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Libraries
If we do not have the book you are interested in, we can apply to other libraries to borrow their copy on your behalf through the Inter-Library Loans (ILL) system. We go to various libraries in the UK including university libraries as well as the British Library.
Yes. Please see our Fines and charges page for more details.
You can apply for up to ten ILL requests at any one time. Fill in a reservation form available at your local library. Give as much detail as possible and hand the form into a member of library staff.
Please write in block capitals and make sure your hand writing is easy to read!
We will then decide if we wish to purchase the item for our libraries or apply for an inter-library loan.
This depends on the item you wish to borrow and where we go to get it. It can take anything from two weeks to several months to supply. We are not the only library applying to borrow books, so you may find yourself added to a waiting list.
If the book is still in print we will evaluate the book and see if it is worth adding to our own stock.
We try our best to keep the time as short as possible, and will investigate other sources if we can not supply the books within a reasonable time.
British Library books are usually issued for three weeks. Other libraries may have their own lending periods. These loan periods start from the date the book was issued to us and we notify you as soon as the book arrives. It is important you pick up the book as quickly as possible to get the most out of the loan time available.
Occasionally items may only be available for use in a Royal Borough library and so can not be taken out of the library at all.
If you lose or damage an inter-library loans item you will be charged accordingly.
Again, this depends on where we have borrowed the item from. It may be possible to renew your inter-library loan, but not always. Please call us on the Librariesline on 020 7361 3010 to see if it is possible to renew the item.
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