Interlibrary Loan

What is an Interlibrary Loan?

If the K.O. Lee Aberdeen Public Library does not have the title (book, movie, music, etc.) you are looking for, it may be able to be borrowed from other libraries in the United States- interlibrary loan. Items are picked up at and returned to K.O. Lee Aberdeen Public Library. This is a free service

How to request an Interlibrary Loan through Library website:

  1. Go to the Public Library website: www.aberdeen.sd.us/library
  2. Click on Library Card Catalog the dark blue bar on the left side of the site. This will take you to: aberdeensd.polarislibrary.com
  3. Click on My Account and then Log In/Register.
  4. Enter your barcode (number on the back of your library card) and your password and click Log In.
  5. Begin searching for your item by entering a term(s) and click to choose Anywhere, Subject, Title, Author, or Series.
  6. Click Select Databases and check OCLC WorldCat Databases box.
  7. When results begin to show, click on Add Pending Results. This will bring in all the OCLC results.
  8. Look through the list until you find the result you want. The record should show OCLC WorldCat as its source. Click on Place Request.
  9. Click Submit Request. Then click on Continue.
  10. You will receive a verification message that your request has been placed.

Interlibrary Loan Policies

  • A patron may not have more than 25 pending ILL requests and checked out ILL items at a time.
  • Items previously borrowed through interlibrary loan may not be available again within six months of a patron first borrowing them. 
  • Interlibrary loan transactions will be made for patrons under the following conditions:
  • The patron must have a valid library card from K.O. Lee Aberdeen Public Library.
  • The patron must not have overdue fines from any department of K.O. Lee Aberdeen Public Library over $15. 
  • The patron must submit an Interlibrary Loan request form, either written or electronic.
  • Overdue fines for ILL items are $1 per day per item. When calculating the fine, we do not count days that the library is closed (e.g. federal holidays).
  • The supplying library controls the lending period for ILL items. We cannot control how long an ILL item may be checked out.
  • Renewal requests are subject to approval by the supplying library. We cannot guarantee that an item will be renewed. 
  • If a renewal is required, the request must be made in time for the lending library to respond before the due date.  
  • Due to copyright laws, electronic books may not be requested via ILL, and entire books may not be photocopied or scanned.
  • Due to copyright laws, whole magazine issues may not be requested, but individual articles from a magazine may be requested.
  • The library reserves the right to limit or suspend ILL requests if ILL items are consistently returned late or ILL items that are ordered are not picked up.
  • Materials on loan are subject to recall at any time.
  • No ILL requests will be placed for a person who has failed to return an ILL item until the item has been paid for (the cost charged by the lending library), or the item is returned, and the fine is paid.
  • Because Interlibrary Loan is a labor-intensive service, we will only borrow items the library does not own. The library reserves the right to limit the number of requests made by an individual cardholder on the same item. Please be aware that each Interlibrary Loan costs the library in terms of staff processing time, computer time, postage, and lending fees. Please use the privilege wisely. 
  • K.O. Lee Aberdeen Public Library officials may set charges to cover costs of interlibrary loans as they deem necessary.  Any amounts charged to K.O. Lee Aberdeen Public Library by the library lending the material will be passed on to the borrowing patron.
  • Possible alternatives to borrowing and lending include: 
    1. The borrowing library purchases the item for its own collection instead of borrowing. 
    2. The borrowing library makes use of available electronic and virtual resources. 
    3. The lending library photocopies a section or an article if allowable by copyright. 
    4. The borrowing library requests substitute editions when possible or appropriate.
    5. The patron may need to travel to the owning library to use the item if no other options are available.