ILL Policy

In the interest of providing quality service, libraries have an obligation to obtain material to meet the informational needs of users when local resources do not meet those needs. Interlibrary loan (ILL), a mechanism for obtaining material is essential to the vitality of all libraries.  ILL is the process by which a library requests material from, or supplies material to, another library. 

Borrowing Policy

Any patron who is in good standing with the Slaton City Library is eligible for interlibrary loan services.  No age restrictions apply; children as well as adults can request materials.  The Slaton City Library’s existing user confidentiality policy applies also to ILL requests.  Due to daily volume of requests, individual patrons are restricted to a total of 5 requests per day.

Interlibrary loan is mainly for printed materials, such as books. Current-year books, rare books, genealogy books, reference books, bestsellers, and inexpensive paperbacks may be requested but are often not available through interlibrary loan.

Requests are handled within 24 hours (excluding weekends).  Most materials will take an average of 2 to 3 weeks to arrive.  Sometimes materials are received in as little as a few days and at times it can take over a month.  The loan period for the item is determined by the lending library.  The lending library also determines whether an item can be renewed or not and for how long.

Patrons are responsible for payment of return postage ($3.00)

According to Interlibrary Loan Code for the United States from ALA, the borrowing library is responsible for a material from the time it leaves the lending library until it is back on the shelves at the lending library.  If the post office loses the material, then the borrowing library is still responsible and will have to pay for the loss.  If the patron loses the materials, then the patron will have to pay for the material including any additional fees imposed by the lending library.

Lending Policy

The Slaton City Library lends materials according to the Interlibrary Loan Code for the United States.  We are a free lender. 

The checkout period for ILL is three (3) weeks with one three-week renewal.  ILL materials are subject to recall at the discretion of the Slaton City Library.

The Slaton City Library lends the following types of materials: 

            Books – except Bestsellers or items added to the collection in the last 6 months

            Audiovisual – except items added to the collection in the last 6 months.

The Slaton City Library doesn’t lend the following types of materials:

            Microfilm

            Genealogy

            Local History