Interlibrary Loan

RILINK Interlibrary Loan Policy
(adopted February 3, 2016; revised March 31, 2022)
 

Please note: This consortium-level policy is meant to serve as a minimum guideline for RILINK member libraries. If a RILINK member library does not have its own Interlibrary Loan Policy, this policy may be used. 

For the purposes of this policy, interlibrary loan refers to both borrowing (requesting) and lending (supplying) of materials.

RILINK supports school libraries, library media specialists, teachers, staff, and students with shared resources and training in partnership with the entire educational community.

In support of this mission, RILINK encourages all of its eligible member libraries* to join the LORI Network and actively participate in interlibrary loan and resource sharing.

RILINK member libraries that become LORI member libraries and participate in resource sharing and interlibrary loan must meet the requirements of the LORI Standards and are expected to adhere to the following interlibrary loan policy:

• All items in a participating library’s collection that are generally available to the library’s local patrons must also be available through interlibrary loan to all LORI member libraries

• Interlibrary loan requests must be filled (or declined) as quickly as possible

• Interlibrary loan requests will be filled at the discretion of the school librarian

• Interlibrary loan requests may be placed by patrons or library staff, depending on the needs of individual member libraries

• Materials sent to fulfill interlibrary loan requests will be circulated for a minimum of 28 days to allow ample delivery time on either end of the loan period

• Maximum interlibrary loan checkouts will be determined by individual member libraries

• There is no charge for interlibrary loan transactions, with the following exceptions:

  • requesting libraries may charge overdue fines to requesting patrons who return interlibrary loan items late

  • requesting libraries may be billed the replacement cost of damaged or lost interlibrary loan items at the discretion of supplying libraries

• A member library’s own patron hold requests will take precedence over interlibrary loan requests for the same item

• Interlibrary loan requests may not be declined based solely on a requested item’s format

• Items that are specifically reserved for in-library or classroom use may be temporarily excluded from interlibrary loan as needed

• Any other collection items or special collections that are unavailable for interlibrary lending must be specified in the member library’s individual interlibrary loan policy; such restrictions must not violate compliance with the LORI Standards