Interlibrary loan service will return to SDG Library as of Monday, June 24.
‘Interlibrary loans’ refers to items borrowed from – or lent to – other libraries in Ontario. If a library system cannot provide an item to a patron from its own collection, it can request to borrow the item from another library system on the patron’s behalf.
The SDG Library’s interlibrary loan service was suspended on April 18, following provincial funding cuts to the Southern Ontario Library Service (SOLS), one of two organizations responsible for administering the service across Ontario. On June 1, SOLS lifted its suspension of the online platform for requesting items from participating libraries, but its courier delivery service was permanently cancelled. Deliveries of interlibrary loan materials must now use Canada Post, with the lending library paying for postage.
“While it is good news that the service is returning for our patrons,” said Karen Franklin, Director of Library Services, “there is an added expense that we will incur to send out requested material, and in most cases, libraries cannot charge patrons who request interlibrary loan items for this service. We have had to make changes to what we will lend and request, in order to be financially able to continue to offer the service to our patrons, and to participate fairly with our library partners.”
Interlibrary loans are a good choice for requesting obscure or limited audience items. Ms. Franklin added, “We are always trying to improve our own collections, so we encourage our patrons to look at what we have before requesting something from another library system.”
For more information on the interlibrary loans service at SDG Library, please visit www.sdglibrary.ca/interlibrary-loans, or speak to any of our branch staff.
