What is the difference between a hold, a reserve and an interlibrary loan?
A hold is a reserve. What they both mean is that you are selecting a book that is not currently on the shelf at the Richards Memorial Library and you want it either saved for you when it comes in or sent from one of the other libraries in the SAILS system. The item will usually arrive in a timely manner. However, delivery depends on the item's availability, the number of other holds on the item and a variety of circumstances beyond our control.
An Interlibrary Loan is a book or material that is requested from a library outside of the SAILS system.
The Virtual Catalog allows you to place your own Interlibrary Loan request. Log-in to the Catalog and click on the Virtual Catalog link to the left on the Home page after you have checked to see if any SAILS library owns the material. New materials usually cannot be borrowed.
If the item cannot be found in the SAILS system or Virtual Catalog, you can make an Interlibrary Loan (ILL) request to search beyond Massachusetts. Ask at the circulation desk or email the Reference Librarian. Because the ILL system involves sending requests out to five libraries at a time, each with five days to respond, we cannot even estimate a delivery date.
Renewals must be authorized by the lending library so please plan ahead and call or email the Reference Librarian. There are NO renewals on Virtual Catalog items.
