What is interlibrary loan, anyway?

Interlibrary loan enables libraries to share resources with each other. For those not fluent in library-speak, it means that if your library does not own an item, they can try to get it for you from another library system.

Some libraries use this term to describe the movement of items between branches of the same library system, but we will use the definition above.

I hope to use this blog to help both patrons and library staff understand just what interlibrary loan can do - and what, unfortunately, it can't do. I will be posting my thoughts on the service, and hope that you will do the same.