Interlibrary Loan Policy

Interlibrary Loan (ILL) services are available to Athens Regional Library System patrons who wish to obtain library materials which are not in the library’s own collections or to loan materials found in the regional collections which are not available in other libraries. This service is offered subject to the guidelines, procedures and restrictions listed below:

1. All patron requests will be submitted on appropriate forms for processing providing as complete a bibliographic citation as possible. Requests from other libraries must either be received electronically or on an ALA interlibrary loan form.
2. Primary Network: There will be no charges for books available through the GOLD / SOLINET (Georgia On-Line Database Network / Southern Libraries Network). Overdue charges will apply. Fax and photocopying fees are the responsibility of the borrower.
3. Secondary Network: Lending / photocopy fees may be charged by non-SOLINET institutions. The patron must be willing to pay service, shipping and handling charges assessed by the lending institutions. Unless authorized by the patron, no requests will go beyond SOLINET.

Service Guidelines:

1. Materials may be requested from other libraries. Items missing from the Athens Regional Library System collection can be requested. Photocopies of missing pages can be requested. Items not suitable for ILL request/loan:
   1. Reference books
   2. New books (a new book has the current year copyright)
   3. Audio-visual materials
   4. Titles owned by ARL System which are in circulation or in a non-circulating collection such as Heritage Room.
   5. High interest books(titles on which current movies/mini- series are based, GA Children’s Book Award Nominees, etc.)
2. Patrons will be notified when materials are available or if we are not able to locate an item. Materials will be held until the due date and then returned to the lending library. The lending library will set the terms of the loan.
3. Borrowers are expected to return ILL materials by the date due. Failure to do so jeopardizes the borrowing status of the entire Library System. Delinquent borrowers will be charged an overdue fine (see Fines / Fees Schedule) and will be blocked from use of other library services until the materials are returned. Fines may be excused by library staff in individual cases; i.e., illness or death in the borrower’s family.
4. The borrower assumes responsibility for all ILL charges and replacement or repair costs if materials are lost or damaged. All Library System services will be suspended for patrons who fail to pay ILL charges over the amount set on Fines/Fees Schedule. ILL privileges will be revoked for patrons who consistently fail to return books promptly.
5. Census microfilm and other special materials will require longer processing time. Fees as charged by the lending institutions will be applied including service fees, insurance, mailing, handling or photocopying charges. Unless permission is granted by the lending institution, all films must be used in the Library’s Heritage Room.
6. All procedures for ILL as established by GOLD, SOLINET, and OCLC must be followed. These are kept on file in the ILL office. Statistics will be kept in accordance with guidelines.

1/24/96