
unavailable at a fair price.
As a lender, copyright law states
lenders cannot fill requests for photocopies if a copyright compliance
code (CCG or CCL) is not listed on the request.
When requests are completed:
Keep records of all filled photocopy requests for the previous three
years and the current year.
If six or more copies from the same periodical were requested during
one calendar year, consider purchasing the periodical for your library.
Alternatives to library copying:
Borrow the item from another library.
Request a reprint of the article directly from the author of the item.
Ask for permission of the copyright owner to copy beyond the provisions
of Sections 107 and 108.
Print out the article from a full-text database that includes payment
of royalties in its print charge.
Print out the article from a licensed database that includes permission
in the license to copy under certain circumstances. (ALL EBSCO ARTICLES
FALL UNDER THIS
PROVISION.)
Purchase individual periodical issues from the publisher.
For more information about copyright, the following web sites may be of
help:
APPENDIX C - Sample ILL policies.
Thomas
Crane Public Library/Quincy, MA.
Carbondale
(Ill.) Public Library.
APPENDIX D - Verification Tools: Online catalogs, NMRLS
ILL Centers.
Verification tools:
Tools Pages:
Contact Information:
APPENDIX E - ILL request forms: ALA, NMRLS ILL Centers,
BPL ILLiad.
ILL FORMS:
APPENDIX F - Packing Recommendations & Regional
Delivery Routing.
Packaging and routing information:
REGIONAL DELIVERY
APPENDIX G - Overview of OCLC (Dublin, Ohio).
About OCLC.
APPENDIX H - Current NMRLS ILL Policies.
NMRLS ILL Policies - A FAQ for Member Libraries.
For further questions
or to report dead links, please contact:
Scott Kehoe, NMRLS Consultant & ILL Committee Liason (scott@nmrls.org / 1-888-326-7772).
Updated: May 5, 2004.
