Associated Colleges of the South > Library > Agreement   

InterLibrary Loan Agreement

Introduction

This document was a voluntary agreement to govern interlibrary resource sharing among libraries participating in the Associated Colleges of the South (ACS) Palladian Alliance Project. Equipment and software for resource sharing were provided to each of the 13 ACS member libraries through funding from the Andrew W. Mellon Foundation.

I. Definition

Resource sharing was comprised of transactions by which a library made its materials or copies of its materials available to the clientele of another library upon request.

II. Purpose

The purpose was to obtain, upon request of a library's primary users, materials not available in the user's library.

III. Scope

A. Under the terms of this Agreement, any type of library materials could be requested. Libraries were encouraged to lend any materials that circulate outside the library to their own patrons and to be as liberal as possible in supplying materials of all formats with due consideration to the interests of the primary users.

B. Libraries signing the ACS Agreement were supplying libraries as well as requesting libraries. Libraries had to be willing to lend if they wished to borrow.

C. The Agreement covered resource sharing among those libraries who signed the Agreement, regardless of the method of transmission of requests and/or materials.

IV. Responsibilities of the Requesting Library

A. The requesting library was responsible for identifying that it was an ACS member library on any requests to other ACS libraries.

B. The requesting library had to avoid sending the majority of its requests to a few libraries.

C. Union list data were checked for serial holdings when available.

D. The requesting library was responsible for checking the policies of the supplying libraries.

E. Requests for materials for which locations could not be found were sent to libraries that provided the materials with the statement that the requesting library could not locate and verify. The source of reference were cited.

F. The requesting library used standard bibliographic format regardless of the means of transmission. The library indicated its preference to receive documents via fax, Ariel, or other electronic transmission and included the relevant address in Borrowing Notes.

G. The requesting library ensured compliance with the U.S. copyright law and the CONTU guidelines. Copyright compliance were determined for each photocopy request and a copyright compliance statement was included on each photocopy request.

H. The requesting library had to honor due dates and enforced all use restrictions specified by the supplying library. Requests for renewals were made before the item was due. The requesting library had to respond immediately to items recalled.

I. The requesting library was responsible for the safety of borrowed material from the time the material left the supplying library until it was returned to that library. If damage or loss had occurred, the requesting library was responsible for compensation or replacement in accordance with the preference of the supplying library.

V. Responsibilities of the Supplying Library

A. The supplying library established and made available its resource sharing policy in the appropriate formats and updated the policy yearly or immediately as changes occurred.

B. The supplying library declined to fill a request for an item not usually loaned out of its collection.

C. The supplying library processed and responded to requests in a timely manner, with specific attention to a specified "Need By" date.

D. The supplying library included sufficient information to identify the request and clearly state the duration of the loan.

E. The supplying library could recall materials at any time.

F. The supplying library whenever possible transmitted requested materials using Ariel or other electronic means if possible and when such delivery options were acceptable to the requesting library. Electronic transmission for longer documents was left to the discretion of the supplying library in communication with the requesting library. Photocopies were sent via First Class mail if the electronic option was not feasible.

G. The supplying libraryl sent loans by the most expeditious means that they could afford. Members were encouraged to provide occasional rush service to other members without charge.

VI. Expenses

ACS libraries did not charge each other for:

1. Fees for handling interlibrary loan requests.

2. Postage or other transportation charges.

3. For photocopies up to 50 pages per bibliographic citation. Charges beyond the 50 pages were at the discretion of the supplying library.

VII. Violation of the Agreement

The requesting and supplying libraries were responsible for compliance with the provisions of this agreement. Continued violations resulted in suspension of borrowing privileges.

Bibliography

AMIGOS Bibliographic Council, AMIGOS Resource Sharing Agreement.

RASD, National Interlibrary Loan Code for the United States, 1993. RQ 33, no. 4 p. 477-79

Thomson, Sarah Katharine, Interlibrary Loan Procedure Manual. Chicago:Interlibrary Loan Committee, Reference Services Division, American Library Association, 1970.

 

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