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Interlibrary Loan Policy

Procedures

Interlibrary Loan (ILL) service provides a way for PPLD to locate and share materials from libraries throughout the state of Colorado, United States, and Canada. Items are shared by adhering to guidelines, policies, and procedures that are established by the Interlibrary Loan Code for the United States.

  1. Borrowing

    Borrowed items are typically items that PPLD does not own and items that do not meet the purchasing criteria from patron requests. PPLD has a five-item limit on all active ILL requests and purchase requests. This number includes ILL items that are checked out and ILL/purchase requests in processing. Patrons search WorldCat-Discovery to find the entry for an item and then select “Request Item through Interlibrary Loan” to submit the ILL request. WorldCat-Discovery is a cloud-based application that helps patrons easily find resources available at their library and libraries worldwide through a single search.

    Request It combines interlibrary loan service and purchase requests into one service. Items published within the past two years will first be considered for purchase under PPLD's Collection Development Policy. If the item is not purchased by Collection Management, the request will be routed to ILL and they will attempt to fulfill the patron request, unless the item falls under the following caveats:

    • Items published/released within the current calendar year will not be requested through interlibrary loan. PPLD will not lend new materials and neither will other libraries.
    • PPLD does not borrow the following items: video games, electronic materials (such as eBooks/eAudios), book club sets, Playaway products, and hot spots. Entire issues of magazines and journals cannot be requested via ILL.

    • If PPLD owns an item that circulates but is currently checked out, the item will not be requested through ILL and the patron will be placed on hold.

      Lending libraries establish the amount of time that a patron can borrow the materials. Renewals are at the discretion of the lending library.

      Items borrowed through ILL may be recalled by the owning library at any time. If the item has been checked out and is recalled, then it must be returned to PPLD. Recalled items are not eligible for renewal and result in a shorter loan period.

      There is usually no charge to patrons for ILL service, however, while we try to obtain materials for free, some lending libraries do charge a fee. Patrons are notified of fees and must agree to accept responsibility for the charges before PPLD will proceed with the request. When there is a charge, the average cost ranges from $5-$25 (or higher since the borrowing fees are determined by the lender).

  2. Lending

    PPLD lends items from the collection to other libraries primarily in Colorado as well as the United States and Canada. Since ILL is a mutual relationship, PPLD is willing to supply materials as freely as we request materials.

    PPLD processes lending requests submitted by ILLiad, OCLC, or ALA Interlibrary Loan form submitted via email.

    PPLD does not lend, video games, electronic materials (such as eBooks and eAudios), book club sets, Playaway products, hot spots, reference books, or physical material located in Regional History and Genealogy. PPLD does not charge to lend materials within the United States. Canadian libraries are charged due to the high cost of postage. PPLD does not lend new items that have been pubilshed within the current calendar year to permit PPLD patrons the chance to browse these new items in PPLD's collection without having them out on interlibrary loan for a longer time period.

  3. Patron Responsibilities

    Patrons take full responsibility for the materials borrowed for them. If materials are lost or damaged, patrons will be billed at the rate set by the lending library.

    • Interlibrary loan service is not available if: proof of address is not provided, library account exceeds $10 balance, patron is using a temporary residence, or mailed notices are returned.
    • Patrons will pay agreed upon borrowing fee, if applicable.
    • Repeated failure to pick up ILL items or return items by the due date may result in the loss of ILL privileges for the remaining calendar year.
    • If a borrowed item is not returned, a fee of $100 will be assessed until the owning library sends an invoice for the replacement cost and the price will be adjusted. Replacement copies will not be accepted.

  4. More Information

    To find more about PPLD’s Interlibrary Loan service, review the Interlibrary loan FAQs or Interlibrary Loan/Request It webpage.
    Updated on January 22, 2026