Inter Library Loans Guidelines
Intent
To define the terms and conditions regarding the request and supply of items on interlibrary loan.
Scope
These guidelines apply to all members of Cairns Libraries.
Provisions
General Information
By requesting an interlibrary loan you agree to abide by all terms in these guidelines including the payment of any fees or costs associated with the request/loan.
The person on whose membership card an inter library loan is issued, is deemed responsible for the return of the item and for any fees incurred.
Persons requesting an interlibrary loan are to abide by all relevant guidelines of Cairns Libraries, and the lending library. Such persons are also to abide by any request/instruction from Cairns Libraries regarding their interlibrary loan
Requesting an interlibrary loan
Interlibrary loans can be requested by contacting a library branch or lodging via member services on the library website.
Eligibility to request an interlibrary loan
Interlibrary loans may only be requested by members of Cairns Libraries.
Interlibrary loans are not to be requested on behalf of others.
The borrower’s membership card must be produced when requesting the interlibrary loan.
Persons ineligible to request an interlibrary loan
- Visitors to the library who are not members.
- Students (school, TAFE, University, or other institution), requiring materials to aid their research.
- Teachers, lecturers, tutors, education support staff requiring materials to aid in carrying out the duties of their employment or business.
- Members who are barred by Cairns Libraries.
Limits on interlibrary loans
A limit of five (5) items on request /loan at any one time per member will apply.
Cairns Libraries will request an item on interlibrary loan if:
- Cairns Libraries does not hold the title required; and /or
- Cairns Libraries does not hold sufficient resources to satisfy the member’s information requirements.
- The item is held by another Queensland library as indicated by Libraries Australia.
- Providing the request meets all other criteria.
Items available on interlibrary loan
Cairns Libraries may request the following materials on interlibrary loan:
- Adult and junior non-fiction books
- Adult and junior fiction books
- Music scores for orchestras/groups/individuals
- Microfilm reels (e.g. newspapers or indexes for genealogical purposes)
- Book club sets
- Audio material for vision impaired
Items not available on interlibrary loan
Cairns Libraries will not request the following materials on interlibrary loan:
- Items published in the last two (2) years
- Audio/visual materials (incl. DVDs/CDs)
- School or university textbooks or any other materials that can reasonably be considered for academic or specialist research
- Any other items, at Cairns Libraries discretion, which do not meet the requirements of these guidelines.
Interlibrary loan administration fee
All interlibrary loan requests will be charged a $4.30 non-refundable administration fee whether the request can be successfully satisfied or not. Charges for lost or damaged interlibrary loan items may also apply. Bookclub lending sets do not incur an administration fee.
Interlibrary loans from libraries which charge a fee
Any library could potentially charge an interlibrary loan fee. However, the State Library of Queensland and Queensland public libraries generally do not.
The lending library, not Cairns Libraries, determines the fee they will charge for the loan. Unless the lending library has entered a reciprocal agreement, charges are based on the Australian Interlibrary Loan Resource Sharing directory (ILRS).
Cairns Libraries will not request items from libraries that charge additional fees.
Book Club Sets on interlibrary loan
A book club must nominate a person responsible for collecting and borrowing the book club set on their membership card. The person on whose membership card an interlibrary loan is issued, is deemed responsible for the return of the items and for any fees or charges. Book clubs may request 1 book club set at a time.
Some Book club sets are requested from the State Library of Queensland. The State Library of Queensland has a limited number of sets for loan and loans sets to libraries all over Queensland, which can result in considerable waiting periods for requested sets to arrive.
- Cairns Libraries has no control over the time it takes for a requested set to arrive.
- Book clubs should be aware that Cairns Libraries cannot guarantee supply of sets or their supply in time for particular meetings.
- Book clubs should be aware that Cairns Libraries cannot guarantee the supply of particular titles or the supply of particular titles at particular times.
- The interlibrary loan of book club sets is an added service provided by Cairns Libraries. The offering of this service is provided commensurate with available library resources.
Waiting periods on interlibrary loans
Interlibrary loans may take weeks or even months to arrive. The majority of items do arrive within a reasonable time frame. However, there are exceptions.
Cairns Libraries has no control over how long the items will take to arrive once they have been requested. Your request is put on the reserve list, and the item will arrive when it is your turn.
Members should not request an item if they are unwilling to wait an indeterminate time for its arrival.
Notification – requests
Successful request – no notification will be given of a successful request until such time as it either becomes available for collection, or notice is received by Cairns Libraries that the item is unavailable on interlibrary loan.
Unsuccessful requests – a message will be placed on the member’s record if Cairns Libraries is unable to source a requested item on interlibrary loan.
Notification – available for collection
Members who have requested an interlibrary loan will be notified via Cairns Libraries electronic notification system when their requested interlibrary loan becomes available for collection.
Members are required pay the administration fee and collect the items by the specified date.
Loan period for interlibrary loans
Interlibrary loans are borrowed for the period of loan stipulated by the supplying library.
Recall of items
The original due date of an item may be subject to change without notice, or with very little notice, in the event an item is recalled, or other circumstances arise.
Members agree to return an interlibrary loan within two (2) days of notification if it is recalled by the supplying library or Cairns Libraries.
Interlibrary loan – agreement
Upon requesting an interlibrary loan the member agrees to these terms and conditions.
Extension of the loan period for interlibrary loans
A loan may not be able to be extended past its due date. Members should contact the Cairns Libraries to request their loan be extended.
If the extension cannot be approved, the member must return the item to Cairns Libraries by the original due date.
Returning interlibrary loans
All interlibrary loans are to be returned to Cairns Libraries. The item must be returned in the same condition it was borrowed which includes the return of the Cairns Libraries identification strap attached to the item.
The fees imposed by the lending libraries for lost or damaged items or returned late may be considerable. Members should return their interlibrary loan promptly, as they will be responsible for the payment of any fees incurred.
Special conditions for interlibrary loans
Some lending libraries place conditions on interlibrary loans
The most common condition is that an item is to be used within the Cairns Libraries branch and not borrowed by the member.
Where possible, members will be informed if any special conditions apply to their request.
Uncollected interlibrary loans
If, following the original notification, an interlibrary loan remains uncollected after the last date of collection, the item will be returned to the lending library without further notification.
Any uncollected interlibrary loan will retain the $4.00 administration fee. The fee will be allocated to the member record.
Unreturned, lost or damaged interlibrary loans
If a member fails to return, or loses or damages, an interlibrary loan, that member shall be responsible for paying any and all fees in full.
The requesting member shall be liable for any and all costs associated with unreturned, lost or damaged interlibrary loan.
Cairns Libraries may impose restrictions on members in the event of an unreturned, lost or damaged interlibrary loan.
Requested items not received after 6 months
Items which have been requested on interlibrary loan, but which have not been received 6 months after their request date will expire without notice.