A gentle reminder: new items are not for ILL

We processed 75 new requests yesterday - close to but not quite breaking a record. Of those 75 requests, 7 were for items released in the past two months.

Libraries won't lend out their newer items, because they want their patrons to use them first. We do not lend items from the new book section because our patrons' tax dollars finance them, so CCPL patrons should have first choice of those items.

Items published or released in the last 6 months are not available via interlibrary loan. If you would like one of these items, please submit a suggestion for purchase at any of our branches or by calling Telephone Reference at 805-6930.

For the person who submitted an ILL request for an item with a publication date of September 2007 - our department is good, but not that good! Future publications are not available via interlibrary loan either.

Can I get the new Harry Potter book via ILL?

Unfortunately, no.

Most libraries will not lend items that have just been released. If this sounds selfish, think about it - if CCPL had a hot new item that everyone wanted, would you want us to send it out to another library system? We're all looking out for our own patrons here - the ones who provide the tax base to keep us going. These libraries would be happy to lend the item several months down the road, when their patrons' demands for the item have decreased.

So now what? CCPL is always happy to entertain suggestions for purchase. They can be submitted in the library, by phone, or via our AskAQuestion service (http://www.ccpl.org/content.asp?id=14596&action=detail&catID=5407&parentID=5373).

In most cases, the item will be purchased, and those who requested it notified. If the item is not purchased, those who requested it will be notified as well - and then we can try the interlibrary loan process.