About Inter Library Loans

If the book you want is not owned by your local library,  be sure to check with your library’s reference desk or website to learn more about your library’s policies on Inter Library Loans.   At the circulation desk,  I frequently handle books from libraries all over the United States that the library system I work for has borrowed from the other libraries on our patron’s behalf.   At our library,  there is no charge for ILL requests nor is their any limit on such requests,  except for the “holds” limits which at PCLS has recently been increased to a maximum of 50 per patron.    Although I fairly frequently request ILL’s for new books that our library does not yet own,  in every single instance so far the requested title has been purchased and added to the collection and I receive a brand new copy four to six weeks after placing the request.   Some libraries are better funded and more responsive to patron requests than others,  but it is always worth your while to ask a librarian about obtaining a new book that is not listed in the catalog or the on-order list.   Many libraries,  including PCLS provide a list of “on order” titles.   If the title that interests you is on order you can usually place a hold on the item for when it comes in.