1) Policy Statement
Interlibrary loan (ILL) enables libraries to share materials—physical items or copies—so users can access resources not held locally. At Nash Library, ILL supports USAO’s scholarly, instructional, and professional needs by:
Borrowing materials for USAO faculty, staff, and students when not available in our collection, and
Lending our materials to other libraries when feasible.
Lending between libraries serves the public interest and complements—rather than replaces—local collection development.
Nash Library adheres to the Interlibrary Loan Code for the United States with explanatory text (RUSA/ALA, revised 2023) and recognizes the 2025 merged ILL Code that unifies the Code and Supplement to reflect shared standards in resource sharing.
2) Purpose
The purpose of ILL at Nash Library is to:
Obtain materials not owned or accessible by Nash Library for eligible USAO users, and
Supply materials to other libraries when possible.
ILL expands access but is not a substitute for maintaining a strong local collection.
3) Scope
Geographic scope: Nash Library primarily participates in ILL within the United States; international requests may be supported when feasible.
Standards & law: Transactions follow applicable U.S. laws (including Title 17, U.S. Copyright), IFLA resource-sharing guidelines, and treaty obligations (e.g., Marrakesh Treaty).
Special collections/archives: Materials governed by ALA/ACRL RBMS guidelines and local use restrictions may be non-circulating or limited to mediated copies.
4) Eligibility
ILL services are available to current USAO faculty, staff, and students.
5) Nash Library as a Requesting (Borrowing) Library
When borrowing from other libraries, Nash Library will:
Maintain and post an ILL borrowing policy.
Protect user confidentiality per the ALA Code of Ethics and applicable state/federal law.
Submit complete, accurate citations and note any special format/accessibility needs or usage context (e.g., reserves).
Identify potential lenders (e.g., via OCLC/WorldCat) and comply with copyright and license terms.
Assume responsibility for borrowed items from shipment to safe return.
Honor due dates, restrictions (e.g., “in-library use”), and recalls; pay any lender-imposed service, damage, or replacement fees.
Apply the same diligence to unmediated patron requests routed through our systems.
Package returns securely and follow lender instructions.
Failure to meet these responsibilities may result in suspension of borrowing privileges from supplying libraries.
6) Nash Library as a Supplying (Lending) Library
When lending to other libraries, Nash Library will:
Publish lending terms (loan periods, fees if any, contacts).
Respect privacy and avoid requesting unnecessary personal identifiers.
Make equitable lending decisions across formats (print, AV, microforms) within policy constraints.
Provide reasonable accessibility accommodations.
Fill requests promptly and accurately, or communicate promptly if unable to supply.
State due dates, usage limits, and return-packaging requirements.
Package materials to minimize loss/damage; provide electronic copies when permissible and legible.
Respond to renewal requests in a timely manner and recall items as needed.
Consider suspension only after repeated violations and attempted resolution.
7) Copyright Compliance
Nash Library follows U.S. copyright law, including:
§107 (Fair Use)
§108 (Library/Archives reproduction)
§121 / §121A (Accessibility/Chafee Amendment and related provisions)
When fulfilling copy requests, staff strive to provide legible, complete, and compliant copies consistent with law and license.
8) Accessibility
As an authorized entity under §121 (Chafee Amendment), Nash Library will fulfill or coordinate requests for accessible formats to the best of our ability, ensuring equitable access for users with print disabilities, consistent with the Marrakesh Treaty and applicable law.
9) Fees, Responsibilities & Limits
Borrowed items may carry lender-imposed fees (e.g., service, damage, replacement) for which the requesting party is responsible.
Nash Library may set local limits on number of active requests, loan durations, or types of materials based on policy, licensing, and demand.
Some materials (e.g., reserves, rare/fragile items, licensed e-content) may be restricted from ILL lending or borrowing.
10) Privacy
User data collected for ILL is limited to what is necessary to fulfill requests, retained only as long as needed for operations/reporting, and handled per the ALA Code of Ethics and applicable laws/policies.
11) Compliance & Review
Non-compliance with ILL terms (e.g., repeated late returns, damage, misuse) may result in suspension of ILL privileges and/or billing for costs. This policy is reviewed annually (or as needed) to reflect changes in standards, law, licensing, and USAO academic programs.