Jackson County Library Services (JCLS) maintains a collection in Jackson County that is responsive to the needs and interests of its communities. It is not possible, however, for JCLS to own every item that every person might want. Some items may be obtained from other libraries as an Interlibrary Loan (ILL). An Interlibrary Loan is an item borrowed from another library system, either in Oregon or elsewhere in the country.

Interlibrary Loan Eligibility

Patrons who meet the following requirements are eligible for our Interlibrary Loan service:

  • Patrons with a Full-Service, Full-Service Juvenile, Non-Resident Yearly Membership, Organization, or an At Home Service library card.
  • Has an account in good standing and doesn’t have any library materials that are more than a week overdue.
  • Has less than 2 active Interlibrary Loan requests. (Active requests are those at any stage of the Interlibrary Loan process: requested, in process, checked out, or on hold.)
  • Has no outstanding Interlibrary loan fees.

Materials Available via Interlibrary Loan

Many types of materials can be requested, but audio, video, and genealogy items may be difficult to borrow. Materials can be requested via our Interlibrary Loan service if:

  • The title’s publication date is at least 12 months ago. (If the item was released less than 12 months ago, please submit theses as a suggestion for purchase here.)
  • Copies of the item are not owned by JCLS.

Interlibrary Loan Fees

JCLS always attempt to borrow from libraries who lend free-of-charge. If the lending library charges for an ILL, JCLS must first receive authorization that the patron requesting the item is willing to pay the charge before continuing to process the request.

Interlibrary Loan Policies

Requesting an ILL through the online form indicates your willingness to comply with the Interlibrary Loan policy of Jackson County Library Services. Failure to adhere to Interlibrary Loan policies may result in the loss of Interlibrary Loan privileges and borrowing privileges within Jackson County Library Services. The library’s policies for ILLs are as follows:

  • It is the patron’s responsibility to pick up and return these materials on time.
  • ILL materials can only be checked out on the library card of the person who requested them.
  • OVERDUE FINES WILL BE ASSESSED AT $1 PER DAY PER ITEM FROM THE DATE DUE.
  • The copyright law of the United States (Title 17, United States Code) governs the making of photocopies or other reproductions of copyrighted material. Under certain conditions specified in the law, libraries and archives are authorized to furnish a photocopy or other reproduction. One of these specified conditions is that the photocopy or other reproduction is not to be “used for any purpose other than private study, scholarship, or research.” If a user makes a request for, or later uses a photocopy or reproduction for purposes in excess of “fair use,” that user may be liable for copyright infringement. This institution reserves the right to refuse to accept a copying order if, in its judgment, fulfillment of the order would involve violation of copyright.

For more information, please view our ILL FAQs below, contact your local branch, or contact the Interlibrary Loan Services Department at (541) 582-6211 or ill@jcls.org.


FAQs

Who can use the Interlibrary Loan service?

  • Patrons with a Full-Service, Full-Service Juvenile, Non-Resident Yearly Membership, Organization, or an At Home Service library card.
  • Has an account in good standing and doesn’t have any library materials that are more than a week overdue.
  • Has less than 2 active Interlibrary Loan requests. (Active requests are those at any stage of the Interlibrary Loan process: requested, in process, checked out, or on hold.)
  • Has no outstanding Interlibrary loan fees.

How many requests am I allowed?

Patrons are allowed 2 active requests.

How do I request an Interlibrary Loan?

Interlibrary Loan requests can be placed by visiting the library’s Interlibrary Loan page and clicking on the Place a Request button at the bottom of the page.

Reference staff at the Medford and Ashland library can provide help with placing ILL requests. Patrons can also receive help from staff at the other JCLS branch locations as well. To view contact information for these branches, please visit https://jcls.org/hours-locations/

How do I check on the status of an Interlibrary Loan request?

All new requests are typically processed with 7 days. Once these requests are processed, a hold request will be placed on your library account, which you will be able to view when signed into your library account online. When the item is available for pick up, you will receive the same type of notification that you received for JCLS hold requests. If you would like to know more specific details about your request, please contact the ILL department by email at ill@jcls.org or by phone at (541) 582-6211.

What happens if my request can’t be filled?

Staff will contact those whose ILL requests can’t be filled by emailing them. If an email is not available, staff will place a message on the patron’s library account that can be viewed by the patron when they log into their account. If patrons would prefer to be notified by phone for those requests that can’t be filled, please indicate this in the ILL request form.

How do I cancel an Interlibrary Loan request?

Please contact the ILL department either by email at ill@jcls.org  or by phone at (541) 582-6211 to cancel your request.

How long will it take for my Interlibrary Loan to arrive?

The length of time that it takes for an ILL to be received is dependent on a variety of factors which can make it difficult to predict how quickly the ILL will arrive. ILL requests typically take anywhere from 2-6 weeks. However, if there are difficulties in acquiring the ILL due to issues such as shipping, it may take longer. Patrons are always welcome to contact the ILL department to find out the status of their ILL request.

How long can I keep my Interlibrary Loan material?

Due dates are set by the lending library and vary greatly from library to library. This due date will show on the book strap label that will be placed on your ILL request. The loan period for these ILL items starts when the items are sent to your library system to fill your request, not when the item is checked out to you. ​

Can I renew my Interlibrary Loan?

Renewals are dependent on what the lending library will allow. Patrons may always ask for a renewal 7 days prior to the due date, but there are no guarantees that the lending library will say yes to the request.

How do I check out my ILL?

ILLs must be checked out by staff at the front desk.

What happens if I turn in my ILL late?

Overdue ILLs accrue $1 per day per ILL that is overdue.

How much does the ILL Service cost?

JCLS always attempts to borrow from libraries that lend free-of-charge. If the lending library charges for an ILL, JCLS must first receive authorization that the patron requesting the item is willing to pay the charge before continuing to process the request.