Order Books From All Over the World With Interlibrary Loan
It’s no secret at Lifehacker that we are huge fans of public libraries . Not only do they give you access to all types of media for free (or close to them), but living near them can really make you happier. And get ready because it gets better. Did you know that if there is a book or other material that you would like to access but not in your local library, you can request it from other libraries around the country? Quite possibly, and this magical service is called Interlibrary Loan .
As the daughter of a librarian, I have known about ILL (yeah, that’s what the tough guys call it) for as long as I can remember, and have used it for everything from social research reports in elementary school to my PhD. Of course, by the time I was doing my PhD, the Internet was the main research tool, but there are certain things, like some books and early journal articles, that are not available on the Internet (at least for the time being). But you don’t need to have an insider library connection or work on an advanced degree to use this service: your local public library will most likely participate. Here’s how to use ILL and what makes it so awesome.
What is Interlibrary Loan?
The idea behind the ILL is that information should be transmitted to as many people as possible, both throughout the country and around the world. If you need something and your local library doesn’t have it (and participates in the ILL), you can request that a book, articles, or even a DVD be sent to your local branch from another collection out of town. Thus, we are not only talking about borrowing materials from other parts of the library system in your district or city – these are completely separate public, and in some cases professional or university libraries.
The Online Computer Library Center (OCLC), which was founded in 1967 as a member-run, non-profit library community, supports ILLs in 123 countries. Libraries belonging to this group have access to the materials in the collection. And this is quite significant: OCLC systems process over 40 million searches every day. OCLC also operates WorldCat , the most comprehensive library collection database in the world where you can search for the materials you need.
The ILL has been around in one form or another since at least the 1890s, when an agreement was reached to exchange books between the various departments of the University of California libraries. More than 100 years later, the basic concept remains the same. LitHub’s Nick Ripatrazone explains:
“Rented libraries are responsible for the preservation and return of books and must pay for shipping and return of the item; Librarians are required to keep detailed records of the receipt and use of visitors (these white bars), and rare or frequently used texts “may only be loaned at the discretion of the librarian.”
How to Access Interlibrary Loan
If you’re new to ILL and don’t know where to start, you can always ask your friendly neighbor librarian. They are most likely very passionate about the program and will be happy to help you get through it. You can also do a quick Google search for ILL services at your local library. For example, the New York Public Library has an entire page dedicated to how the ILL works and what readers must do to access it.
In general, however, you must have a valid public library card to access ILL services, so if you do not already have one, please use it. After all, there should be a place in the distribution library to send the book you requested.
Start by quickly searching your local library’s catalog, just to make sure what you’re looking for isn’t in stock or elsewhere yet. If so, you probably won’t be able to access it through the ILL, and instead can just go through your library system. If it’s not there, check out WorldCat . Enter your zip code and it will show you nearby libraries that have what you are looking for and if they participate in the ILL. Unfortunately, not every public library participates in the ILL, and this service is sometimes lost due to budget cuts, but at least WorldCat will point you in the direction of the nearest library that uses it.
If you find what you need on WorldCat, you can submit a request for materials through ILLiad, an online ordering system. You will need to create your own ILLiad account through your local library system, and this can usually be done through their website. For example, here is the NYPL login page for ILLiad . While the parts on where to access the ILLiad through the home page are NYPL-specific, the rest of this guide will teach you how to request articles, books, or other media regardless of your home library.
Even the US Library of Congress participates in the ILL , although all material borrowed in this way must be viewed on the borrowing library’s premises. However, having access to any of the collections from the Library of Congress for free and without having to travel to DC is pretty cool.
It usually takes about two to three weeks to receive the materials you have requested through the ILL. If you only want a magazine article, sometimes the lending library will photocopy it, scan it, and then email it to you, which can take significantly less time. In any case, as soon as your materials are delivered, you will receive an email or message via ILLiad informing you that they are ready to use.
If you haven’t tried ILL yet, give it a try and let your world – and your mind – expand significantly.