ABSTRACT
Patrons are generally directed to Interlibrary Loan (ILL) from other library departments, such as Reference and Circulation. Well-informed library colleagues can serve as an excellent bridge between ILL and the library’s patrons. Many patrons considered Interlibrary Loan a “black hole”–requests were submitted and the requested material never received. While ILL can take longer than it should, vast improvements in the “ILL infrastructure” have made it possible for patrons to receive most materials within a week of request. Using Interlibrary Loan should be as easy as checking a book out from the library. Patrons should be able to quickly locate the request forms needed, be they paper or electronic. In a perfect world, Interlibrary Loan would be a completely subsidized service to library patrons, and it is at many institutions. Electronic request forms are rapidly becoming the standard in ILL departments.
