What is an Interlibrary Loan?
Interlibrary Loan (ILL) is a free service provided by Michigan eLibrary that allows you to make online requests for items from participating libraries across the state of Michigan. Available items will be delivered to either FCL location for pickup.
Please keep in mind that items that you are requesting could take 2-4 weeks from the time you request an item until it is available for pickup due to shipping and processing time.
If you have any questions, please contact the ILL Department at Interlibrary.Loan@farmlib.org or call (248) 553-6878.
Interlibrary Loan FAQs
FCL Cardholders (with accounts in good standing) are able to make interlibrary loan requests through mel.org.
An FCL account is considered “in good standing” when:
- There are no overdue materials
- Lost item charges are below $15
- Patron information is current
Interlibrary loans can be requested for items that FCL does not own and that were published more than 6 months ago.
Interlibrary loans cannot be placed on items within FCL’s collections. If FCL owns the material but it is checked out, a hold will be placed on the FCL copy.
Videogames are not available through ILL.
Delivery of ILL items cannot be guaranteed and may take 2-4 weeks from the time you request an item until it is available for pickup due to shipping and processing time.
You may checkout print ILL items for 3 weeks. Other ILL media (music, audiobooks, etc.) can be checked out for 1 week. Once an ILL item is received, you will have 10 days to pick it up from the Library. These 10 days count toward your loan period.
To check on a request’s status, contact the Interlibrary Loan Department:
Print materials will automatically renew 1 time. Other items (music, audiobooks, etc.) cannot be renewed. If a renewal is denied, the FCL cardholder will be contacted and expected to return the ILL within 2 days.