Working with Interlibrary Loans

Unlike a hold request, which is placed for a local title or item and filled by your library system, an interlibrary loan (ILL) request is filled by routing it to potential lenders outside your system. Depending on your library’s policy, interlibrary loan requests may come through the staff client and PAC.

Your library may process ILL requests manually or automatically. Polaris supports automatic interlibrary loan processing through Online Computer Library Center (OCLC), which acts as an interlibrary loan broker to route ILL requests to potential lenders.

If your library has a license for INN-Reach integration with Polaris, Implementing and Using INN-Reach Integration

ILL Processing Overview

Patron places an ILL request or a staff member converts a hold request to an ILL request
Depending on your library's policy:
- The ILL request status is Active and the ILL request is exported directly to OCLC.
- The ILL request is Inactive until a staff member reviews the request and exports it to OCLC.
OCLC processes the request and sends it to the lending library.
The lending library ships the item to your library.
A staff member receives the item in Polaris.
- Temporary bib and item records are created to enable circulation.
- The ILL request status is set to Received.
- A notice is sent to the patron that the item is available for pickup.
The item is checked out to the patron.
The patron returns the item to the library.
The item is returned to the lending library.
A staff member deletes the ILL request, which automatically deletes the temporary bib and item record.

Before you can use the interlibrary loan function, your library must set the appropriate parameters in Polaris Administration. See Setting Up ILL Requests. You also need a template for the temporary item records created when the interlibrary loan items arrive. See Create ILL Item Templates.