About ILL |
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Interlibrary loan takes the philosophy of public libraries to the max. It is all about providing access to anyone anywhere. Interlibrary loan means that people in the smallest towns in America can access the resources of libraries across the country. Since libraries participating in interlibrary loan have vast disparities in personnel, resources, and funding, there has always been much discussion about the responsibilities of libraries engaging in interlibrary loan. Interlibrary loan brings up a lot of questions about libraries' responsibilities to each other and to their own communities. There are many questions about ILL that are not completely resolved. Do large libraries have a responsibility to smaller libraries, regardless of little hope of reciprocity? When is it okay to charge fees for lending our material? What about lending special types of material, such as audio-visual or genealogy? The general gist of consensus in the ILL world has come down on the side of generosity and open sharing, but also cost consciousness and making responsible decisions at the local level. The National Interlibrary Loan Code encourages libraries to share their materials as freely as possible, without regard to format. However, libraries must balance that with a responsibility to their own customers to provide access to high-demand items. For a clear view of the basic philosophy that pervades the interlibrary loan community today, Virginia Boucher's Interlibrary Loan Practices Handbook, 2nd ed. is highly recommended. |