Do you have library users who want materials your library doesn’t have? It is possible to borrow items from another library. Borrowing from another library is called INTERLIBRARY LOAN, or ILL. The information below is intended for those using the 800 Number Interlibrary Loan & Reference Service in Anchorage.

• WHO CAN BORROW: Any patron (student or teacher) in good standing who requests materials through a school librarian or school library aide.  Very small schools may make special arrangements for a teacher to borrow materials if there is no aide or school librarian.

• WHO PLACES REQUEST: ILL-trained  school librarian or teacher, or district library media coordinator

• WHAT’S AVAILABLE: You may borrow print or media materials, as well as photocopies of articles. For example:

• Borrow the book Ordinary Wolves, by Seth Kantner, or a copy of the article “The plot to murder Napoleon”, by R. Chelminski, Smithsonian Magazine, April 1982, pp. 76-85.
• Or ask for books by a particular author such as Leon Uris, or science fiction by Isaac Asimov, or a mystery by Dana Stabenow
• Or ask for information on a particular subject such as solar heating, dog mushing, northern gardening, or how to sew mukluks
• It is the usual custom not to borrow brand-new books of high interest or current Battle of the Books titles.  Each library should be responsible for providing these for their students.  If in doubt, talk to the staff at the 800 telephone number.

• BEFORE PLACING AN ILL: Get as much information as possible from your library user about the item they are requesting.

• Books—title, author, publisher, date
• Photocopy—periodical, article title, author, date, page, volume & issue
• Subject—a general or specific topic
• Level — age group, beginner or scholarly

You may also contact your community library for assistance with placing an ILL if you have not been trained to provide ILL service. If you have never placed a request through the service or need to find out how to dial the 800 number, you should contacting the School Library Coordinator at the Anchorage Office at jacque.peterson@alaska.gov or call her at 1-800-776-6566 (in Alaska but out of Anchorage) or in Anchorage 269-6571 or 269-6570.  The 800 number cannot be given to individual students or parents or posted on the web.  It is only for use by Alaska librarians, library aides, or specially designated teachers in schools with no library staff. The 800 number staff at the Anchorage Public Library can send you a thorough guide to interlibrary loan procedures if you contact them via email.