Interlibrary Loan

Interlibrary Loan (ILL) allows Irving Public Library to borrow books for cardholders from other libraries throughout Texas and the United States. The ILL system utilizes the Texas Group Catalog to place ILL requests.

The Interlibrary Loan service is for Irving residents only who have a full access library card in good standing. Eligible cardholders may have up to 10 active ILL requests on their account at one time.

Please check the Irving Public Library online catalog before requesting books through ILL. Requests for items owned by Irving Public Library may be cancelled. The library does not supply audio-visual items through ILL. Please note that ILL materials may take two to six weeks to arrive. For questions about a request, contact the ILL Office at (972) 721-4629.

HOW TO PLACE AN INTERLIBRARY LOAN REQUEST

(Irving Residents only)

Search for material by title, author, or subject in the Texas Group Catalog using the basic default search or the Advanced Search.
Refine the results list by clicking a format, author, year, language, content, or topic in the left-hand navigation bar.
Upon finding an item to request, click on the title.
Check to be sure that Irving Public Library does not appear in the results list as owning the title.
Click on the Request Item button below the blue Find a Copy bar.
Choose Irving Public Library from the drop-down list. Check the "keep me logged in" box unless using a public computer.
Click Continue and log in with the library card number and PIN.
On the Request This Item screen, complete all required fields (*) and include any patron instructions.
Select a pickup location
Include an email address to be notified about cancelled requests.
Click Continue to submit the request.
ILL requests can be reviewed once logged into the Texas Group Catalog page. Hover over the top left link “Texas Group Catalog” and click on My Requests.

TIPS FOR SUCCESSFUL ILL REQUESTS

Choose the title with the most owning libraries to have a better chance of obtaining the book
Enter a date into the “Need by Date” field at least one month into the future
Enter an email address to receive updates regarding your request
Requests for Microforms, audiobooks, DVDs, CDs, or other audio-visual materials will be cancelled
Requests for new books (published within 6 months) may not be filled as most libraries will not loan new books

Can an Interlibrary Loan Item Be Renewed?

MAYBE — it depends on the lending library. Some libraries have a ‘No Renewals’ policy. Others may allow one (1) renewal. Renewals should be requested three to five days before the due date to expect a "yes" response. Renewal requests are for a two-week period and an item will only be renewed once.

ILL Navigator Problems

Possible reasons behind receiving a message stating unrecognized user / can’t log in are:

Library Card Expired
New / Replaced Library Card Number
Not an Irving Resident
Overdue Items or Bills
Exceeded the Maximum Number of Holds Allowed

ILL Statuses

New – The request has been sent to ILL staff for approval.
Pending – The request has been made and sent to other libraries.
Idle – There is an issue with the request, and it needs to be reviewed by ILL staff.
In Process – The request is being processed by the lending library. The item has not been shipped.
Shipped – The book is being shipped to Irving Public Library (it has not arrived).
Received – The book has been received by IPL but will need to be processed before it is sent to the pickup library location. A notification will be sent when the item is ready. Check the requests status here.
Returned – The book has been checked in and returned to the lending library. The item will be removed from a user's Texas Group Catalog account once it is received by the lending library.

Not seeing a requested item? When a request is cancelled, it will be removed from the “My Requests” list and a message with an explanation about the cancellation is sent to the email address provided in the request. Please contact the ILL Office or call (972) 721-4629 with any questions.