Interlibrary Loan

INTERLIBRARY LOAN POLICY FOR THE NEW YORK PUBLIC LIBRARY
September 2009

The New York Public Library endeavors to meet the information needs of its users with materials in its public service locations,with materials stored offsite, with digital copies, by requesting materials from other libraries and by referrals to use material in other libraries in the metropolitan area.

Users are encouraged to discuss their request with a librarian in order to improve their chances of getting the item(s) that will best meet their needs.

In order to use the materials they need, users will sometimes need to travel to a location other than the one where they placed their request.

Who can place an interlibrary loan request

Interlibrary loan requests will be accepted from anyone with a valid New York Public Library card, who is currently in good standing and whose user record shows their current home address.

What can be requested on interlibrary

All the resources of The New York Public Library are available to our users, regardless of whether the item is in a circulating or research collection. Our librarians can help users to locate the materials that will meet their needs no matter where those materials may be located. In many cases, users will find that The New York Public Library already owns the material they need.

If we do not own the material a user needs, librarians can help to determine whether an interlibrary loan request should be placed. Users may request print materials including monographs, dissertations and journal articles as well as microforms. They may also request non-fiction DVDs. Other formats, which are more fragile, are rarely lent on interlibrary loan by owning libraries and we do not acceptrequests for them. Interlibrary loan requests often take time to fill and users working under a tight deadline may be better served by using resources owned by The New York Public Library or by using a copy in another library in the metropolitan area, if that is possible. Public libraries are open to the public for on-site use of materials; rules vary on who may apply for a borrower’s card. Users should always call to verify that specific items are available and should take traceable identification with a photo and current home address. Many special libraries in New York City and Westchester County will honor a METRO referral card for titles not owned in a local public library. Librarians can help to determine if this in an appropriate option.

Titles published within the previous twelve months should be suggested for purchase for the Library by clicking here rather than requested on interlibrary loan.

Requesting interlibrary loan items

Requests may be placed at any unit of The New York Public Library or by using the online form found by clicking here. All requests for interlibrary loans will be automatically sent to the Interlibrary Loan Office which will attemptto fill the request and send the material to a public service location for use by the user. Users may have a maximum of five active requests.

Charges for interlibrary loans

The Library will attempt to fill each request with a free copy from other libraries in our network. If this is not possible, we may continue the search, but this will result in a $10.00 charge to the user. The online form has a place to indicate whether the request should only be filled if it can be filled for free or whether the user is willing to pay the $10.00 charge.

Using interlibrary loan items

Users may have up to three interlibrary loan items checked out at one time. Interlibrary loan items which can be checked out will be sent to a circulating collection. They will be checked out on the user’s record in the library’s online circulation system at the time they are given to the user.

Some items will have to be used in a unit of The New York Public Library, usually because of format or condition. Interlibrary loan items which cannot be checked out will be sent to a research center or borough center for the user to use there. Microfilm will be sent to a research center or a circulating collection which has a microfilm reader printer.

Requests for specific articles are frequently filled with photocopies and sometimes with electronic copies. Whenever possible, these are given to the user to keep.

Returning interlibrary loan items

Users who have checked out interlibrary loan items are expected to return them by the due date and in the same condition they received them. Fines will be assessed for materials returned late. The charge is $1.00 per day for both adult and juvenile borrowers, up to a maximum of $51.00. Unpaid late charges will be referred to the Library’s collection agency. Charges will be assessed if the material has been damaged while in the user’s possession. The charge for lost interlibrary loan items is a minimum of $75.00 for each item and may be higher. Unpaid lost charges will be referred to the Library’s collection agency.

It is very important to return interlibrary loan materials as soon as possible so that they get back to the owning library by the due date. Failure to return other libraries’ materials on time can affect our ability to borrow materials from that library in the future.