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Washington Evening Journal
111 North Marion Avenue
Washington, IA 52353
319-653-2191
Fairfield library expands access for interlibrary loan
Fairfield Public Library now offers Interlibrary Loan service at no cost to all residents of Jefferson County.
Interlibrary Loan, or ILL, is a service that allows borrowers to request library materials such as books from other public libraries and university libraries not currently held by the local library. Previously, a two-dollar postage fee was required for this service. However, as libraries in Iowa now have adequate courier service for ILL through the State Library, and receive annual reimbursements for postage paid by the library from the state, the public library in Fairfield now offers up to five free ILL requests at a time. The library’s board of trustees approved this change in policy at their meeting on Monday, April 17.
The service is usually suggested when library staff selecting materials for purchase must decline a patron request to purchase an item. In instances where the library can order a book from another library in Iowa through ILL, the library utilizes a free courier service called IA Shares coordinated by the State Library of Iowa in Des Moines. Couriers travel to Fairfield twice weekly so the wait for items requested through this service typically is only 7-10 days. When items are not available through IA Shares, the library searches for items with a paid service called Worldcat that expands the search nationwide. The library pays the cost of postage for ILL services when Worldcat is used.
Library Director Al Schmidt Mickunas remarked, “We all know it’s very easy to purchase any book we want online, but I’ve noticed that many people now are less interested in having so many books in their personal collections. As a librarian, I love books very much but I don’t need to own every book I’m curious about. What makes ILL so great is that you can order anything, you pass it on when you’re done and it’s free.”
Borrowers who would like to learn more about Interlibrary Loan or request an item should speak with Fairfield Public Library’s ILL Specialist Joy Craig.
