Interlibrary Loan (ILL) is a borrowing privilege made available to Portage County Public Library (PCPL) cardholders, through the South Central Library System (SCLS). Items may be obtained from other libraries in Adams, Columbia, Dane, Green, Portage, Sauk, and Wood counties. Patrons in good standing may make requests through the LINKcat system.
Loans of materials not held by LINKcat libraries may be obtained through OCLC, Wiscat, or another lending platform by making a request through PCPL. These loans are only available to PCPL and SCLS resident cardholders in good standing. Reciprocal cardholders from outside of SCLS counties are encouraged to work with their local library to request items.
Items that cannot be requested through ILL:
· Items in LINKcat: (exceptions: "Lost" items may be requested; Items marked "Trace" for at least 4 weeks may be requested.)
· Items less than 6 months old, as determined by the publication date on Amazon.com. Many libraries will not loan items newer than 6 months.
· Entire issues of magazines: Whole issues do not circulate. It is in violation of copyright to request that an entire issue be photocopied. Provide as complete a citation as possible so that we can try to obtain a photocopy of the article or section.
· Genealogical materials: Actual materials rarely circulate. You may request a photocopy/scan of information if you know a specific resource, and complete names, dates, towns, etc.
· Reference items: Again, you may request a photocopy of some part of the item.
· E-books and electronic journals: Most E-book and electronic journal database licenses do not allow for ILL sharing.
· Computer games and software: Most libraries do not lend computer games.
· Playaways: Most libraries do not lend Playways and SCLS discourages the delivery of this format. Things that may be requested, but are difficult to obtain Libraries have limits on what they will lend. Libraries will typically only lend an item if it is on the shelf.
Things that may be difficult to obtain include:
· Audiovisual materials, especially DVDs and CD-ROMs
· Small-town newspapers on microfilm
· Theses
· Complete musical scores
· Multi-volume sets
· Textbooks
· Print on demand books (e.g. Amazon’s KDP Print)
Other ILL Guidelines:
· Resubmitting Requests: Please wait eight weeks before re-submitting a request for the same title.
· Renewals: Patrons are allowed one renewal per item. Please request renewals at least three working days before an item is due to assure a timely response.
· Fines and Fees: A fine of $1.00 per day is charged for late items. Fines will not exceed $10.00 per item.
· Limits: Patrons are limited to five requests per week
· Pickups and Returns: ILL items may only be checked out and returned at PCPL branches (Almond, Plover, Rosholt, Stevens Point).
· Denying Requests: The library may refuse to take ILL requests from patrons who have overdue materials, owe money for lost or damaged materials, owe fines, or have failed to follow ILL policies.
· Paperwork: Each ILL item is loaned with paperwork attached to it, usually in the form of a bookstrap attached to the cover. That paperwork must be returned with the item or a $1.00 fee will be assessed.
· Fees: Since the library is forbidden by law from charging patrons for ILL service or from passing along any fees incurred, the library may refuse to obtain materials that are only available for a fee. General cardholder responsibilities still apply to Interlibrary Loan borrowing and are not superseded by this policy.
Approved by the Portage County Public Library Board of Trustees 9/2/2020