Interlibrary Loan FAQs

  • General Questions

    Interlibrary Loan (ILL) lets you borrow books, movies, and other materials from other libraries when the Clark County Public Library doesn’t own them. We partner with two statewide library networks, SearchOhio and OhioLINK, to make thousands of additional items available to you.

    • SearchOhio connects public libraries across Ohio. You can borrow items from large systems, such as Columbus Metropolitan and Toledo-Lucas County, among many others.

    • OhioLINK connects academic libraries, letting you borrow materials from participating colleges and universities throughout the state.

    You can:

    • Search and request online using the SearchOhio catalog.

    • Ask staff in person at any branch.

    • Call us at (937) 328-6903. Just have your library card and PIN number ready!

    No. SearchOhio and OhioLINK do not support holds or reserves on checked-out items. You may check back later to see if the item becomes available again.

  • Borrowing

    Track the progress of your request by watching its status on your MY ACCOUNT record. When the item is ready for you to pick up, the status will show HELD, and you will receive a courtesy notice.

    Patrons with an active Clark County Public Library card in good standing are eligible to use Interlibrary Loan services.

    Please note that new cardholders in their probationary period are not eligible for Interlibrary Loan requests.

    Pending requests will appear in your account as soon as they are processed. Delivery of materials usually takes less than 14 days and will be ready for pick-up on the hold shelf.

    We will hold your interlibrary loan item for 10 days. If you miss the pick-up window, the item will be returned to the loaning library.

    Yes.

    Consortium Request limit
    SearchOhio up to 75 requests*
    OhioLINK up to 25 requests**

    *Includes active requests, held, borrowed, and in-transit items, etc.

    **Requests are included in the SearchOhio total.

    Renewal periods vary by consortium:

    Consortium Renewals
    SearchOhio up to 3 times
    OhioLINK Books up to 6 times
    OhioLINK Media (Movies, CDs) up to 3 times

    Material Type Borrowing Period
    Books, audiobooks, CDs 3 Weeks
    Blu-rays and DVDs 1 Week

  • Fees

    Yes. Both SearchOhio and OhioLINK charge a $25 replacement fee for lost items. This fee is added to your library account 28 days after the item’s final due date if the item is not returned.

    Similar to Clark County Public Library materials, there are no late fees. However, the borrower will be charged a replacement cost if the item is 28 days overdue.