INFORMATION NETWORK SERVICE-How it works

Requests are received daily from participating libraries by teletype and on LILRC interlibrary loan forms by mail and delivery service. A limited number of urgent requests may be received by telephone. All requests are transcribed onto LILRC request forms if they have not arrived on that form.

All requests are checked to make sure that all necessary bibliographic information has been given. If a glaring error or omission can be corrected easily, the INS clerk will do so and process the request. If the error is not easily corrected, the request is returned to the requesting library for clarification.

When a monograph request is received, the clerk checks the appropriate catalogs in the data bank of library card catalogs in microfilm in the LILRC office (or calls libraries for materials not listed in the catalogs). For serials the clerk checks the Nassau-Suffolk Union List of Serials and other tools. When an item is located, the clerk calls, teletypes a message, or sends a copy of the request to the prospective lender to see if the item is actually available.

The INS staff tries to maintain a balance between locating the needed items most efficiently and at the same time spreading the load so that the larger libraries are not overburdened with requests and so that all libraries are given a chance to build up credits.

Each time we check with a prospective lender, a notation is made on the interlibrary loan form indicating the library's name and response. If "yes," arrangements are made for pickup. If "no," the search goes on. "Maybe" takes a little longer; although the item is in the catalog, the shelf must be checked to see if the volume is available for loan or photocopying.

When a loan is arranged, the clerk prepares the interlibrary loan forms (still intact) for the driver. Having begun her run in the morning, delivering books and copies picked up the previous day, the driver returns to the LILRC office in the early afternoon with that day's deliveries and pickups. The driver collects the day's batch of slips and prepares her itinerary for the next day.

Copies of the interlibrary loan form are used as follows:

Serials Books

whiteSent to lending librarypink

yellowInserted into each book delivered to borrowing library or clipped to copy of articleyellow

pinkFiled by name of borrowing library in LILRC circulation file, used for statistics, then filedwhite

goldReturned to borrowing library with bill unless retained by library before submitting request to LILRCgold

If an item is not located at a member library, the request is considered for transmission to the State Library in Albany and the NYSILL network or to the Regional Medical Library network. Certain categories of requests may be submitted to the State Library but are not normally eligible for transmission to NYSILL, such as: fiction, text books, current publications and those in popular demand, rare books, genealogy, children's books, multi-volume sets, reference books, non-research books (self-help, recreation, etc.). Interlibrary loan librarians should familiarize themselves with the NYSILL manual (see Appendix A) so they will know what to expect when we send requests to NYSILL for them.

Each day, the requests not located on Long Island are teletyped to the State Library in Albany. If available, the book or copy will be sent from the State Library or the library to which it has been referred, directly to the requesting library whose name and address have been coded into the NYSILL transmission format. Medically-oriented requests are sent to the Regional Medical Library network via the Medical Research Library in Brooklyn and may be sent to the requesting library directly or via LILRC.

If the item is not available from any of these sources, a report is teletyped to LILRC and we send it on to the requesting library.

Billing

Bills are sent quarterly unless a library asks that it be billed monthly or semi-annually, or annually as part of the dues. The gold copy (part 4) of the interlibrary loan form is included with the bill unless a library retains it when initiating the request or indicates the copy need not be returned.

Cancellations

Occasionally, libraries find it necessary to cancel a request. It is understood that if the item is in the process of being supplied the requesting library will be charged for the completed loan.

Delivery and pickup

The Council drivers stop at each library which has a pickup or delivery to be made (public libraries send materials to LILRC via their respective systems). While the drivers stop nearly every day at the heaviest users, we do not know you have something for us unless you let us know. If you are supplying a monograph or photocopy, or have a book to return, call and tell us.

Microforms

INS tries to obtain needed items in a form usable in the borrowing library. If the supplying library cannot produce a hard copy of a microform it is lending, and if your library does not have an appropriate reader, we will try to have a copy made (if there is an additional charge you will be notified in advance) or tell you where your patron can read or copy the material himself.

Photocopies of missing pages

Missing pages from monographs and serials may be requested in the usual manner. For an additional fee, INS will try to obtain copies suitable for binding, printed on both sides.

Recall

It is understood that the lending library may recall a book needed for one of its own readers.

Renewals

Please request a renewal before the date due noted on the request form or in the volume. For books received from LILRC member libraries, call the LILRC office and give author, title, date due, library from which borrowed. Renewals will usually be granted for two weeks from date due unless a lending library has indicated otherwise.

Books received from the State Library or through NYSILL or the Regional Medical Library must be renewed directly with the lending library, not LILRC.

Returns

Books received from LILRC should be returned via our driver. Call and let us know you have a book to be returned.

Books received from the State Library or through NYSILL or the Regional Medical Library should be mailed directly to the lending library. The book usually arrives with a return label. The package in which it comes will give information regarding return address and insurance.

Status reports

Requests are processed and reports submitted to the requesting library as rapidly as possible. It is not always possible to give an immediate report on the status of an outstanding request in the process of being searched at a member library. Please hold requests for status reports to a minimum.