Interlibrary Loan Policy

If you already know what to do, go to the Texas Group Catalog and place your request! If you are new to Interlibrary Loan, read the following policy and instructions. Staff is always happy to help with any questions you may have or happy to walk you through the process.

INTRODUCTION

As part of its quest to make materials available to its patrons, The Schertz Public Library participates in an Interlibrary Loan (ILL) system. The conditions of this service are set by the interlibrary loan policies established in the AMIGOS Interlibrary Loan Code, the TexShare Interlibrary Loan Protocol, and the policies established by the Texas State Library for TexNet and for Texas Group, the statewide interlibrary networks.

WHAT IS INTERLIBRARY LOAN?

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 purpose of ILL is to obtain library material not available in the Schertz Public Library and to lend material found at the Schertz Public Library to other libraries.

ILL service is essential to the vitality of libraries of all types and sizes as a means of greatly expanding the range of materials available to users. Lending between libraries is in the public interest and should be encouraged. ILL should serve as an adjunct to, not a substitute for, collection development at the local level.   

WHO CAN USE ILL?

ILL is offered to all registered borrowers in good standing of the Schertz Public Library.  ILL is transacted only from library to library. Individual patrons from other libraries wishing to borrow an item from the Schertz Public Library should make their requests through their own library.

WHAT SORT OF MATERIALS MAY BE BORROWED THROUGH ILL?

Material which may be borrowed: A loan or a copy of any material may be requested from another library, but the lending library will decide in each case whether or not a particular item can be provided.

Though you may ask, most libraries will not ordinarily lend the following types of materials: 

  • Newly published material
  • Old, rare or valuable material
  • Reference, Texana and genealogical material
  • DVDs, audio and videocassettes, sound recordings, and motion picture films
  • Entire issues of periodicals
  • Material in high demand at the lending library, including but not limited to, curriculum materials or textbooks
  • Scripts, screen plays, libretti, and scores
  • Multi-volume sets

Materials which will not be borrowed: 

  • Material owned by the Schertz Public Library and temporarily in use
  • Titles on the New York Times or Publisher’s Weekly bestseller lists
  • Multiple copies of a title for class or other group use
  • Titles not yet published

Copyrighted Material: Please keep in mind that most materials borrowed or photocopied through ILL are copyrighted.   Compliance with copyright law is the responsibility of the patron.

NOTICE–WARNING CONCERNING COPYRIGHT RESTRICTIONS

The Copyright Law of the United States (Title 17, United States Code) governs the making of photocopies or other reproductions of copyrighted material. Under certain conditions specified in the law, libraries and archives are authorized to furnish a photocopy or other reproduction. One of these specified conditions is that the photocopy or reproduction is not to be “used for any purpose other than private study, scholarship, or research.” If a user makes a request for, or later uses, a photocopy or reproduction for purposes in excess of “fair use,” that user may be liable for copyright infringement. This institution reserves the right to refuse to accept a copying order if, in its judgment, fulfillment of the order would involve violation of copyright law.

HOW DO I REQUEST MATERIAL FROM ILL?

Online by following these steps:

  1. Search for material in the Texas Group Catalog using the basic default search or the advanced search.
  2. A list of search results will appear. To narrow your search results, use the options on the left side.
  3. When you have decided on a specific record, click on the title.
  4. Scroll down and click on the Request Item button.
  5. Choose Schertz Public Library as your home library from the resulting drop-down list.
  6. Click Continue and log in with your library card number and PIN.
  7. On the ‘Request this item’ screen, complete all required fields.
  8. Click Continue to submit your request.

ILL requests can also be made to the Schertz Public Library in person, by telephone or by email. Patrons may have no more than 7 ILL items in-process at any one time. This includes items requested, in transit or checked out. This limit allows ILL staff to provide timely service to all Interlibrary loan patrons.

WHAT INFORMATION DO I NEED TO MAKE A REQUEST?

To request a book you will need the author, title and if possible, the year of publication.  Subject requests are also accepted.

To request a periodical article you will need the title of the journal, date, page numbers, author and title of the article. Any other identifying information is helpful including the source of the information (index, bibliography, etc.) or the ISSN.

A “need by” date should be indicated, if applicable, and whether copies from a non-circulating copy of the requested materials are acceptable if no circulating copy can be borrowed.

To avoid delays, fill out the forms as completely as possible. Please do not use abbreviations. If you don’t have all of the information, we will still try to fill your request, but may not be successful.  

HOW DO I CANCEL MY ILL REQUEST?

Should you decide to cancel your ILL request via your online account you will still need to either call the library at 210-619-1700 or email us so we can request the cancellation on our end. Your cancellation is not guaranteed until you are contacted by a staff member with confirmation of the cancellation. If the item is cancelled while it is in-transit, there will be a $3.00 return postage fee applied to the account.

HOW LONG DOES IT TAKE TO RECEIVE AN ILL ITEM?

The Schertz Public Library participates in the Texas Group Catalog and the Navigator Interlibrary Loan System. Requests are placed electronically using Navigator to the member libraries of the Texas Group. The request will first try to be filled by the member libraries. If no libraries in the group are able to fill the request, it moves to WorldCat Resource Sharing to be filled by out-of-state libraries. We do not control which library sends items to us as that is handled by Navigator and WorldCat. The items are delivered by courier or by mail and it can take as few as one week or as many as twelve weeks to receive an item.

Service will be given as quickly and inexpensively as possible.

DO YOU CHARGE A FEE FOR INTERLIBRARY LOAN?

ILL service is currently free of charge but there is a return postage fee of $3 per item for any unclaimed items. The postage fee will be applied to your account if you don’t pick up the item or cancel it while it is in transit from another library.

Please be aware that the lending library may charge fees such as insurance, photocopying, book charges, postage, microfilm rental, handling costs and replacement or overdue costs.  The patron requesting the material will be responsible for any such costs incurred and will have the opportunity to decline borrowing an item based on such costs.

WILL I BE NOTIFIED WHEN MY ILL MATERIALS ARRIVE AT THE LIBRARY?

Patrons are notified by email or telephone when the material arrives and is ready for pick-up. Items are kept at the Circulation Desk for seven (7) working days after the patron is notified. Materials that are not picked up by the patron within seven (7) working days after notification is given will be returned to the lending library at the patron’s expense.

HOW LONG MAY ILL MATERIALS BE KEPT?

Interlibrary loan items may be borrowed from the Schertz Public Library for three (3) weeks and may not be renewed except at the discretion of the lending library.   The lending library may also impose restrictions such as “in library use” or “no renewals.” If you need additional time to use the material, please contact the Schertz Interlibrary Loan staff member as soon as possible. The lending library grants permission for renewals, not the Schertz Public Library staff. Renewals must be requested before the due date. We cannot request renewals for items that are already overdue. Overdue ILL materials are charged a late fee of $1.00 per day.

Please make every effort to return the items by the specified due date. Interlibrary loan service will be suspended for those who abuse the privilege, including those who repeatedly fail to pick up requested interlibrary loan material or who fail to return materials in a timely fashion.

WHAT ARE MY RESPONSIBILITIES FOR A LOST OR DAMAGED ITEM?

Payment must be made for materials lost or damaged while checked out to the borrower.  Charges for lost or damaged items are determined by the lending library so the payment amount cannot be determined until the lending library has been notified and responded with the cost. No refunds will be made for lost and paid interlibrary loan materials that are subsequently found.

Interlibrary Loan is dependent upon the generosity and goodwill between libraries. Please be careful with the lending library’s property and return it on time.

BORROWING MATERIALS FROM THE SCHERTZ PUBLIC LIBRARY

WHAT SORT OF MATERIALS MAY BE BORROWED FROM THE SCHERTZ PUBLIC LIBRARY?

Material which may be borrowed: A loan or a copy of any material may be requested by another library, but the Schertz Public Library will decide in each case whether or not a particular item can be provided.

The Schertz Public Library will NOT lend the following:

  • Old, rare or valuable material
  • Reference, Texana and genealogical material including microfiche and microfilm
  • Entire issues of periodicals
  • Material in high demand at the Schertz Public Library, including but not limited to, curriculum materials or textbooks
  • Multi-volume sets
  • Titles on the New York Times or Publisher’s Weekly bestseller lists
  • Materials that are published within the last 6 months
  • Multiple copies of a title for class or other group use
  • Titles not yet published

 DO YOU CHARGE A FEE FOR INTERLIBRARY LOAN?

There is no fee for placing an interlibrary loan request. The Schertz Public Library will pay postage to send the item to the requesting library but the requesting library is responsible for the return postage. Photocopies are free of charge for the first 30 pages with a $0.15 per page charge for every page thereafter.

WHAT INFORMATION DO LIBRARIES NEED TO MAKE A REQUEST?

To request a book you will need the author, title and if possible, the year of publication.  Subject requests are also accepted.

To request a periodical article you will need the title of the journal, date, page numbers, author and title of the article. Any other identifying information is helpful including the source of the information (index, bibliography, etc.) or the ISSN.

A “need by” date should be indicated, if applicable, and whether copies from a non-circulating copy of the requested materials are acceptable if no circulating copy can be borrowed.

ILL requests can be accepted from other libraries through Navigator, by fax, email, mail or by telephone.

HOW LONG MAY ILL MATERIALS BE KEPT?

Libraries may keep requested items for a period of 6 weeks. Renewal of any item is at the discretion of the Schertz Public Library. The Schertz Public Library also reserves the right to state whether materials are for “in-library use.” There are no overdue charges for late materials; however, any item that is more than 30 days late will be presumed lost and the borrowing library will be billed for the cost of the item and a $5.00 processing fee.

CONTACT INFORMATION

Schertz Public Library
798 Schertz Parkway
Schertz, TX 78154
(210) 619-1700
(210) 619-1711 (fax)
librarian@schertz.com




Created:  March 1, 2005 
Adopted by the Schertz Public Library Advisory Board:  April 4, 2005
Revised 10/20/16