LibGuides: Reader Services: Interlibrary Loan

Interlibrary Loan (ILL) is a national sharing program that allows libraries to borrow materials they do not own from other libraries throughout the country. If you are unable to find an item in our system, we can try to locate it for you. Requests for books, audiobooks, DVDs, and CDs, can be submitted using the forms below or using JerseyCat.

Interlibrary Loan requests can also be placed for articles that you do not have access to through our databases. Requests can be placed using the form below.

Interlibrary Loan Use Guidelines:

Who May Request ILL Materials:

Hunterdon County Library System (HCLS) card holders in good standing can request interlibrary loan (ILL) materials using the ILL request forms.

Hunterdon County residents living in Flemington Borough, Milford Borough, and the City of Lambertville cannot request ILL materials through HCLS. Instead, ILL requests should be made with their unaffiliated local library.
ILL privileges will be suspended for patrons with more than $10 of fines, checked out items that are very overdue, or due to violations of ILL policy.

Materials That May Be Requested:

Interlibrary loan (ILL) requests are limited to items not in the HCLS system that have been published more than 1 year prior to the request date. Please check the HCLS online catalog prior to placing ILL requests.

Acceptable item formats: Books, audiobooks, music CDs, DVDs, and periodical articles

Note: No ILL request is guaranteed to be filled. Libraries who participate in this exchange program assess each request and determine whether they can provide the item requested based on their own policy and procedures.

Materials That May Not Be Requested:

Interlibrary loan (ILL) requests can only be placed on items not currently owned, or missing from, the HCLS online catalog. The HCLS online catalog should be checked prior to placing ILL requests. ILL requests for items available through the HCLS catalog will be cancelled. For assistance placing a hold request in the HCLS online catalog, contact the reference department at reference@hclibrary.us.

Libraries typically do not lend the following materials:
Items published or released in the past twelve months. For items published more recently, patrons may suggest a purchase to request the item be added to our catalog.
Electronic resources; including ebooks, eaudiobooks, and streaming videos. View available electronic resources on our Databases A to Z page.
Materials in high-demand: examples include celebrity book club selections and New York Times best sellers.
Rare, valuable, or unique materials that would be difficult to replace.
Reference materials and textbooks
Bulky or fragile items that cannot be shipped

Number of ILL Requests Allowed:

Eligible patrons can submit up to 3 requests per day and are limited to 10 active requests. Titles cannot be requested again within 1 month of their return to the library.

Requests are active from the time they are submitted, until the item is returned to its loaning library or the patron is notified their request cannot be filled.

Length of Time Required to Process Requests:

Turnaround time for interlibrary loan (ILL) requests varies greatly. While some items may arrive more quickly, wait times typically vary from 2-5 weeks. If requests cannot be filled, patrons will be contacted via phone or email.

Checking the Status of ILL Requests:

Interlibrary loan (ILL) request statuses cannot be accessed through your account. If you have questions or concerns about the status of an ILL request, contact interlibraryloan@hclibrary.us or call (908) 788-1434.

Status Notifications:

When requests are available to be picked up, patrons will be notified via the default notification option on their library account. Items not picked up within 1 week of arrival will be returned to their loaning libraries. Notification settings can be updated in the My Account settings or by calling (908) 788-1437.

If requests are unable to be filled, patrons will be contacted by email or phone.

ILL Loan Periods, Returns, and Fines:

Loan Periods:
Books & Audiobooks: 4 weeks
DVDs & CDs: 2 weeks
Items do not renew

Returns:
Items can be picked up and returned at any HCLS branch or affiliate. Items cannot be returned to Flemington Free Public Library, Milford Public Library, or Lambertville Public Library as they are not affiliated with HCLS.

Fines:
Books & Audiobooks: $0.20/day overdue
DVDs & CDs: $1/day overdue
Maximum overdue fines are $5 per item

Lost or Damaged ILL Materials:

Patrons are responsible for lost or damaged items. Replacement charges are assessed at the discretion of the lending library and may include both the cost of the materials and a processing fee. Please handle items with care.

Provided by the New Jersey State Library:

JerseyCat is New Jersey's statewide interlibrary-loan system. Patrons can place interlibrary loan requests on JerseyCat using the following steps:

Enter your search terms into the search bar.
Click the title that you are interested in.
Click Request this Item on the left-hand side of the page.
Fill in the request form that opens. Use the drop down menu at Pickup Location Options to choose your preferred branch.
Click Submit in the bottom right-hand corner.