Frequently Asked Questions about Interlibrary Loan (ILL):

What is Interlibrary Loan?
Interlibrary loan, often referred to as ILL, is a resource sharing service. Participating libraries across the country agree to lend items from their library’s collection to borrowing partners with the understanding that the items will be well cared for and returned in a timely fashion. By participating in resource sharing, libraries are able to accommodate their patron’s interest in items that might otherwise be unavailable. For example, a patron might use ILL to request an item that is out of print, published in a different language or format, or to obtain a copy of a specific article from a journal or newspaper that is not available locally.   

Who can use Amarillo Public Library’s ILL service?
ILL services are available to any Amarillo Public Library card holder whose account is in good standing. Additionally, APL offers ILL services to HLC cardholders when Amarillo Public is considered their home library. For example, area students who have a valid HLC library card through their school may use those cards to request an ILL (such as AC, Highland Park, River Road, and Bushland High). All other HLC members will need to contact the library that issued their card.

Is ILL free?
No, there is a $3.00 fee for each ILL loan request that will be billed to the patron’s account once the item arrives. This charge is to help cover the cost of mailing the item back to the owning library.

What is the difference between a loan and copy request?
An ILL loan request is for the physical item. It will be mailed to APL and must be returned to the lending library. All loan requests incur a $3.00 postage fee, due at the time of check-out.

An ILL copy request is for a scan or copy of a specific article/section/chapter of a physical item. These requests require detailed citation information and are usually delivered via e-mail.  Because they do not need to be returned to the owning library, the standard $3.00 postage fee does not apply to copy requests.  Copyright laws apply to ILL copy requests, and a request may be canceled if it is deemed out of compliance with copyright law.

How do I request an ILL, can I do it myself?
To request an ILL, call or visit one of our five locations and talk to our reference or youth staff. They are happy to help and have been trained to gather all the necessary information to initiate your ILL request.

• Amarillo Public Library is currently transitioning between systems so all ILL requests will be handled by APL staff.  Once the transition has been completed a new portal will be activated, and instructions for placing an ILL request will be added to the website. 

Why was I informed by Library staff that my ILL request cannot leave the building/I am not allowed to check it out?
Items that are very rare or fragile are often lent with the condition that patrons may only view them with staff supervision. These items are processed as In Library Use Only and are kept at a designated staff desk for the duration of its loan period. The patron will still owe the $3.00 postage fee and may view the requested item as many times as they wish until the item’s due date. Requests on microfilm/microfiche are also processed as In Library Use Only, as they are often one-of-a-kind copies and require special equipment to read.  Normally these types of requests require the borrowing library to agree to the conditions before the item is sent, giving APL staff the opportunity to consult the patron first.

Where will my ILL be sent once it arrives and can I change the pick-up location?
When the request is initially placed, patrons will be asked to designate a desired pick-up location—this can be any of our five locations.  Once the request arrives, it will be processed at the Downtown Library, then sent out to appropriate branch. Patrons may change the pick-up location at any time.

• While patrons are not allowed to leave library property with In Library Use Only requests, APL does allow patrons to select which library they would like to visit in order to view the request. **The only exception is microfilm/microfiche.  The Downtown Library is the only location with a microfilm reader, so all such requests are directed to that location.

Is there a limit to the number of items I can request via ILL?
Yes, each patron may only have 15 active requests at a time. 

• It is important to note that a request is considered active from the time it is requested until the time it is returned to its home library and checked in.

Can I cancel or refuse an ILL I no longer want?
Patrons may cancel an ILL request up until the requested item is shipped from the lending library. Once an item ships it will be processed like a normal ILL request, and the $3.00 fee will be owed. Likewise, patrons may refuse an ILL once it arrives in Amarillo, but the $3.00 postage fee will still be owed. 

• Payment is not owed on requests that were successfully canceled.
• Payment is not owed on requests that never make it to Amarillo (i.e., lost in transit).
• Payment is not owed on requests that are refused by ILL staff (i.e., item was damaged on arrival, or the item sent does not match the paperwork).

How long does it take an ILL request to arrive?
As there are a number of factors in play, there is no set time frame for how long it may take for an ILL request to arrive.  However, the average is 2 weeks.

• Each new ILL request is sent out to a potential lender, who has the right to consider a new request for a few days before they decide if they will lend (the usual number is 4, but it is determined by that library’s local or state policies and can range from 1-20 days). A library has the right to refuse the request at any time, meaning the request may have to be sent to multiple libraries before a willing lender is located.
• Once a lender decides to fill the request, the item must be pulled from the lending library’s shelves (this can take some time if the item is housed at a different location) and prepared for shipping.
• Amarillo Public Library receives ILLs via USPS, FedEx, UPS, and a courier service called Trans-Amigos Express. Generally, items being sent via our courier take longer to arrive, as the packages must be processed at several different hubs along the way. 

Can I pick the library I want my ILL to come from?
No, patrons have no control over the library that will fill the request. Likewise, while APL has some control over which lending partners will receive the request, it is up to staff at the lending library to agree to the loan. Lending libraries may refuse an ILL request at any time.

Do I have to pick-up my ILL personally?
No.  However, patrons picking up for someone else must have the physical library card for the patron for whom they are picking up, and the $3.00 fee must be paid at the time of check-out.

• Please note: APL staff will never allow an ILL to checked out to another account for any reason.

How long can I keep my ILL item?
Due dates are determined by the lending library and can vary greatly, though the average is close to 4 weeks.

• While most libraries are aware that extended loan periods are ideal when filling ILL requests and take that into consideration when assigning due dates, there is no hard rule in place dictating loan periods. Additionally, loan periods must include travel time to and from the owning library. The longer it takes an item to arrive at the borrowing library once it has been shipped, the less time the patron has with the item.

**Note: Students sometimes seek to use ILL to acquire textbooks for the whole semester. Textbook loans are rare, generally not eligible for renewals, and are likely to come due before the end of the semester. It is not recommended to rely on ILL for your course material. 

Can ILLs be renewed? If so, how do I renew and is there a limit?
Renewals are granted at the discretion of the owning library and are largely based on their own patrons’ interest in the item. Items that have patron holds, are new releases, or have recently increased in popularity are not likely to be renewed.  Additionally, renewals are not guaranteed and should be requested 2-3 days before the item’s due date to give APL staff time to contact the owning library.  Renewals may be requested by contacting the reference or youth desk at any of our five locations. 

• If a library allows renewals, there is usually a maximum of allowed renewals, with the average being three. However, renewal policies are different for each library and can vary greatly.
• APL policy prohibits renewals of visual materials (DVD, VHS, Blu-Ray) requested through ILL, both as the lender and the borrower. 

What kind of items can I request through ILL?
APL can request a variety of items via ILL. However, it is important to note that while we are willing to request an item, and there may be libraries who own it, there is no guarantee another library will agree to lend it. Some formats are harder to get than others, especially those that are rather outdated, brand new, or are in high demand. 

Items and formats APL will request:

• Books: Hardback, Paperback, Textbooks, Plays, Poetry, Foreign Languages, and Braille
• Audiobooks: CDs, MP3 Discs, and Cassettes
• Music: CDs, Cassettes, LPs/Records/Vinyl, Musical Scores
• Video: DVD, Blu-ray, VHS

  Requests for DVDs are processed as Region 1 (North America) by default; however, if it is available and the patron agrees, APL will also request DVDs in other region codes.

• Specialized: Microfilm/Microfiche, Genealogy Records, Theses, Manuscripts, Maps, Newspapers/ Periodicals. **Note: specialized items are not likely to be sent out as a loan and are generally processed as copy requests. 

Items and formats APL will not request:

• Toys/Games: Board Games, Computer Games or Console Games, Puppets, or other toys
• Technology: Computers, Tablets, Playaways, Hotspots, Game Systems, etc.
• Art/Music: Paintings, Prints, Sculptures, Instruments
• E-resources: E-books, E-audiobooks, E-text, E-serials
• Library of Things: Kits created by the owning library intended for their patrons to use for a specific activity, such as baking, gardening, automotive repair, exercise, etc. 
• Other: Globes, Reel-to-Reel, Tools, Seeds

Are there fines for overdue ILL’s?
Yes, overdue ILL items incur fines at a rate of 50 cents per day up to a five-dollar max. As with APL’s normal collection, there is one day of grace for overdue ILL items before the fine starts accumulating.

Will I ever be charged extra for an ILL?
Amarillo Public does not charge extra for its ILL service.  However, there are 3 specific occasions when a patron may incur additional fees associated with their ILL request. 

1. Overdue fees: as with all items checked-out in our library, ILL items are subject to overdue fees if not returned promptly.
2. Lost/Damaged fees: patrons will be charged for ILL items that are lost or damaged while in their care.  Amarillo Public does not automatically assign a set fee for lost/damaged items.  The owning library is contacted, and when applicable, the item is returned for evaluation.  If they choose to charge, they will send APL an invoice.  ILL staff will apply the charges to the patron’s account and inform the patron.
   1. Items lost/damaged while in transit to or from the owning library are the responsibility of APL, not the patron.
3. Some lending libraries charge borrowing libraries for their ILL services and those extra charges are passed on to the patron. Requesting items from charging libraries is always a last resort, and the patron will be contacted before APL agrees to any extra fees. The patron will be asked to agree, in writing, before the request can be approved. 

Is it possible I will not receive the item I request?
Yes.  While rare, there are times when ILL staff are not able to fill an ILL request.  If this happens, an APL staff member will contact the patron to inform them their request was canceled and to discuss other available options. 

• Few libraries will lend brand new items, as they prefer to keep them on their shelves for their patrons. Requests for items published in the same calendar year often go unfilled or take longer to fill.
• Requests for rare, special, or out-of-print items are likely to go unfilled, as most libraries are not willing to take the chance that their irreplaceable item will be lost or damaged.
• Items that cost more than $75 to replace are often canceled by ILL staff.  Such items will be considered on a case-by-case basis, after staff have contacted the patron to confirm they are aware of the item’s potential cost should it be lost or damaged in their care. 

Can I request the same item several different times, or can I request several copies of the same item at once?
Yes, patrons are allowed to request the same item several times via ILL; however, the $3.00 fee will be applied to each request, so APL encourages its patrons to consider buying the item for their own collection after the first request, as it will likely save them money in the long run.

Likewise, APL also allows a single patron to request multiple copies of the same item at one time. This happens most often with local book clubs and home school groups. 

• It is important to keep in mind that the patron must pay for each request, and that all ILL requests must be checked out on the library card used to request them. For example, if a book club president came in to request 6 copies of the same book, then the president would have to check out all six copies on their card and hand them out to club members.  Club members could not pick up their copies individually.
• Also, APL has no control over request fulfillment, delivery time, or due dates. It is possible to request several items at once and only receive half of them. It is also possible that when the items arrive, they will all have different due dates, or arrive too late for the intended recipient to read it. 

Can I pay for my ILL with my debit/credit card?
Due to extra surcharges, APL will only allow a patron to pay with a debit/credit card if their total is over $5.00. This rule applies to ILL postage fees as well. 

• If a patron has other fees on their account, or requests multiple ILLs that are available at the same time, bringing their total to over $5.00, then they will be able to use a card to pay. 

What if I have more questions?
Please send additional questions to ILL@amarillolibrary.org.

Phone: (806) 378-3053

Fax: (806) 378-9326

Mailing Address:

Amarillo Public Library
Interlibrary Loan
413 E. 4th
Amarillo, TX 79101

Email: reference@amarillolibrary.org