What is an Interlibrary Loan (ILL)?

When one library system shares materials with or makes photocopies for a client in another library system, this is an interlibrary loan.

Sometimes Montgomery County Public Libraries does not own a book or other item you want to borrow for a short time. We may be able to borrow the item from another library that owns it.

Interlibrary loan service is not intended to supply textbooks or other routine curriculum support material.

How do I request an Interlibrary Loan?

Montgomery County Public Library cardholders may place interlibrary loan requests.

You will need the title, author, publisher and date of publication, if known.

1. In our libraries:

Please discuss your request with our information staff. We can help you locate many items that are available in our own library collections that may meet your needs.

You may request and submit an "Interlibrary Loan Request Card" or an "ILL Photocopy Request Form" for other items. These requests are sent weekly to the Interlibrary Loan Office where the staff transmits your request to other libraries around the U.S. and worldwide, if necessary.

2. Online:

Please check the availability of your request in the MCPL catalog and in the Marina system first. You will need your library card number to access the Marina system. Items not available in these collections may be requested through OCLC, including photocopies from books and journals.

How many requests may I submit?

You may have 35 active Interlibrary Loan requests. A request is considered active from the time it is received in the ILL Office (immediately if submitted online) until the ILL item has been returned to the ILL office after we have loaned it to you.

What can be borrowed through ILL?

You can request books, music scores, books on tape or CD, microfilm, magazine and journal articles, dissertations, musical recordings, software, DVD’s and videos. We will try to find any of these for you. Be aware, however, that few libraries will loan audiovisual formats or magazines.

What can't be borrowed through ILL?

    * Books currently on order at MCPL

    * Books on bestseller lists

    * Heavily reserved books of the current year

    * Books that have not yet been published

    * Most reference books

    * Books in heavy classroom demand at local colleges and universities

    * Multiple requests for a single title

    * Photocopies over 50 pages

    * U.S. Census microfilm

For U.S. Census microfilm please contact:

National Archives Census Microfilm Rental Program
http://www.archives.gov/research/order/renting-microfilm.html

P. O. Box 30
9050 Junction Drive
Annapolis Junction, MD 20701-0030
Telephone: 301-604-3699
Fax: 301-206-9789

Do I have to have a card to request an ILL book?

You must have a current card with the correct address and phone number. If your account has a blocked status, your Interlibrary Loan requests will not be processed until the block has been removed. See your local library to take steps to unblock your card.

Is there a charge for an ILL request?

Montgomery County Public Libraries does not charge you for placing a request.

There is no charge for requests placed through Marina, the Maryland Public Library network.

However, some academic and special libraries, or public libraries with special collections, may charge a fee for making the material you have requested available to you through our system.  

Please indicate on your request form the amount you are willing to pay if a fee is charged by the lending library.

How long does it take to get an item using the Interlibrary Loan service?

Requests are processed in the order in which they are received.

We do not provide a rush service for ILL requests.

Requests placed online through Marina are often filled in about two to four weeks.

Other items may take several weeks, or up to several months.

Please indicate the date after which you would no longer want to borrow this material.

Suppose I need it within the next few days?

We do not provide a rush service for ILL requests.

Please discuss your need with our branch information staff. They may be able to find the material for you online or in an electronic collection.

As a resident of Montgomery County you may register to borrow materials from public libraries in:

    * All Maryland counties

    * City of Takoma Park

    * District of Columbia

    * City of Alexandria

    * City of Falls Church, VA

    * Arlington County, VA

    * Fairfax County, VA

    * Loudoun County, VA

    * Prince William County, VA

You may also wish to contact Montgomery College libraries for information on their collections and loan policies.

How long can you keep an Interlibrary Loan item? Can you extend the loan period for an ILL?

You may borrow items loaned through Marina for three weeks. These may not be renewed.

Other items may have loan periods that vary from just a few days to 3-4 weeks, depending on the lending library’s policy for this material. Be prepared to use the material on a very short turnaround. 

Occasionally, as with rare books and microforms, materials are for library-use only, and must be used at your MCPL branch. Microforms may only be used at Rockville Library.

You may ask us to try to negotiate a renewal for your loan, but we are not always able to obtain a renewal for you.

Most academic and special libraries will not renew books.

Interlibrary loans cannot be renewed online, through our telephone renewal system, or by branch staff. Please call the Interlibrary Loan Office at 240-777-0046 at least 2-3 days in advance of the due date to give us enough time to request a renewal from the lending library.

How will I know if the item has arrived?

We will notify you by email when items requested through Marina have been received by our ILL office—please contact your pick-up library after 2-3 days to check to see whether the item has been received.

We will notify you by email or printed mailer when other items are ready for pick-up.

What if the book is lost or damaged?

If an Interlibrary Loan book is lost or damaged, the charges billed to Montgomery County by the lender will be charged to you, the customer.

These charges can be considerable if the lender is an academic institution or special library, and if the loaned material is comparatively rare.

Please take exceptional care with Interlibrary Loan items, as with all materials you borrow.

What are the fines for an item that is returned late?

Interlibrary Loan late fines are the same as fines for MCPL items. See fines schedule here.