REGIONAL INTERLIBRARY LOAN CODE FOR THE MID-HUDSON / RAMAPO-CATSKILL / SOUTHEASTERN REGION

This code, an agreement among participating libraries of the regional systems, governs interlibrary loan (ILL) among libraries in the regional systems. This code also governs ILL services provided to the region by the Southeastern New York Library Resources Council (SENYLRC). The regional systems include the public libraries in two public library systems, school libraries in five school library systems and academic/special libraries in SENYLRC. These regional systems are the following:

• Dutchess BOCES School Library System
• Mid-Hudson Library System
• Orange-Ulster BOCES School Library System
• Ramapo Catskill Library System
• Rockland BOCES School Library System
• Southeastern New York Library Resources Council
• Sullivan BOCES School Library System
• Ulster BOCES School Library System

Resource sharing is essential to the vitality of libraries of all types and sizes as a means of greatly expanding the range of materials available to users. Sharing of materials between libraries is in the public interest and should be encouraged.

In the interest of providing quality service, libraries have an obligation to obtain material to meet the informational needs of their users. When local resources are not available, resource sharing serves to meet those needs. Resource sharing should serve as an adjunct to collection development.

Currently three forms of resource sharing exist in the southeastern region:

Interlibrary Loan (ILL) is the service in which one library acts as an agent for an individual patron to initiate, mediate, and arrange for the loan of material or supply of photocopies from another library.
Direct Consortial Borrowing (DCB) is a second service that enables a patron to search a public access catalog /shared circulation system and initiate and place a request for materials without library staff intervention.
Direct Access (Universal Borrowing) is a third service in which a patron "physically" visits another library other than the home library and borrows materials.

This code governs interlibrary loan service as defined above. It does not apply at this time to direct consortial borrowing or direct access (universal borrowing).

Local policies for direct consortial borrowing and universal borrowing services are determined by individual libraries, often in consultation with regional systems. Each library should publicize and maintain policies for these services, even if the policy states that the library does not currently support one or both of the services.

This code establishes principles to facilitate the requesting of material by a library and the provision of loans or copies in response to those requests. In this code, "material" includes books, audiovisual materials, and other returnable items as well as copies of journal articles, book chapters, excerpts, and other non-returnable items.

Electronic interlibrary loan systems, new technologies and emerging standards may move mediated interlibrary loan into the realm of direct consortial borrowing.

The effectiveness of interlibrary loan within the southeastern region depends upon participation of libraries of all types and sizes.

Interlibrary loan is intended to complement local collections, which should include the material that meets the routine needs of their primary users. A written collection development policy should exist in each library. Interlibrary loan is based on a tradition of sharing resources between various types and sizes of libraries and rests on the belief that no library, no matter how large or well supported, is self-sufficient. It is also evident that some libraries are net lenders and others are net borrowers, but the system of interlibrary loan still rests on the belief that all libraries should be willing to lend if they are willing to borrow. A. Interlibrary loan is a reciprocal relationship and libraries should be willing to supply materials as freely as they request materials.

B. Each library should have a written published policy in place to address the three variant forms of borrowing as defined in the introduction to the code.

C. The borrower should be informed that libraries will not ordinarily lend the following types of materials:

• Rare or valuable material, including manuscripts
• Bulky or fragile items
• Material in high demand at the supplying library
• Material restricted to use by local patrons
• Material intended for multiple users or reserve room
• Electronic material with licensing restrictions

D. Member libraries in the regional systems will not charge other libraries in the region for loans or for photocopies of 50 pages or less.

E. Material may be requested from another library in accordance with the lending policy of that library and the procedures agreed upon with the region. The placement of interlibrary loan requests in electronic format is preferred to be used when libraries have that capability.

F. Interlibrary loan transactions are confidential. Interlibrary loan personnel are encouraged to be aware of state confidentiality laws and rules as they relate to interlibrary loan transactions (New York State Civil Practice Laws and Rules (CPLR) §4509 + annotations). The sharing of the user's name between requesting and supplying library is not, of itself, a violation of confidentiality. Interlibrary loan staff should adhere to the American Library Association's (ALA) Code of Ethics (http://www.ala.org/ala/oif/statementspols/codeofethics/codeethics.htm, specifically principle III), that states: "We protect each library user's right to privacy and confidentiality with respect to information sought or received and resources consulted, borrowed, acquired or transmitted."

A. Requesting libraries must make every effort to use their own resources including direct consortial borrowing before initiating interlibrary loan requests.

B. It is the responsibility of the requesting library to determine a patron's eligibility for interlibrary loan service.

C. It is the responsibility of the requesting library to determine the practicality of the patron's request in relation to the type of material being requested and inform the patron of the probability of obtaining the item.

D. To enable load leveling and to ease the burden of lending on other libraries in the region, member libraries must borrow from other libraries in their system first before sending requests to their system headquarters or sending requests to libraries in other regional systems.

E. A requesting library bears full responsibility for the safety of the borrowed item from the time the material leaves the lending library until it is received back at the lending library. This includes the time the materials are in transit. Material being returned should be packaged to prevent loss or damage in shipping.

F. The requesting library is required to include whatever data providesthe best indication of the desired material, whether a string of numbers or an extensive bibliographic citation. It is important that the description be complete and exact enough to avoid unnecessary work on the part of the supplier and frustration on the part of the unrequited user. A good bibliographic description is the best assurance that the user will receive the item requested.

G. Requesting libraries should use all resources at their disposal to determine ownership of a particular title before sending a request to a potential supplier.

H. Requesting libraries should take care to avoid concentrating the burden of requests on a few libraries and this may be accomplished by building in prioritization and randomization settings in electronic systems.

I. For copy requests, the requesting library must comply with the U.S. copyright law Title 17, U.S. Code (http://www.loc.gov/copyright/title17) and the Guidelines for the Proviso of Subsection 108(g)(2) (http://www.cni.org/docs/infopols/CONTU.html) as prepared by the National Commission on New Technological Uses of Copyright Works (CONTU).

A. The decision to loan materials is at the discretion of the supplying library.

B. The supplying library should process requests in a timely manner. The needs of the requesting library and/or the requirements of the electronic network or transmission system being used should be taken into account when a request is being processed. If unable to fill a request, the supplying library should respond promptly and should state the reason the request cannot be filled.

C. The supplying library should provide as a part of any loan the material's due date (the due date is defined as the date the material is due to be checked-in at the supplying library); an indication of any restrictions pertinent to the loaned material; and instructions regarding any special requirements for packaging and shipping.

D. When filling requests, the supplying library should send sufficient information with each item to identify the request.

E. Loaned material should be packaged to prevent loss or damage in shipping. Copies should be delivered by electronic means whenever possible.

F. The supplying library should send material in a timely and efficient manner to the location specified by the requesting library.

G. The supplying library should respond promptly to requests for renewals. If the supplying library does not respond, the requesting library may assume that a renewal has been granted extending the due date by the same length of time as the original loan.

H. The supplying library may recall material at any time.

A. The regional systems should promote intersystem and interlibrary cooperation.

B. The regional systems should consult with member libraries in order to produce codes, manuals, directories, and policies to oversee resource sharing and interlibrary loan. The Regional Interlibrary Loan Committee (RIC) provides this oversight.

C. The regional systems should place requests on behalf of members after these libraries have searched all available resources as specified in the regional interlibrary loan procedures.

D. The regional systems should provide training and education for member library staff on interlibrary loan and its related issues.

E. The regional systems should facilitate in the collection of statistical information on interlibrary loan. Major statistical studies should be the responsibility of the regional systems.

F. When requested, the regional systems should provide clarification and interpretation of the Regional Interlibrary Loan Code and Regional Interlibrary Loan Procedures.

G. The regional systems should investigate and implement efficient and cost-effective delivery systems, which shall be self reviewed by that system on a regular basis.

A. If interlibrary loan requests are not successfully filled through interlibrary loan placement to libraries outside the region, either directly or by the regional system on behalf of their member library, the Southeastern New York Library Resources Council will refer such requests to the larger community of libraries in the country.

B. It is the responsibility of the Southeastern New York Library Resources Council to maintain the virtual union catalog of libraries in the region, as well as to coordinate the electronic interlibrary loan management system for the region.

A. All participating libraries of the regional systems are responsiblefor adhering to the provisions of this code and the accompanying procedures in good faith.

B. A library may refuse interlibrary loan privileges to any library in the region, which has not agreed to abide by this code or consistently violates the provisions of this code.

C. A supplying library should not suspend service without first attempting to resolve the problem with the requesting library.

D. When problems cannot be resolved, assistance is available from the regional systems.

This code will be reviewed annually by the Regional Interlibrary Loan Committee (RIC).

Recommended by the Regional Interlibrary Loan Committee, March 14, 2002
Revised by the Regional Interlibrary Loan Committee, March 12, 2003

System Approval:	Date:
Dutchess School Library System	May 9, 2002
Mid-Hudson Library System	September 18, 2003
Orange-Ulster School Library System	October 2, 2002
Ramapo Catskill Library System	December 15, 2003
Rockland School Library System	August 16, 2002
Southeastern NY Library Resources Council	March 18, 2004
Sullivan School Library System	April 24, 2002
Ulster School Library System	May 20, 2002