Since cooperation between libraries depends upon the goodwill of the cooperating libraries that loan materials for use, and because the Library is responsible for the return or replacement of these materials, the Library must be particularly careful to oversee the use of materials obtained from cooperating libraries and agencies.
Materials from other libraries must be requested by the person who will be responsible for those materials and must be checked out on that person’s card.
Patrons who are not currently allowed to check out library materials because of bills, fees, or overdue items are not allowed to request materials from cooperating libraries or agencies. The services involved include, but are not limited to, interlibrary loan and article requests.
If a patron has repeatedly lost or kept overdue materials that have been supplied by a cooperating library or agency, the privilege of using these services may be suspended.
The Evanston Public Library may charge back to its patrons any charges for services provided by cooperating libraries and other agencies.
Reciprocal Borrowing
The Evanston Public Library shall make all material that it loans to Evanston cardholders available to valid cardholders from RAILS member libraries except the following materials: Interlibrary Loan, Wi-Fi Hotspots, Job Search Tech Kits, Chromebooks & Laptops, Most Wanted, streaming material and any other material as deemed by the Library Executive Director or designee.
Chicago Public Library Reciprocal Borrowing
In order to maintain a balance in the Reciprocal Borrowing arrangement with the City of Chicago, the Evanston Public Library restricts loans to Chicago residents to no more than fifty items charged to a library card at any given time.
Interlibrary Loans
The Evanston Public Library is an active member of the Reaching Across Illinois Library System (RAILS), and follows System interlibrary loan procedures and protocols wherever applicable. The Evanston Public Library also initiates and responds to loan requests within the greater library community.
The Evanston Public Library relies on RAILS as its primary means of satisfying interlibrary loan requests, and the Library attempts, in turn, to fill all requests received from RAILS member libraries.
The Evanston Public Library attempts to satisfy requests from non-RAILS Illinois libraries with any item not currently on loan, except those published within six months and those in frequent demand. The Evanston Public Library will accept requests from libraries throughout the United States, when it appears that the requesting library may have exhausted local and regional resources. Reference books are generally not loaned. Material in fragile condition is not loaned.
