How to Place an ILL Request (WorldCat)
Are you looking for a book that is hard to find, or out of print and not in Seymour Library’s collection? Did you know there are other ways to search and request books? The Finger Lakes Library System offers an alternative to requesting the books you need when they aren’t on our shelves.
We call it an ILL, short for Inter-Library Loan, or you may see it refered to as a WorldCat (Out of System Inter-Library Loan). Searching with WorldCat is an option for when no one in the Finger Lakes network of libraries has the book you’re looking for, so we look for your requested item in other systems and libraries.
How do I reserve a book through an Inter-Library Loan?
You can reserve a limited selection of materials via the WorldCat (Out of System Inter-Library Loan). See the image below to help you navigate a search outside of the Finger Lakes Library System.
As you will see, searching for a specific title in the FLLS does not yield any results. You will see that no matches were found, and there is a link that states Click here to search WorldCat. Ideally, you will get results from a WorldCat search.
Go ahead and click place hold.
The next screen will allow you to place the request and the library where you would like to pick up your materials, then click submit request.
Since this is from a library outside of the FLLS, the loan will be slightly different. Sometimes, these kinds of requests will also cost some money, if that is the case we will contact you and try to work out an arrangement. Go ahead and click continue.
That is it, you will be notified when the item is available for pick-up!
When visit us to pick up your ILL request, please note that ILL loan materials are kept behind our main desk, and staff needs to do a special checkout for you. The dates will be predetermined by the library lending out the items, so it may only be a two-week loan period without any renewals, and every library is different. There are also late fees — they are typically $1 a day, so if you reserve a book this way, please be mindful of this policy.
Additional FAQs
Why is there a yellow band around the cover of my book?
The yellow band is to indicate to staff that the item you have borrowed is an Interlibrary Loan, and there is a special process for checking the book in and out. This band includes all the necessary details on the loan – including the name of the lending library, the due date, etc.
Why is my loan kept behind the desk?
Since ILL loans are different and the checkout process has additional steps, it is easier for our staff to oversee every step of an ILL, this is to ensure these materials are not misplaced or improperly checked out.
Can I drop the ILL in the book drop?
Yes, you certainly can!
What happens if I fail to return the item on time?
We understand that sometimes an item is not returned on time. Although Seymour Library is a fine-free library this policy only pertains to items in our collection. Since an Interlibrary Loan is a partnership with another library not within the Finger Lakes Library System, their policies are most likely different, and another library’s fees/fines or charges are not something that we can override.
Please contact us immediately if you are unable to return an item on time. For example, you left on vacation and forgot to return your ILL before you left the state. We can try to contact the lending library to see what can be done.