What is Inter Library Loan (ILL)?

Inter Library Loans (or ILL for short) is a service that allows members of the Eleanor London Côte Saint-Luc Public Library to obtain books or articles that the library does not own.

Inter Library Loans is the process of sharing (lending/borrowing) materials between libraries.

What steps should I take before making an ILL request?

Make sure you membership is up-to-date, otherwise it will delay the time required to process your request.

Be very sure that you really need the item.

Check the library’s catalogue to make sure we do not own the book or article from a periodical that you need. If you are not sure how to do this, call the Reference Librarian. If the library owns the item that you need your request will be cancelled.

Who can partake of ILL?

This service is limited to adults that are members of the library. Children and young adults must have their parents make the request on their behalf.

Please make sure your membership is still valid and/or up-to-date before making an ILL request.

Patrons with outstanding fines on their records will not be allowed to use this service until they are paid.

How can I make a request for ILL material?:

1)Come visit us at the Reference Desk

2)Fill out one of our online electronic ILL forms:
Request A Book Online
Request An Article Online

3)Call the Library and ask to speak to the Reference Librarian (514-485-6900)

4)Send us an email (reference @ cotesaintluc.org)

What types of material can I receive through ILL?

• Books (not published during the current year)
• Photocopies of newspaper, magazine and journal articles
• Microfilms
• Government documents
• Conference proceedings

What Materials can I NOT receive through ILL?

• Material already owned by the library
• All audiovisual materials (ex: CDs, DVDs, videos, audiobooks, language kits
• Books published and/or copyrighted in the current year

What materials may not be available?

Other Libraries may choose not to send us the following materials:

• Non-circulating / reference materials.
• Best-sellers, popular paperbacks, and other high-demand titles.
• Magazines, except photocopies of specific articles.
• Pamphlets and other in-print materials priced under $10.00.
• Textbooks for academic courses.
• Genealogical material.
• Rare books.
• Oversized materials such as large maps.
• Unpublished dissertations and theses.
• Books published in multi-volume sets.

Do I Have to Pay?

Generally, there is no charge for this service. If the lending library does intend to charge a fee you would be contacted to see if you still want the book or the article. If so, all costs will be borne by the member. The CSL Library does not know what the fees will be in advance, as each library determines its own fees and costs.

What happens if I lose or damage a book borrowed through ILL?

Lost or damaged materials will be charged to the patron at the rate charged by the lending library. The charges depend entirely on each individual library. Any person refusing to pay for a lost or damaged item will have their ILL privileges suspended.

How long does it take to receive items through ILL?

Although the length of time varies, the average wait time is approximately 2 - 4 weeks. The time depends upon several factors such as the availability of the materials, shipping and transit time. Materials sent from other provinces will take longer. Some libraries also suspend their ILL service during holidays.

The loan period is 3 weeks. Materials can be renewed unless stated otherwise by the lending library.

While in most cases the patron is free to take the material home with him/her for the 3 weeks, the lending library may state that the material can only be used in the library (this usually applies to fragile or rare items and such things like microfilm).

Is there a limit on Interlibrary Loan requests?

You can have 2 active requests at one time.

How do I know when the item I’ve requested has arrived?

The Reference Librarian will call you to notify you that your item is ready to be picked up. You will also be notified if we cannot obtain an item for you.

Where do I get my ILL book once it has arrived at the library?

ALL material borrowed through ILL is to be picked up and returned at the Reference Desk. An ILL item should never be returned in the book drop-off chute or simply dumped at a service counter. When you are returning an ILL always hand it to a library employee.

Why can’t you get what I’ve requested?

The main reason is that we are not able to find an accessible library within the country that will lend us the item. Not all libraries within the country participate in the ILL service, and of those that do some may stipulate that certain books are not available for loan.