Interlibrary Loan

Interlibrary loan periods will be extended to the entire loan period allowed by the lending library instead of our usual 2 week check out period. Most lenders allow at least 3 weeks and others up to 6 weeks. We will put the due date that the lender gives us into your record at check out. We will no longer renew interlibrary loan materials.

Interlibrary loan requests will be limited to 3 per borrower at a time. If you have 2 interlibrary loans checked out, we will send in another request for you. Once your loans are returned you may initiate additional requests. We will not accept new requests until after items have been returned. Requests for copies of periodical articles that do not need to be checked out will not be limited.

In cooperation with the lending library we are obligated to return all materials on time. Interlibrary Loan service is a courtesy and a privilege, not a right, and is dependent upon the cooperation of many libraries and their staff. Please help by returning your materials on time. Consistently overdue materials may result in the suspension of interlibrary loan privileges for you and your library.

What is Interlibrary Loan?
Who can use Interlibrary Loan?
Is there a charge or fee for this service?
What kinds of materials can be borrowed through Interlibrary Loan?
What kinds of materials cannot normally be borrowed?
What is the procedure for obtaining materials through Interlibrary Loan?
How long does it take for materials to arrive?
How long can materials be checked out?
Interlibrary Loan Form

What is Interlibrary Loan?
An Interlibrary Loan (ILL) transaction is a request to borrow from another library system or institution, books or other materials that are not owned by the Flower Mound Public Library. Flower Mound Public Library requests go through Fort Worth Public Library, one of the regional interlibrary loan referral centers for Texas.

Who can use Interlibrary Loan?
Flower Mound Public Library users who have valid library cards may use this service. Non-residents and visitors are not eligible for ILL service at this library, but can originate requests through their home library system.

Is there a charge or fee for this service?
The library asks the borrower to pay any return postage fees for items that are mailed to the library. The library uses a courier service, Texpress, which delivers most Interlibrary loans free of charge. Some libraries have a fee for lending or insuring valuable or special collections and the borrower is responsible for those charges as well. Fort Worth Public Library processes all loan requests and tries to get items from lenders that do not charge a fee.

What kinds of materials can be borrowed through Interlibrary Loan?
Books and magazine articles are the main materials obtained through Interlibrary Loan. Requests may only be made for materials not owned by Flower Mound Public Library.

Materials that cannot be obtained through Flower Mound Public Library’s Interlibrary Loan services include:

What kinds of materials cannot normally be borrowed?
Materials which are difficult to obtain from other libraries include:

The amount of material which may be photocopied may be limited by copyright law.

What is the procedure for obtaining materials through Interlibrary Loan?
Interlibrary Loan request forms are available in the library at the Information Desk. The reference librarian will be happy to assist you. An online request form is also available. Please fill out the form completely and indicate the date no longer needed. If you choose $0.00 for the amount you will pay, items will only be requested from Texpress participating libraries.

Interlibrary loan requests will be limited to 3 per borrower at a time. If you have 2 interlibrary loans checked out, we will send in another request for you. Once your loans are returned you may initiate additional requests. We will not accept new requests until after items have been returned. Requests for copies of periodical articles that do not need to be checked out will not be limited.

You will be contacted by phone or e-mail (as indicated by your choice in your library record) when the item arrives. The item will be held for you for 5 days. If the item is not picked up in the time allotted, it will be returned to the Lending Library. If a requested item is not available, we will put a cancellation note in your library record.

How long does it take for materials to arrive?
Most materials are received within 2-3 weeks. Some items that are owned by Fort Worth Public Library may only take 4-5 days. Because the process is dependent upon responses from other institutions and delivery systems, delivery time may vary greatly. Some materials, e.g. items which are difficult to locate, may take considerably longer than average. A few items may never become available for borrowing. Try to allow adequate lead time when making a request. If you have a specific deadline by which you need the material, indicate on the form where it shows a “need-by-date”. We will try to obtain the item by that date, or will cancel the request if it cannot be obtained within that time.

How long can materials be kept for use?
Materials are checked out for the length of time the lender allows. Interlibrary loans are non-renewable.