Interlibrary Loan (ILL) is the process by which a library requests materials from, or supplies to, another library.

The purpose of ILL as defined by this policy is to obtain, upon request of a library user in good standing, materials not available in the user's local library.

ILL is a mutual relationship and libraries should be willing to lend materials as freely as they borrow materials.

Any circulating materials may be borrowed from another library. The lending library determines whether the material can be provided.

The borrowing library should process requests in a timely fashion (as soon as possible).

The borrowing libraries will include all the school districts in Putnam County, and the Putnam County District Library.

The borrowing library should transmit all ILL by way of e-mail, phone or ILL book loan request form.

The borrower assumes all responsibility for items borrowed and is expected to pay any overdue, damage, or replacement fees assessed by the lending library. If the borrower fails to meet his/her responsibilities, then the requesting library will become responsible for compensation or replacement.

The checkout times and renewals will be determined by mutual agreement of both the borrowing and lending libraries.

The pickup and delivery of all materials being loaned will be determined by both the borrowing and lending libraries.

The lending library should process requests in a timely fashion (as soon as possible).

The lending library should include a copy of the original request form with each item. This form should include a place for the borrowing patron's signature. It will serve as a reminder for the requesting library.

The lending library should notify the requesting library promptly when unable to fill a request, and if possible, state the reason the request cannot be filled.

The lending library may recall materials at any time.

The lending library may suspend service to any requesting library which fails to comply with these provisions.

Putnam County District Public Library (PCDL) patrons will access the collections of the Putnam County School Libraries via the school libraries' Internet-accessible catalogs. Patrons of the school libraries in Putnam County may access the collection of the PCDL by means of the public library's Internet-accessible catalog.

An interlibrary loan staff member at the PCDL will place requests with the school libraries. School librarians will contact a designated interlibrary loan staff member at the PCDL to place an interlibrary loan request with the Putnam County District Library.

As stated in the interlibrary loan policy, requests may be transmitted "by way of e-mail, phone, or ILL book loan request form". E-mail requests and phone requests should be directed towards a designated interlibrary loan staff member at the PCDL or the school librarian. E-mail requests should contain all of the information found on the print "Putnam County Schools Book Request form." The person at the lending library receiving a request over the phone should put all of the pertinent information on a "Putnam County Schools Book Request form." Request forms may also be sent via fax.

If the requested item is a periodical article, the article may be faxed from the lending library to the receiving library.

Items borrowed from the Putnam County District Library will be loaned to the borrowing library for six (6) weeks, with the exception of videos, which will be loaned for two (2) weeks. The borrowing library may request up to five (5) books on a subject per month per school library location.

Items requested from the PCDL will be sent to the borrowing school library through the U.S. mail. The original request form will be transmitted with the item to be kept by the receiving librarian and returned with the item at the end of the loan period. The school libraries will deliver requested items to the main branch of the Putnam County District Library via a designated courier. If a requested item is to go to PCDL branch, the main library will send it to the appropriate location.

The PCDL will return borrowed items to the school libraries using the U.S. mail. If an item was borrowed for a patron at a PCDL branch, the item will first be sent back to the main library for record-keeping purposes and returned to the lending library via the U.S. mail. The school libraries will return borrowed items to the PCDL via a designated courier. Returned materials should include a copy of the original request form for record-keeping purposes. Couriers returning items should inform the PCDL circulation staff that the materials had been on school interlibrary loans.