Interlibrary Loan Service
The Interlibrary loan policy limits the amount of interlibrary loan requests to one per month*. Please read the policy below before making a request.
*Updated 05/05/08
Interlibrary Loan Policy
If the New Haven Public Library cannot supply the specific book or article you need, we will try to obtain it from another library on interlibrary loan. This service is only for New Haven residents with library cards. Please be sure all Interlibrary Loan forms (ReQuest, online, and blue paper form) are filled out completely with the following information: library card number, address, and phone number or email. This will help us to process requests in a timelier manner. Any request form that is not filled out completely will be cancelled. A resident may apply for no more than one request per month.
Interlibrary loan material usually arrives in four to six weeks. There are no rush requests. If you do not want to wait for interlibrary loan delivery and are willing to travel to other libraries, use ReQuest to simultaneously search the catalogs of hundreds of Connecticut libraries.
The following material may be requested:
- Fiction
- Non-fiction
- Periodical articles (up to 50 pages)
The following material may also be requested, but is less likely to be available for loan:
- Reference material
- New books (libraries have various definitions on what constitutes a "new" book)
- Obscure materials (e.g. certain editions or translated foreign texts)
The Library does not request audiovisual items such as videos and CD's. Regardless of the material requested, there is never any guarantee that your request will be granted.
Requests may be placed at the Main Library or any of the branches, or you may use the online request form below. Interlibrary loan material may be picked up and returned to any of the branches, as well as the Main Library.
The lending conditions, including the loan period, are set by the lending library. There are no renewals, however, for interlibrary loan materials.
If you have any questions about the Library's ILL service or would like to know the status of your ILL request, send email to illnh@nhfpl.org or call 946-8130 x316.
Interlibrary Loan Request Form
Use this form if you are a New Haven resident with a library card to request a book or article that is not available in the New Haven library system. The ILL staff will use their own databases to locate the material you are seeking and will contact you when it arrives.
The Interlibrary loan policy limits the amount of interlibrary loan requests to one per month*. Please read the policy above before making a request.
*Updated 05/05/08
Revised May 5, 2008