- Why is Contra Costa County Library discontinuing fee-based Interlibrary Loan service?
- Why is LINK+ a better alternative for interlibrary loan?
- Does this mean I must return the interlibrary loan books I currently have checked out loan by June 13?
- How will the library handle fines and lost book fees for interlibrary loan items?
- How do I return interlibrary loan items that I have out on loan?
- What will happen to the requests I have already placed or will place before the deadline?
- Who do I contact, if I have questions about the status of an interlibrary loan request?
- If an item is not available through LINK+, is there another resource I can use to acquire an item through the library?
1: Why is Contra Costa County Library discontinuing fee-based Interlibrary Loan services?
Fee-based interlibrary loan (ILL) service is being replaced by a free, self-service model called LINK+. ILL service has traditionally served a very small number of Contra Costa County Library patrons, it has a slow turn-around time of 4-6 weeks, and patrons are required to visit a library in order to submit their request. Lending libraries often assess substantial fees to our patrons for each request, and this, along with the $5.00 per request fee charged by our library is a barrier to access for many library patrons. Traditional ILL requires individual processing and monitoring of each request by library staff and is a very labor intensive process. The cost of this service cannot be justified given the small number of patrons being served, and at a time when the library is facing serious budget constraints.
2: Why is LINK+ a better alternative for interlibrary loan?
LINK+ is able to provide a more efficient form of interlibrary loan service to our patrons. The LINK+ catalog includes holdings from both academic and public libraries. Patrons may search the LINK+ catalog from their home or office and place the request online. Requesting items is free for all library patrons. Items may be borrowed from other library systems and delivered to the community library of your choice. Automated processes route the requests to potential lending libraries while automatically monitoring the status of the request. Patrons are able to monitor the progress of their request through a web interface. Most items arrive in about a week, and may be checked out for 3 weeks. Patrons can request renewals through an online interface, for an additional 2 weeks. Items generally arrive in 4 -10 days.
3: Does this mean I must return the interlibrary loan books I currently have checked out loan by June 13?
Patrons may keep the interlibrary loan items they currently have on loan until the stated due date, even if that date extends beyond June 13, 2009.
4: How will the library handle fines and lost book fees for interlibrary loan items?
Patrons will still be responsible for any fines or fees associated with interlibrary loan items. There will be no change in the way these are handled.
5: How do I return interlibrary loan items that I have out on loan?
Please return any interlibrary loan materials that you already have out on loan to your nearest community library.
6: What will happen to the requests I have already placed or will place before the deadline?
The Interlibrary Loan staff will follow through on any interlibrary loan requests placed before June 13, 2009. Patrons will be notified when the requested item arrives. If the request cannot be filled, patrons will be notified.
7: Who do I contact, if I have questions about the status of an interlibrary loan request?
Submit your question through Contact Us on the library web site.
8: If an item is not available through LINK+, is there another resource I can use to acquire an item through the library?
The best place to start is with our library staff, as they may be able to get the information you need through an alternate resource. Many newspaper and journal articles are now available online, but you should check to see if there are any fees before requesting these. There are also many Bay Area libraries, both public and academic, who continue to offer traditional interlibrary loan services. Many of these libraries will allow residents of California to apply for a library card, which may include access to interlibrary loan services.