Interlibrary Loan
The White Oak Library District is a member of the Pinnacle Library Cooperative which provides access to materials in a shared catalog that is available to any library cardholder. Should you want or need an item that you cannot locate in the Pinnacle Catalog, you can search WorldCat from within the catalog. Look below the keyword search bar for the dropdown menu that currently says “Pinnacle Libraries”. Click the down arrow to open the dropdown menus and select "WorldCat Libraries Worldwide." When you find the item you are looking for, you can place a hold on the item as you would for a regular hold request. If you need assistance please contact our Adult Services staff.
It is important to remember that, if you place an ILL through the Catalog, you must select one of the three White Oak Library Branches as a pick-up location. We will not ship an ILL to another Pinnacle Library.
Crest Hill Adult Services: 815-552-4280
Lockport Adult Services: 815-552-4260
Romeoville Adult Services: 815-552-4230
ILL Frequently Asked Questions
What is interlibrary loan (ILL)? An Interlibrary Loan (ILL) is material borrowed from libraries outside the Pinnacle Library Cooperative. If you’re looking for materials that are unavailable directly through the shared Pinnacle Catalog, our ILL service can help. An Interlibrary Loan can provide you with access to millions of titles from libraries and institutions all across the United States.
Who can use ILL? Any patron who has an account in good standing with one of the Pinnacle Libraries has access to White Oak’s Interlibrary Loan program. However, reciprocal users, teacher cards, and those with a student success card are unable to borrow ILL material through the White Oak Library District.
What can I order through ILL? You have access to millions of books, videos, and CDs through our Interlibrary Loan service, but there are some restrictions.
We will not borrow the following material types through ILL:
- Videogames
- E-Books or E-Audiobooks
- Book material newer than six months
- Audio/Visual material newer than one year
- Newspapers, magazines, or microfilm
- Any non-standard specialty items like instruments or vinyl records
The White Oak Library District will not borrow material from libraries outside the contiguous United States, or from libraries that charge us to share.
Does this service cost me anything? We only borrow material from free lenders, so we never have to charge you to access these items. However, lost or damaged ILL material will result in fines/charges as dictated by the lending library. Once fines/charges are given by the lending library, they are permanent fines that must be paid. Essentially, keeping an Interlibrary Loan item could be very costly.
Please see the White Oak Library District Circulation Policy for more information on fines, fees, and charges.
How do I place an order? If you’re familiar with placing a regular hold through our online catalog, then requesting an Interlibrary Loan item is simple. We have provided you with step-by-step instructions below, but if you need any help placing an order, feel free to contact our Adult Services staff at any White Oak branch.
- Perform a regular catalog search through the White Oak Library District website.
- If you do not see what you’re looking for, repeat the search with "WorldCat: Worldwide Libraries" selected from the database drop-down menu ("All Pinnacle Libraries" is the default).
- Once the website has finished retrieving the results, click the hyperlink to add pending results. This link is located directly below your search criteria and directly above the search results.
- Typically these searches will produce a large number of results, so you might find it helpful to sort by relevancy, title, or author.
- Once you have located the item you would like to order, select the Place Hold button. You will be prompted to enter your library card number/username and your account PIN. You will then be asked for your preferred pick-up location. Remember to choose a White Oak branch for pick-up if you’re ordering through our website.
How many items can I order? The White Oak Library District Interlibrary Loan program is limited to 5 pending ILL requests and 5 ILL items checked out at once, for a maximum of 10 active/received requests.
When will my order arrive? Delivery times vary for every request depending on a number of factors. Therefore, we are unable to provide an estimate or guarantee a specific delivery date for any ILL request. In an effort to provide faster access to material, we order from in-state libraries first when possible.
What are the lending periods for ILL materials? Lending periods are entirely dependent on the due date given to us by the lending library.
Can I renew my ILL materials? We are unable to guarantee renewals on Interlibrary Loan material. However, if you’re interested in requesting more time, speak with Circulation or our ILL Clerk at least one week before your item’s due date.
Where do I return my ILL? You must return your Interlibrary Loan to one of the White Oak Library District Branches. This includes the Crest Hill, Lockport, and Romeoville locations. An Interlibrary Loan cannot be returned to another Pinnacle library. This can result in a lost ILL that you will be charged for.
Who can I contact for help or additional information? Our adult service desk is the best place to go for any questions regarding an ILL request. You can also contact our ILL clerk directly by phone at 815-552-4242 or email at interlibraryloan@whiteoaklib.org