Interlibrary Loan Policy

If you already know what to do, go to the Texas Group Catalog and place your request! If you are new to Interlibrary Loan, read the following policy and instructions. Staff is always happy to help with any questions you may have or happy to walk you through the process.

Interlibrary Loan

Introduction

Schertz Public Library participates in the Texas State Library and Archives Commission (TSLAC) interlibrary loan program. Through this program, Texas public libraries have access to state and national resource sharing networks, allowing library users to access materials that may not be available at their local libraries. This policy is in alignment with the policies established in the Texas Interlibrary Loan Protocol, the Interlibrary Loan Code for the United States, and U.S. Copyright Law. 

An interlibrary loan (ILL) is a transaction in which library material, or a copy of the material, is made available by one library to another upon request. The purpose of the program is to provide library users with wider access to materials by borrowing items not available at the Schertz Public Library. In turn, the Library lends materials found at the Schertz Public Library to other participating libraries across Texas and the United States. 

ILL service 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. Lending between libraries is in the public interest and should be encouraged. ILL service is considered a tool to enhance access to materials, not a substitute for developing a library’s own collection. 

Borrowing Items from Other Libraries

ILL service is transacted only from library to library, meaning individual library users cannot directly request items from another library. Schertz Public Library places requests and receives and returns items on behalf of the customer.

ILL service is offered to all registered borrowers in good standing of the Schertz Public Library. Individuals registered at libraries other than Schertz Public Library should make their ILL requests through those libraries.

Any item may be requested from another library, but the lending library will decide in each case whether a particular request can be provided. Most libraries will not ordinarily lend the following types of materials:

• Newly published material or material in high demand at the lending library
• Old, rare or valuable material 
• Reference, Texana or genealogical material 
• DVDs and other types of visual recordings
• CDs and other types of sound recordings
• Entire issues of magazines or journals
• Scripts, screen plays, libretti, and scores 
• Multi-volume sets of books
• Specialty items such as board games, video games, kits, etc.

In addition, Schertz Public Library will not facilitate requests for:

• Material owned by the Schertz Public Library and temporarily in use 
• Multiple copies of a title for class or other group use 
• Titles not yet published  
• eBooks or eAudiobooks 

The Copyright Law of the United States (Title 17, United States Code) governs the making of photocopies or other reproductions of copyrighted material. Under certain conditions specified in the law, libraries and archives are authorized to furnish a photocopy or other reproduction. One of these specified conditions is that the photocopy or reproduction is not to be “used for any purpose other than private study, scholarship, or research.” If a user makes a request for, or later use, a photocopy or reproduction for purposes in excess of “fair use,” that user may be liable for copyright infringement. 

Most materials borrowed or copied through ILL are copyrighted. Compliance with copyright law is the responsibility of the requester. Schertz Public Library reserves the right to refuse to accept a request for photocopies or scanned materials if, in its judgement, fulfillment of the request would involve violation of copyright law.

The preferred method of requesting and processing materials is to place online requests to members of the Texas Group Catalog using TSLAC’s current interlibrary loan software. Once a request is made by the library user, staff will review and then release the request to the group. The software will first try to fill the request by querying group member libraries. If no libraries in the group are able to fill the request, the request moves to a “retry” status, at which point staff will reevaluate the request for re-submission to the Group Catalog or move it to WorldCat Resource Sharing to be filled by out-of-state libraries. Schertz Public Library does not control which library sends items as that is managed by the software and dependent on the response of the other libraries. In addition to the online method, ILL requests can be made to the Schertz Public Library in person, by telephone, or by email.

Items are usually delivered by courier or by mail, and the speed of delivery is dependent on the lending library and the workflow of the USPS or courier company. The average fulfillment time is 2-3 weeks. Items are kept at the Circulation Desk for seven (7) days after the borrowing patron is notified about arrival. Materials that are not picked up within that timeframe will be returned to the lending library at the patron’s expense.

ILL items may be borrowed from the Schertz Public Library for three (3) weeks and may not be renewed except at the discretion of the lending library. The lending library may also impose restrictions such as “in library use” or “no renewals.” If additional time is needed to use the material, the borrower should contact the Schertz Public Library prior to the due date so ILL staff can request additional time from the lending library. The lending library grants permission for renewals, not the Schertz Public Library staff. The Library cannot request renewals for items that are already overdue. 

The patron’s preferred notification method will be used to communicate information concerning the arrival and readiness for pick-up of ILLs. Patrons also can log into their online ILL accounts and check the status of their requests at any time. 

ILL service will be suspended for those whose accounts are not in good standing, for those who repeatedly fail to pick up requested ILL materials, or for those who repeatedly fail to return materials in a timely fashion. 

To request items online, patrons should follow these instructions:

1. Log in to the Texas Group Catalog with your library card number and PIN.
2. Search for item in the catalog using the basic default search or the advanced search.
3. Narrow initial search results by using the options on the left side of screen.
4. Decide on a specific record, then click on the title. A narrowed search result will appear.
5. Click on the title again.
6. Click on Request This Item on the left side of screen.
7. Verify information on the request form.
8. Click Submit, then click OK to finalize the request.

To ensure the best possible outcome, requests should contain as much identifying information as possible, including author, title, publication information, and ISBN or ISSN. Format, edition, or volume information are important if the request is for a specific item and should be verified when placing the request. Requests for magazine or journal articles should include page numbers if known. A “need by” date should be indicated, if applicable, and whether copies from a non-circulating copy of the requested materials are acceptable if no circulating copy can be borrowed. Subject requests can also be made if searches do not yield results. A thorough description of the type of information needed is required for a subject request.

Customers may have no more than (seven) 7 ILL items in-process at any one time. This includes items requested, in transit or checked out. This limit allows ILL staff to provide timely service to all interlibrary loan users.

ILL requests can be cancelled via the requesting patron’s online account, but the patron will still need to either call the library at 210-619-1700 or email illstaff@schertz.com so the request can be stopped. The cancellation is not guaranteed until the patron is contacted by a staff member with confirmation of the cancellation. If the item is cancelled while already in transit, a return postage fee will be applied to the requester’s account.

There is a return postage fee for any unclaimed item. The postage fee will be applied to the requester’s account if the item is not picked up after notification. The fee is also applied if a request is cancelled by the patron while the item is already in transit from the lending library. Postage fees are set each year during the budget process.

The lending library may charge a lending fee, or fees such as insurance, photocopying, postage or shipping, microfilm rental, and handling costs. Requesting patrons are responsible for any such costs incurred and will have the opportunity to decline borrowing an item based on such costs. 

If items are lost or damaged while checked out to the requesting patron, payment for those items is the responsibility of that patron. Charges for lost or damaged items are determined by the lending library so the payment amount cannot be determined until the lending library has been notified and responded with the cost. No refunds will be made for lost and paid ILL materials that are subsequently found.   

Lending Items to Other Libraries

The Schertz Public Library participates in TSLAC’s ILL program as a lender as well as a borrower. Any of the Library’s items can be requested by another library, but Schertz Public Library reserves the right to decide in each case whether a particular item can be provided. The Library does not lend the following:

• Newly published material or other material in high demand at Schertz Public Library
• Old, rare or valuable material 
• Reference, Texana and genealogical material including microfiche and microfilm 
• Entire issues of magazines or journals
• Multi-volume sets of books
• Multiple copies of a title for class or other group use 
• Titles not yet published 
• eBooks or eAudiobooks
• Specialty items such as board games, video games, kits, etc. 

Borrowing libraries may keep requested items for a period of 8 weeks. Renewal of any item is at the discretion of the Schertz Public Library. The Schertz Public Library also reserves the right to state whether materials are for “in-library use only.” Requesting libraries are responsible for complying with U.S. copyright law when requesting photocopied or scanned material.

The preferred method of requesting and processing materials is to place online requests to the Texas Group Catalog using TSLAC’s current interlibrary loan software. ILL requests can also be accepted from other libraries by email, telephone, or mail.

Requests should contain as much identifying information as possible, including author, title, publication information, and ISBN or ISSN. Format, edition, or volume information are important if the request is for a specific item. This information, along with principal performer information, is particularly helpful for media requests. Requests for magazine or journal articles should include page numbers if known. A “need by” date should be indicated, if applicable, and whether copies from a non-circulating copy of the requested materials are acceptable if no circulating copy can be borrowed. For subject requests, a thorough description of the type of information needed is required.

There is no fee for placing an interlibrary loan request. The Schertz Public Library will utilize the courier to send items to other libraries that participate in the courier service and will use USPS to send items to libraries that don’t participate in the courier service, paying for those costs. The requesting library is responsible for any costs incurred to return items. Photocopies are free of charge for the first 30 pages with a $0.15 per page charge for every page thereafter. Scan-to-email requests are provided at no charge. 

There are no overdue fees for late materials; however, any item that is more than 30 days late will be presumed lost, and the borrowing library will be billed for the cost of the item and a $5.00 processing fee.  

CONTACT INFORMATION 
Schertz Public Library 
798 Schertz Parkway 
Schertz, TX 78154 
(210) 619-1700 
(210) 619-1711 (fax)
illstaff@schertz.com  

Created:  March 1, 2005 
Adopted by the Schertz Public Library Advisory Board:  April 4, 2005
Revised 10/20/16 

Revised and endorsed by the Schertz Public Library Advisory Board, May 5, 2025