Interlibrary Loan (ILL) Policy

The Flagstaff City-Coconino County Public Library may request materials from another library that are not available to patrons locally. To request a title through this service, the patron’s account must be active and in good standing. 

  • This service is limited to full privilege library card holders with verified contact information including a phone number and/or email address.

  • Patrons may have no more than 6 interlibrary loan active requests on their account at the same time.

  • The Flagstaff City-Coconino County Public Library honors any restrictions and/or check out periods the lending library may place on the material.

  • The patron is responsible for all materials borrowed from another library. The patron will pay any charges assessed by the lending library.

  • To check out the item, the patron must present the library card on which the interlibrary loan request was placed. Items are held until their due date as determined by the lending library.

  • If an item is not picked up within the time allotted, the loan request is cancelled, and the item is returned to the lending library; if this happens three times, ILL services may be suspended.

  • The Flagstaff City-Coconino County Public Library does not interlibrary loan audio-visual materials, including DVDs and Audio Books.

Frequently Asked Questions:

What is Interlibrary Loan (ILL)?

Interlibrary Loan (ILL) is a service offered by the Flagstaff City-Coconino County Public Library. To provide access to materials that we do not own, the library borrows books or journal/magazine articles from other libraries across the country.

Who can use ILL?

ILL is available to Full Privilege Library Card Holders with verified contact information who are in good standing (less than $20 in fees on your account).

How do I make a request?

  • First, check the Flagstaff Public Library’s Online Catalog to see if the library owns the book.
  • If the book is less than six months old, it is too new to request through Interlibrary Loan -- fill out the Purchase Request Form instead.
  • If the item is six months or older and is not owned by the library, place an Interlibrary Loan request. You will need to register for an Interlibrary Loan account.
  • Record your ILL user information and password as it is not necessarily the same as your library card number and pin.

How can I find books to request through ILL?

Check WorldCat for availability. All U.S. libraries that participate in Interlibrary Loan list their holdings (although not every book listed in WorldCat is available through Interlibrary Loan).

How many items can I request?

You can have 6 active requests at one time. This includes pending requests.

How long does it take to receive a request?

It can take two to three weeks to receive materials. Staff processes your requests as quickly as possible, but processing times vary depending on where the items are coming from.

Why am I being asked to pay a fee for my ILL?

Interlibrary Loan books are ordered from libraries that don't charge for Interlibrary Loans when possible. When an items is only available from an institution that charges for lending, staff will contact you in advance to see if you're willing to pay the charges to get the book. 

Can I request CDs, DVDs, or eBooks?

No.

How will I be notified when my material arrives?

If you have an email address listed in your Interlibrary Loan account, you will receive an email (please add LibraryILL@flagstaffpubliclibrary.org to your address book to keep our emails out of your spam folder). Otherwise, you will receive a phone call.

How long can I keep an ILL item?

The library that lends the item gets to decide on the due date. Loan periods vary from two weeks to twelve weeks.

Where do I return ILL materials?

You may return your materials to either the Downtown Library or the East Flagstaff Community Library.

Can I renew an ILL request?

You may request a renewal, but renewals are not guaranteed. Renewals are at the discretion of the lending library. Please contact the Interlibrary Loan Specialist at (928) 213-2379 or LibraryILL@flagstaffpubliclibrary.org to request a renewal.

Please do not contact the lending library directly. They will not be able to initiate a renewal request.

Anything else I should know?

Please treat your Interlibrary Loan books with care and return them on time. If books are returned damaged or late, the lending library might not be willing to lend books to Flagstaff Libraries in the future.