Inter-library loan troubles....

[militiaman1835]

I just visited my local Volusia County Florida library to get some more books through library loan. I do this all the time by writing down references in articles or ones I come across on the web then when I have ten or so I make a trip to the library loan desk. Well today I took in my list of books to borrow and was informed the county has placed a $5 PER book fee on interlibrary loan items. Have other states and cities started doing this? If its a hard to find or expensive book I would not mind but some are just common works I see on ebay or ABE for $3 or $5. Oh well guess I start buying and reselling or pass on to others. JIM HENSLEY

[Dignann]

Re: Inter-library loan troubles....

Jim,

I have been getting books through interlibrary loan for years, and almost always have to pay something. Typically, it's a few bucks to cover the postage for an institution to mail it to my library. No, it's not unusual to be charged for books sent on loan to you from another library.

Eric

[ElizabethClark]

Re: Inter-library loan troubles....

Our library hooks into LILI (don't know what that actually stands for) and in that lending system, you can specify if you want to search among "for fee" systems, or "for free" systems.

If it's on your library's end, write a letter to the director expressing your thoughts and concerns, and asking for information on why the fee, and why the size of the fee. Ask how many books were requested ILL last year. When you have that information, consider writing to the newspapers in your area, to the city and county governing councils, and see if getting involved makes a difference in the fees. Sometimes, it can.

[Gary of CA]

Re: Inter-library loan troubles....

I lucked out and my library doesn't charge. I managed to read some books thanks to the inter-library loan service. One of my favorites (Roger Lamb's, "An Original and Authentic Journal of Occurences during the Late American War," - heck of a title, about the services of 9 & 23rd Regt. Sgt. Roger Lamb in the American Revolution) was out of print and could only be read through this service. Thank you Ben Franklin!