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What type of material can I request through ILL?

Customers with a valid Queens Library card can request books and photocopies of articles (up to 30 pages) through ILL. We do not borrow or lend CDs, DVDs, videos, audiocassettes, films, microfiche, microfilm, entire journals or magazines.

How many items can a customer request through ILL at one time?

Although there is no limit on the number of requests, excessive requests will not be processed immediately. Generally the ILL department will not process more than 10 requests per customer at a time.

How long does it take to receive the requested material?

In most cases the book is received in the ILL unit within two to three weeks and then sent to the pick-up location specified.

When searching the Internet, OCLC or other library catalogs, several libraries are listed as owning a particular title and yet Queens Library is unable to request the item/book. What is the reason for this?

There are several reasons for this:

  • That particular library does not participate in ILL (such as the research collections of NYPL).
  • The book is a part of a reference or archival collection and will not be lent out.
  • The library charges a fee for lending. However, Queens Library will borrow the book if the customer is willing to pay.
  • At the time that the request was made the book was already checked out by the lending library's customer.
  • The book is missing or lost.
How am I notified that the requested item has arrived?

Be sure to always submit a telephone number so that you can be called and notified as soon as the book is received. When the item is received, it is placed on hold and a letter or email is sent out.

I would like to renew an ILL book. Am I allowed to renew these titles?

Renewals are at the discretion of the lending library. Please contact your local library before the due date, so a renewal can be asked for.

I lost my ILL book. What is the cost of that book?

The cost of a lost ILL book is determined by the lending institution. Queens Library has to contact the lending institution, report the loss, and request an invoice.

All of Queens Library’s copies of a particular title are out on loan. Can another copy be requested from another institution through Inter-Library Loan?

No, books owned by the Queens Library can not be borrowed on Interlibrary Loan. A reserve should be placed on a Queens Library copy of the title.

Can I request a title through ILL that Queens Library owns but does not circulate?

Yes, the request will be processed. However, many times if it is a non-circulating item at Queens Library, some of the other libraries will also have it in their non-circulating collection and therefore will not lend it to us.

Can I call the ILL unit to find out the status of an Inter-Library Loan request?

Please contact your local library directly where the request was placed and the librarian at that agency will follow up with the ILL unit. If you submitted a form online, contact the library that you indicated as a pick-up location.

I returned another institution’s book to Queens Library in error. What happens to the book?

If the book was received in the ILL unit, it will be returned to the lending institution. Not all of these books are forwarded to the ILL unit. There are also instances when the book is not found by Queens Library staff, so there are no guarantees. You are responsible for any fines and fees the owning library charges.


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