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Adult Services: Interlibrary Loan

HHL Adult Services

Interlibrary Loan

Requesting Interlibrary Loan (ILL) Materials

The reference and circulation staff at Helen Hall Library is pleased to borrow an item from another library if the title is not in our collection. There are three ways to submit a request:

  • Submit an online request. Connect to the library catalog. On the top menu, select "Requests / Suggestions". Select "Interlibrary Loan Request" and fill in the required fields.
  • Visit the information desk on the first floor of the library or the adult services desk on the second floor and submit a paper request.
  • Call the adult services desk at 281-554-1101.

Service Guidelines

  • Interlibrary Loan (ILL) services are available to Helen Hall Library (HHL) patrons with a valid HHL card.
  • Patrons may not request ILL services for another individual. ILL items must be checked out on the card of the patron who submitted the original request.
  • ILL services are not available to library patrons with an unpaid account balance in excess of $20, or any patron whose account is blocked for any other reason.
  • Patrons may have no more than three ILL requests active at one time.
  • ILL services require a verified title and author to process interlibrary loan requests. Requests without a valid title/author may be disregarded.
  • ILL services staff will accept ILL requests for periodical articles only after all local sources for an article have been exhausted.
  • Because the loan periods for ILL items are set by the lending library (not HHL), renewal of ILL items is not permitted. Patrons may request the same ILL item one additional time.
  • The late fee for overdue ILL materials is $1 per day per item, with no maximum fine.
  • Patrons will be notified by phone when an ILL item is available for pickup. Email notification is not available for ILL items.

Loss of a patron's interlibrary loan privileges for a period of 1 year may occur due to any of the following:

  • Patron fails to pick up an ILL item.
  • Patron returns an ILL item late.
  • Any damage occurs to any ILL item while in the custody of the patron.

Permanent loss of a patron's interlibrary loan privileges may occur due to any of the following:

  • Patron loses an ILL item.
  • Patron returns an ILL item more than one (1) month past the due date.
  • Patron does not pay for damaged or lost ILL items within seven (7) days of HHL's receipt of the cost of replacement information from the lending institution.

Items Not Applicable for Interlibrary Loans

  • Materials owned by Helen Hall Library. Users must put on hold any HHL-owned materials that may be checked out or are otherwise unavailable that they wish to use.
  • Audio-visual materials of any type. This includes DVDs, music CDs, audio books in any format, etc.
  • Current bestsellers or other items published within the last year.
  • Genealogy items not available through the Texas State Library.
  • Reference books and/or rare books or materials.
  • Microforms of any kind.
  • Textbooks and any other class or course materials of any kind.

Requests made for any of these types of items will be disregarded.

Learn more

To learn more about the ILL program, please contact the Adult Services desk at 281-554-1107. You may also visit the Adult Services or Information Desk at Helen Hall Library.