Interlibrary Loan

Madison County Public Library

Interlibrary Loan Policy (22) 

Overview

Interlibrary loan (ILL) allows Madison County Public Library customers to borrow materials from other libraries. ILL requests are for items the library does not own, and are not within purchasing standards set forth by the library’s collection development policy. Items owned by MCPL that are assumed lost, missing, or long overdue may be considered for ILL.

Borrowing

Customers with a valid Madison County Public Library card and in good standing may utilize  interlibrary loan. An account in good standing is free of any lost items, assumed lost charges, or maximum fines. Lost items and associated charges must be resolved prior to interlibrary loan borrowing. 

The library will request items that are more than 9 months old. Customers can request that the library purchase newly published items. Ebooks, textbooks, entire issues of magazines, and items held outside the U.S. cannot be borrowed through ILL. Customers may have no more than 10 ILL requests in process at any given time. 

Checkout Periods

Checkout periods will be determined by the lending library. As delivery time for ILL items is indeterminable, customers should allow for a minimum of two weeks per request. 

Once the requested ILL is received by MCPL, the item will be placed on hold for 10 days. ILLs may be picked up or returned to either MCPL location. Customers who do not pick up ILLs within the 10 day period will incur a $3.00 processing charge.

Renewals

Lending libraries may approve one renewal request per item. Those wishing to renew an ILL should contact the ILL department at (859) 623-6704 ext. 105 or by emailing ill@madisonlibrary.org at least three days in advance of the due date. Borrowers will be notified if renewal requests are denied. 

Associated Charges

MCPL attempts to borrow from libraries that loan free of charge, however some items may only be available from lenders who charge ILL fees. Customers are responsible for any charges made by the lending library. The library will notify customers of any charges before the materials are ordered.

Any fines or replacement costs for lost or damaged materials assessed by the lending library are the responsibility of the customer. MCPL charges an ILL overdue fine of 50 cents per item per day, with a maximum fine of $5.00.

Lost or Damaged ILLs

Removal of the library’s ILL labels or lending library paperwork could result in a lost or damaged item charge. The library may deny ILL borrowing privileges to anyone who damages or consistently loses ILLs, or disregards borrowing restrictions imposed by lending libraries. 

ILL items not returned after 60 days will be assumed to be lost. Customers will be charged $45 for each lost ILL, and will be responsible for reimbursing any associated fees incurred by MCPL. Any lost charges paid to the lending library by MCPL cannot be negated by returning the item.

Loaning to Other Libraries

MCPL will loan materials, regardless of format and free of charge, to other members of the OCLC consortium.  Replacement costs may be charged for items that are not returned in a timely manner or are damaged. MCPL does not loan internationally.

Loan Periods

Library materials can be checked out for 8 weeks, with one renewal. Items found in the library’s Kentucky Room are not available for interlibrary loan. 

Lost Loans and Associated Charges

Materials not returned after 60 days will be assumed lost. The library will invoice borrowing institutions for the cost of any materials lost through interlibrary loan. Institutional borrowing privileges may be revoked if a borrower consistently damages or fails to replace lost material, or if restrictions placed on borrowed items are ignored. 

Copy Requests and Copyright

Customers can request copies of articles. Printed copies are 10 cents per page, and must also adhere to Copyright Law. 

The Copyright Law of the United States (title 17, United States Code) governs the making of photocopies or other reproductions of copyrighted material. Under certain conditions specified in the law, libraries and archives are authorized to furnish a photocopy or other reproduction. One of these specific conditions is that the photocopy or reproduction is not to be “used for any purpose other than private study, scholarship, or research.” If a user makes a request for, or later uses, a photocopy or reproduction for purposes in excess of “fair use,” that user may be liable for copyright infringement. This institution reserves the right to refuse to accept a copying order if, in its judgment, fulfillment of the order would involve violation of copyright law.