Interlibrary loans allow you to requests items from outside a library system. They differ from regular holds in that Fort Bend County Libraries (FBCL) will be borrowing nationwide. You can read more about ILLs in my Brazoria County Library System post. FBCL expresses the rules a patron must follow before placing an ILL, including no fees exceeding $5.
You will find yourself placing an ILL when you want to read a particular title that FBCL does not carry. Your search results will yield no hits when you search the public access catalog:
In this case, you can request FBCL to borrow from outside its library system. Below is the three-step process for placing an ILL through FBCL.
STEP 1: Check WorldCat for Title Availability
Searching the world’s largest library catalog will give you an idea if your title is within driving distance at a library near you. It also will give you an idea if your ILL will take the “up to three weeks” for the request to be fulfilled.
This title is available at the Pasadena Public Library system. I could then search their public access catalog to verify the copy is checked in, call and place on a temporary hold, or regular hold, and pick it up there.
If I choose not to drive to a nearby location, this tells me that my ILL request is likely to be fulfilled since 12 libraries carry the title nationwide. You will be surprised to find that sometimes ILLs do not come from the nearest locations listed on WorldCat!
STEP 2: From the Home Page, Click on the ILL Submission Link
Under the “How Do I…” tab, click on “request an ILL” link.
STEP 2: Fill Out Form
Make sure you include as much information you know as possible. You can always search for the ISBN on Amazon.
Your ILL request has been sent to library staff! The status should appear under your “holds” link in your patron account.
Placing Interlibrary Loans through Harris County Public Library.
Placing an ILL through the Houston Public Library follows similar steps to the Brazoria County Library System:
Search for the title in the regular catalog–> Click “interlibrary loan” link at the no hits page
You will log into the Texas Group/WorldCat catalog:
Once you click Request Item, you will have to log in again. And place your final request. You can select your HPL pickup location and even a date you would not want the title.
Your request will likely show under your holds link in your patron account.
Biblioterika 