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Good morning, PADG. The following was received by RUSA back in
April as the final draft regarding the ILL Code Supplement, but I do not see
the approved version yet at the ALA web site. I will make an inquiry and let
you all know when the revision is expected. Best, Karen Brown/SUNY Albany “4.9 Responsibility of the Requester”
The requesting
library assumes a small but inherent risk when material is supplied through
interlibrary loan. Although the percentage is very small, some material is lost
or damaged at some point along the route from the supplier and back again. The
requesting library's responsibility for this loss is based on the concept that
if the request had not been made, the material would not have left the
supplier's shelf, and thus would not have been put at risk. This section
clearly states that the requesting library is responsible for the material from
the time it leaves the supplying library until its safe return to the supplying
library. If the requesting library asks
for delivery at a location away from the library (such as to the user's home),
the requesting library is likewise responsible for the material during this
delivery and return process. In any case, a final decision regarding replacement,
repair, or compensation rests with the supplying library. Borrowed items should be
returned in the condition in which they were received at the requesting
library. In particular, adhesive labels or tape should not be affixed directly to
any borrowed item. It is the responsibility of the
requesting library to pay invoices received or to notify the supplying library
of any billing questions not later than six months from the billing date for
the charges in question. The requesting library should also make every attempt
to resolve billing questions within six months of notifying the supplying
library of an apparent billing error. Although the code stipulates that
the requesting library is required to pay if billed for a lost or damaged item,
the supplying library is not necessarily required to charge for a lost item. In
the case of lost material, the requesting and supplying libraries may need to
work together to resolve the matter. For instance, the library shipping the
material may need to initiate a trace with the delivery firm.” |