Interlibrary Loan

...2.1 The purpose of interlibrary loan as defined by this code is to obtain, upon request of a library user, material not available in the user's local library...ALA - Interlibrary Loan Code for the United States

Your ARRC- Portland Public Library

As the designated Area Reference and Resource Center (ARRC), the Portland Public Library provides interlibrary loan for libraries and citizens in its District (Cumberland and York Counties and selected Oxford County towns). Search the PPL catalog

PPL welcomes interlibrary loan requests from District libraries. Requests are accepted from all libraries via OCLC, mail, fax and online web forms. Most SMLD District library requests are sent on web forms found online at Portland Public Library's Interlibrary Loan Services.

Any library in the Southern Maine Library District can request books and articles from the Portland Public Library. If PPL does not own an item, a nationwide search is conducted using OCLC, an electronic database of 20,000 libraries; the item is sent directly to the requesting Maine library. PPL participates in interlibrary loan on regional, state, national and international levels.

Additional ILL Resources

The Maine Info Net Statewide Catalog combines and links 10 online library systems (Portland Public Library, University of New England, Maine College of Art, Bates, Bowdoin, Colby, Maine Maritime Academy, URSUS, MINERVA and SOLAR) currently serving 90 Maine libraries. A single search scans more than 3,082,000 unique titles and 6.7 million items. With the exception of SOLAR, patrons of libraries served by these systems can place online web requests from Maine Info Net and from their local system. In all systems, staff can also place requests on behalf of patrons.

Libraries that wish full access to online requesting and lending for patrons, and also seek the benefits of a shared online library automation system, may wish to consider joining Minerva. For details on joining Minerva

Libraries with no need for Minerva's library automation functions, or unable to pay support costs associated with Minerva, can get easy, no-cost access to staff-only online requesting and lending by joining SOLAR.

Eventually, it is expected that 300 or more Maine libraries will be included in Maine Info Net through the growth of SOLAR and Minerva.

Other Resources

Who Loans What
A partial list of Maine libraries accepting e-mail ILL requests is maintained by the Maine State Library
MEFIND-L
This free listserv, maintained by the Maine State Library, was created to provide a medium for broadcast ILL requesting; it is used primarily to request audiovisual materials, multiple copies of titles for book discussion groups, and other miscellaneous items.
Statewide Van Delivery Service
A statewide delivery service provides pickup and delivery of interlibrary loan materials on a regular basis. Libraries must schedule service with the Maine State Library; fees for the service depend on the number of visits and the amount of ILL traffic. Contact Dean Corner for more information. dean.corner@maine.gov.

Please note some libraries may charge fees to support ILL costs. Practices vary from library to library.