One of the most popular reference questions we get asked (besides “Where is/do you have a washroom?”) is, “How can I get my hands on ________ (blank)? “ Only very rarely is that blank still the washroom. Usually, it is an item from our collection. Sometimes, it’s a title from one of our neighbouring libraries. And we can help with that, too. Given that material borrowing is our main gig (though it sometimes seems a respectable side project to Adult Craft Night), we thought it was a good time to review what we offer, and how to get a hold of desired items outside of our system.
It should go without saying that we offer books. Though as someone who shall not be named (not Voldemort), is fond of saying, “Common sense is not so common anymore.” Not sure it ever was. Our package of hand sanitizer says in two separate places that it is not intended for use in eyes.
So anyway, we offer books, E-books, audiobooks (both physical and online), music CDs, DVDs, Blu-Ray, comic books, magazines, video games, and in-house newspaper use – both current dailies and local history on microfilm. Staff members are happy to help you locate/access any of our in-house or online material. But what about resources outside of TPL holdings? It’s perfectly okay to ask. We won’t be offended.
Inter-library loans (or ILLOs) are probably the material acquisition option you’re most familiar with. We have been offering the service for decades and are pretty sure the same request form has just been photocopied and reprinted since the program’s inception. And our year of birth. But it works. If you’re ever looking for a title not found within the TPL catalogue, an ILLO can be sourced through Southern Ontario Library Services via the Information desk. ILLOs can be requested in person, by phone, or online once we’ve set up your initial account. Depending on availability and responsiveness of the requested item’s home library, ILLOs can take anywhere from we’re not giving you a time to we’re not giving you a time. You really think we’d put a date in writing so that you can quote it the next time there’s any sort of delay? But the wait is usually quite reasonable, and we always keep you updated on the status of your item, calling when it arrives, or if we have trouble getting our hands on the material (sometimes the result of it being rare or out-of-print).
Another way you can order materials not housed at TPL is through our participation inLiNC. LiNC (which stands for Libraries in Niagara Cooperative) is a consortium of six communities including Fort Erie, Niagara-on-the-Lake, Pelham, Lincoln, and Niagara College. Hopefully, you pieced together that we are the sixth community. LiNC requests are less involved than ILLOs and generally take a shorter amount of time to arrive at TPL. Nope, still not committing to an exact length. Also unlike ILLOs, you don’t need to register to view available titles. By searching via our website catalogue, patrons can simply use the pull-down menu to switch from an exclusive TPL search to all LiNC libraries, or the specifically desired institution. A TPL staff member can help you with this process as well. Holds can then be placed on eligible items that will be shipped directly to TPL for pick-up. No costs are required in either service option.
And above all, don’t forget to tell us if you’re interested in a particular title or author that we don’t have. Even if you prefer not to request the item from another institution, we always consider patron interest when purchasing new material. If there are enough requests, we may even spring for the whole series. Our dedication to your leisure fulfilment knows no bounds.
