The Interlibrary Loan (ILL) service is a cooperative effort among Pennsylvania Libraries to enable patrons to borrow materials, (not available in their local libraries), free of charge, from other participating libraries in Pennsylvania. Patrons MUST place a request with their home library. The St. Marys Public Library's Interlibrary Loan librarian searches Pennsylvania libraries using the AccessPA Database. If the particular resource is not available, the request is sent to the Seneca District Library. The District's Interlibrary Loan librarian has the resources, and the authority to request information from both interstate, and international libraries.
The Interlibrary Loan service relies upon the cooperation, trust, and goodwill of borrowers and lenders. Materials must be returned promptly, and in good condition. Failure to abide to this obligation is not only discourteous and unfair, but it can result in the loss of our privilege to borrow from other libraries.
The Interlibrary Loan service is expensive for both the St. Marys Public Library and the lending library. In addition to the time spent searching and processing the request, libraries are responsible to pay all postage/shipping and handling costs.
Due to reduced State funding, the St. Marys Public Library has found it necessary to establish strict guidelines concerning responsible Interlibrary Loan use.
Maximum of 2 requests per patron per two-week period. Not all materials are available for Interlibrary Loan. The decision to loan an item depends on the lending policy of the lending library. Patrons are obligated to pick up and review the materials they request. If materials are needed by a certain date, the patron must indicate this date at the time of the request. The following applies: Patrons must provide library staff with a valid, accessible, phone number for notification when materials are ready. It is not expedient for the patron or the library to mail notifications. Patrons who do not pick-up and review requested materials are responsible for a $5.00 service charge per item. Failure to pay the service charge terminates the patron's privilege to use the Interlibrary Loan service until such fees are paid. Interlibrary Loan items are subject to a $0.25 per day late fee. Patrons may call the St. Marys Public Library to determine if the loan period may be extended. Please note that renewals depend on the policy of the lending library, not that of the St. Marys Public Library. Patrons are responsible for the replacement cost of lost or damaged materials as imposed by the lending library. Repeated violation of the Interlibrary Loan service may suspend or terminate a patron's privilege to borrow materials from the St. Marys Public Library and to use the Interlibrary Loan service.
