Interlibrary Loan Procedures

Title Verification

Every title will be verified in one of the following standard library bibliographic verification tools, with the source cited on the request. The abbreviation "CNV" should be used if the requesting library cannot verify the request.
Books (preferred order of use):
OCLC
Member Online Catalogs
Books in Print (BIP)
Cumulative Book Index (CBI)
Bibliography (include citation of the source)

Periodicals (preferred order of use):
CAMLS Union List of Periodical Holdings (CULPH)
OCLC
Biomedical Serials in Selected Northeast Ohio Libraries (BMS)
Member Online Catalogs
Any additional information that will help the lending library will be included (i.e., Juv, French edition, book in foreign language, volume number).
Copyright
Interlibrary loan request forms must indicate copyright compliance. "CCG" conforms with CONTU Guidelines. Use for photocopies - conforms if five or fewer copies from the last five years of journal title are requested within any one calendar year. The burden of proof rests with the requesting library. Interlibrary loan requests must be kept for three years, plus the current year.
"CCL" complies with Copyright Law. Refers to the borrowing of books or photocopies from journals more than five years old.

Location Verification

The location of every title requested will be determined before placing the request. Locations may be verified in the following tools:

Books:
OCLC
Member Online Catalogs
National Union Catalog

Periodicals:
CAMLS Union List of Periodical Holdings
OCLC Serials Union Lists Groups
Biomedical Serials in Selected Northeast Ohio Libraries Member Online Catalogs

Mode of Request

CAMLS libraries can request interlibrary loans via U.S. Mail, FAX*, OCLC, daily delivery service or telephone. If there is a preferred mode of delivery, it must be clearly indicated on the request form. Requests will be handled as follows:

NON-RUSH Requests - These requests may be transmitted via FAX, OCLC, telephone, daily delivery service, or U.S. Mail. They will be filled by daily delivery service, UPS, or U.S. Mail.
RUSH Requests - These requests, marked "RUSH", should be transmitted by fax and will be filled by FAX within 24 hours.
URGENT Requests - These requests should be arranged by telephone with the lending library and then followed by a FAX request marked 'URGENT." These requests will be filled immediately.

Requesting libraries must use either a standard ALA ILL form or the CAMLS fax form. The CAMLS Fax Request form is preferred because it identifies CAMLS requests and includes spaces for mode of delivery, referral strings, and replies. See the "Forms" section of the web site for a printable copy of the CAMLS Fax form.

Request Procedure - Books

Instructions for OCLC Libraries: When a CAMLS Library with OCLC access wishes to place an interlibrary loan with another CAMLS library with OCLC access, the following guidelines should be followed.

OCLC procedures should be followed.
The requesting library will search for CAMLS locations on OCLC. The symbols for CAMLS libraries on OCLC are listed in the Interlibrary Loan section's 'Participating Libraries Directory' in the CAMLS Handbook.
Requests located at a CAMLS Library on the OCLC subsystem will be sent directly to the owning library via the OCLC ILL Subsystem.
Add "CAMLS" to the borrowing notes to assure rapid handling and delivery.
Return books in a timely manner. Use UPS if 4th Class Book Rate will not get a book back to the lending library near the due date.

Instructions for NON-OCLC Libraries: When a CAMLS library without OCLC access wishes to place an interlibrary loan request, either dial into other member online public access catalogs (see the Directory section for telephone numbers) to obtain location information, and place requests directly with the owning library.

OR Sign up with CAMLS for the OCLC ILL service and use the following guidelines:

To determine potential lending libraries, requests (no more than five per day) are called to the 'Informal Resource Library' (currently Cuyahoga County Public Library (216) 749-9522.) Five or more requests should be mailed to the ILL Department.
Each interlibrary loan request will include:
Request Number (CAMLS symbol and an assigned number)
Author last name first, first name)
Title
Imprint (PI= of publication, publisher, date of publication)
Source of verification
The 'Informal Resource Library" will:
Check its own collection and send material if available.
Provide the requesting library with 5 OCLC locations for unfilled requests in the following order:
CAMLS Libraries
Ohio public libraries
Ohio publicly funded academic libraries
Other Ohio libraries
Out-of-state libraries
The requesting library can ask the "Informal Resource Library' to place the request on OCLC (there is a charge for this, ask the CAMLS office)

The requesting library can request an interlibrary loan directly to a potential lending library via one of the following:
Telephone (except CSU): Give library ID and ILL Request Number
Telefacsimile: Use CAMLS FAX Request Form or standard ALA ILL Form; indicate "CAMLS Request" at top of form.
U.S. Mail: Use standard ALA ILL Form; indicate "CAMLS Request" at top of form.

Request Prodcedure - Photocopies

Request journal articles like other interlibrary loans, except contracted services with CSU and CHSL (see below).
Most CAMLS libraries have agreed to supply photocopies to one another at no charge. (Exceptions, due to volume, are CPL, CHSL, and CSU.)
CAMLS pays CSU and CHSL to provide backup service for photocopies, therefore, other CAMLS' locations should be exhausted first,

Procedures with Contracting Libraries

Each CAMLS member library receives a total of 75 interlibrary loans, each year, from CSU and CHSL at no charge. When the number of requests exceeds 75, CAMLS will bill the library the following fiscal year at the rate stated on the Participation Form.

CSU Contract

Instructions for OCLC Libraries:
Use OCLC subsystem and follow OCLC procedure. Place CSU in the lender string and specify
"CAMLS" in the "SHIP VIA' field.

Instructions for non-OCLC Libraries:
Place requests in one of two ways:

U.S. Mail: Use standard ALA ILL Form, indicate "CAMLS Request" at top of form, mail to CSU ILL Department.
Telefacsimile: Use CAMLS FAX Request Form or standard ALA ILL Form, indicate "CAMLS Request" at top of form, and fax to CSU ILL Department at (216) 687-2383.

CHSL Contract

Instructions for OCLC Libraries: Use OCLC subsystem and follow OCLC procedure. Place CHSL in the lender string and specify "CAMLS" in the "SHIP VIA" field.

Instructions for non-OCLC Libraries:
Requests may be placed in one of two ways:

Mail: Use standard ALA ILL Form, indicate "CAMLS Request" at top of form, and mail to CHSL ILL Department.
Telefacsimile: Use CAMLS Fax Request Form or standard ALA ILL Form and indicate "CAMLS Request" at top of form, or use CAMLS Fax Request Form, and fax to CHSL ILL Department at 216-368-6421.

The desired mode of delivery should be noted on these forms. CHSL does not fax materials unless the form indicates a fax is desired.

Automatic Referal for Libraries Without OCLC Access

The Automatic Referral System operates among CAMLS non-OCLC libraries only. The procedures are meant to be fast and easy, with no additional work for the referring library. The requesting library must specify which libraries own the material. When a library receives a request it cannot fill, it mails the request to another potential lender, as designated by the requesting library.

Instructions for Requesting Libraries:

Type the request as usual - including "CAMLS Request" at the top of the standard ALA Form. Do NOT fill in the box for lending library. On the lower part of the form, to the right of the box for the lending library address, type the CAMLS symbols for libraries to be tried, in the order you want.
Do not list more than six libraries in the referral string. If the material is unavailable at all six locations, the request will be returned. (The requesting library then may send the request to six additional libraries.)
Send the request to the first library on your list.

Note: Status reports will not be available. A referring library will probably send the request on without keeping a copy of the form, and will probably not be able to tell whether or not it passed through their hands.

Instructions for Referring Libraries:
When a request is received that cannot be filled:

Cross off your own library code and write in the date. If you cannot fill a request, but expect to be able to later, add a note to that effect.
Send the request to the next library in the referral string, in the order specified by the requesting library.
When you are the last library in the referral string, send the request back to the requesting library. DO NOT add libraries to the string.

Replies

Replies to the requesting library via OCLC or standard ALA ILL Forms will be made as soon as possible, preferably within one business day.
OCLC replies appear on the terminal. If there are lending restrictions (i.e., For use in library only, fragile, etc.), they will be noted in the reply on OCLC as Conditional Response under STATUS, with conditions in 'LENDING NOTES.'
Replies from the 'Informal Resource Library' to non-OCLC libraries are made by telephone for unfilled requests only.
Lending restrictions (i.e., for use in library only, fragile, no photocopy allowed, handle with care, etc.) will be marked clearly on the material.

Processing Procedures

Instructions for Requesting Libraries:

When a CAMLS ILL is received, the requesting library will process it for loan to the user according to its own internal system.
The yellow CAMLS Transaction Slip (IL-2) will remain with the item throughout the loan period. It is the only identification of an ILL recognized in all CAMLS libraries.
Requesting libraries will abide by any lending restrictions imposed by the lending library: for example, "For use in library only.'
Each library will keep a current file of all materials borrowed from CAMLS members.

Instructions for lending Libraries:

All materials lent as a result of a CAMLS ILL request will include the yellow Transaction Slip (IL-2).
The CAMLS Transaction Slip will remain with the item throughout the loan period. It is the only identification of an ILL recognized in all C libraries.
Each library will keep a record of materials lent to CAMLS members, using whatever system is utilized in that library.

Delivery Methods

A variety of methods exists for the delivery and return of interlibrary loans among CAMLS libraries. Use one of the following:
Delivery System - Use if both the lending and requesting libraries are on the daffy delivery system.
U.S. Mail or UPS
Hospital Delivery - Use if both requesting and lending libraries participate in the Cleveland Medical Library Association members-only delivery centered at the Cleveland Health Sciences Library (CHSL).

Statistical Reports

A monthly statistical report will be submitted by each participating library to the CAMLS office by the fifth of each month using the CAMLS ILL Monthly Report Form (IL-4). Please report borrowing and lending among all CAMLS libraries. You may e-mail your monthly statistics to Rosemary at
Annual ILL statistical reports are prepared by the CAMLS staff for the CAMLS Board.

Problems

Individual ILL problems with a specific library should be discussed with that library's ILL contact.
Unresolved or other ILL problems should be reported to the CAMLS Executive Director.

Forms

Please call the CAMLS office for any forms which are not found at the web site.

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