How to Find & Obtain Items Not in Our Catalog
from Other Libraries via Interloan

What Is An Interloan, and How Does Interloan Work for Me?

The Farmington Community Library (FCL) participates in Interlibrary Loan (Interloan) services with other libraries in Michigan and around the country as both a borrower and lender of materials.

Through this service, patrons of the Farmington Community Library can access library materials not owned by the Farmington Community Library from across the United States.

How Much Does Interloan Cost?

The Farmington Community Library tries to cover all interloan costs incurred (i.e. postage, borrowing fees) so that services are provided at no cost to our patrons. However, extreme expenses may necessitate the patron covering a portion of the costs. The ILL Department will always contact you before placing a request if this is the case. If you request a book and decide you no longer need it, please call the Interlibrary Loan Department at (248) 553•0300, ext. 343. It is possible we can cancel the request before costs are incurred.

If interloaned materials are returned late, there is a $.25 a day overdue fine.

Any charges due to damages or loss will be determined by the lender and applied to the patron's account. These fees are non-negotiable.

Who Can Use Interloan?

Farmington Community Library Interloan requests can be placed by patrons who live, work, or go to school in Farmington / Farmington Hills who have permanent Library accounts in good standing. Being in good standing includes, but is not limited to:

No overdue interloaned materials,
Fines below $15, and
Your patron information is current.

Interloans may not be requested using temporary Library cards.

Responsibilities of Borrowers

Borrowers are responsible first and foremost for the care and safe handling of the materials borrowed on their behalf. Patrons are also responsible for:

Returning the borrowed materials to the Circulation Desk where it was checked out on or before the due date.
Promptly paying late, damaged, processing or replacement reimbursement fees incurred while the materials are in their possession. No refunds will be made for lost and paid ILLs that are subsequently found and returned.

Interlibrary Loan is dependent upon the generosity and goodwill of the participating libraries. Please be careful with their property and return it on time to keep the system working.

What Can Be Interloaned?

We will request print and media titles published more than 6 months ago that we do not own. If FCL owns the material but it is checked out, a hold will be placed for you on our copy.

You can also request that we consider purchasing a recently published item not found in our catalog.

Not all items are available through Interlibrary Loan. The lending libraries will decide in each case whether or not a particular item will be lent and for how long. Lenders occasionally offer to provide photocopies on items they are unwilling to lend. Lenders will also decide how you can use their material; for example restricting photocopying or allowing the item to be used at the Farmington Community Library only.

Most libraries will ordinarily not lend the following types of materials:

Newly-published items
Old, rare or valuable items
Reference or genealogical materials
Theses
Audio/visual (media), sound recordings, and feature films
Entire issues of periodicals
Material in high demand at the lending library
Curriculum material, including textbooks
Multi-volume sets

However, we will still try to borrow the item for you or get a copy.

Photocopies of articles are limited by copyright law. A library may only request up to 5 articles copied from a particular journal, if the articles have been published within the last 5 years.

How to Request an Interloan

You can request an Interloan in any of the following ways:

Via the Internet:

Do it yourself by Using our Online Catalog and following these instructions.
By filling out an online Interloan Request Form
Using E-mail
From our Home Page—select the topmost icon on the right column of Quick Links, and Chat with a Librarian.

By Phone:

Phone the Main Library at (248) 553•6880
Phone the Farmington Branch at (248) 553•0300 Ext. 216

Or, when in the Library, visit the Information Desk.

Check the Status of Your Request

Please contact the Interlibrary Loan Department at (248) 553•0300, ext. 343, or email us. Service will always be provided as quickly as possible, but please remember that delivery times are never guaranteed and can take several weeks.

Check-out Procedures

Interloan materials will be held at the Circulation Desk at the Farmington Community Library branch chosen by the patron.

Patrons will have 5 days to pick up the requests. Items not picked up within 5 days will be returned to the lender.

Since Interloans are lent through the generosity of other libraries, it is essential that the responsibility for these items be absolutely clear. Therefore, Interlibrary Loan materials can only be checked out and signed for on the account under which it was requested.

3 Interloans requested and not picked up will result in a 3 MONTH NO-INTERLOAN PERIOD.

Loan Periods

Print materials can be checked out for 3 weeks and may have the option of 1 three-week renewal.

Non-print media can be checked out for 1 week but cannot be renewed.

Materials can also be recalled by the lender and may need to be returned before the due date originally given.

Renewals

Please request renewals 2-3 days in advance of the due date using one of the following:

Main Library (248) 553•6880
Farmington Branch (248) 553•0300 Ext. 216
From our Home Page—select the topmost icon on the right column of Quick Links, and Chat with a Librarian.
Via e-Mail
When in the Library, visit the Information Desk.

Other important renewal information:

We cannot request renewals for items that are already overdue.
Renewals and due dates are at the discretion of the lender and cannot be guaranteed.
Print interloaned material may have the option of a single three-week renewal.
Non-print media cannot be renewed.
If the lender denies the renewal, the patron will be contacted and expected to return the material within 2 days
Three interloans returned late will result in a 3 MONTH NO-INTERLOAN PERIOD.

Where Do I Return Interloans When I Am Finished with Them?

All ILLs must be returned to the Circulation Desk where they were checked out. Do not return them on the book chute or in the drop box. Drop-offs at other libraries are not allowed.

Returned item(s) must be signed in by the person returning the item(s).

Do not remove any of the paperwork or stickers on the material.

Three Interloans returned with damaged/missing paperwork, or not returned to the Circulation Desk where checked out, will result in a 3 MONTH NO-INTERLOAN PERIOD.