The Abington Township Public Library is a member of MCLINC and library card holders can borrow items from nearly all of the libraries in Montgomery County seamlessly. If you need an item that is not held at the Abington libraries nor at a MCLINC library, we can borrow it for you through a process called Interlibrary Loan. MCLINC, the Montgomery County Library and Information Network Consortium.
Want to borrow materials from throughout Pennsylvania and beyond? Through interlibrary loan, Montgomery County library cardholders may request materials from libraries outside of MCLINC.
Here’s how:
- First, check the MCLINC catalog by clicking here. If the item appears in the catalog, log into your account, and click the Request button next to it to borrow from within Montgomery County.
- Not finding what you want in the MCLINC catalog? We can try to obtain materials for you from libraries beyond Montgomery County through Interlibrary Loan. Call 215-885-5180, ext. 113 or stop by the Information Desk to start an Interlibrary Loan.
Interlibrary Loan Frequently Asked Questions
Any Montgomery County library cardholder can request materials through interlibrary loan. Your account must be in good standing, with fines or fees below $30.00, in order to make ILL requests.
There are several ways to submit requests:
- By Phone: Call 215-885-5180, ext. 113 for the Reference Information Desk.
- For the Roslyn branch, call 215-886-9818.
- In Person: Stop by the Information Desk at Abington or Roslyn to speak to a librarian.
You may submit requests for multiple different titles, however, we process up to six requests at a time. Additional requests beyond four will be held until your other requests are resolved or returned.
Libraries may designate some items for use at their location only. Examples of the types of items that cannot be borrowed through ILL include:
- Current year materials, published within the last twelve months
- Most textbooks
- Reference materials
Interlibrary loans typically take a bit longer than requests made within Montgomery County through MCLINC. Materials may take a few weeks to arrive. Requests are processed and, depending on availability, sent by mail to Abington. At times, items are on loan at another library or difficult to find. We appreciate your patience!
Most loans are made free of charge. In rare cases in which the owning library requires a fee, we will check if the amount is acceptable to you before borrowing the materials. There are overdue fines of $1.00 per day, with a maximum of $35.00.
Contact Abington's Information Desk at 215-885-5180, ext. 113, or Roslyn Library at 215-886-9818. You can also contact us through email or chat ... or come see us in person!
You will be notified by text, phone, or email when the item is ready for pickup, just like your typical holds. Items will be held for you for one week. Pick them up from the holds shelf near the Young Adult Department. Roslyn ILL requests will be sent to the Roslyn Library for pickup.
Interlibrary loan materials cannot be transferred among the different Montgomery County libraries. Submit your request at the library where you wish to pick it up. For a list of Montgomery County libraries, click here.
ILL materials may be renewed only at the discretion of the owning library. Renewal policies vary among lenders. If you wish to renew, contact us, and we will request a renewal from the owning library on your behalf.
Items must be returned to the library where they were picked up. Please do not return ILL items to other Montgomery County libraries.
If you no longer want or need materials that you requested, please let us know! This helps us and the loaning library.
Interlibrary loan materials may come from libraries throughout Pennsylvania. If requested materials are not available within Pennsylvania, we will forward your request to our county interlibrary loan department at Montgomery County-Norristown Public Library, and they will search libraries further afield, within the United States.
Yes! The Power Library/Access PA catalog contains materials owned by hundreds of different Pennsylvania public, school, and university libraries. Enjoy browsing the catalog on your own, but request materials you see there through your home library. We will submit requests on your behalf. Here’s the link for the Access PA catalog: POWER Library at AccessPA.org.
Contact the Interlibrary Loan Coordinator at 215-885-5180, ext. 125.
For Roslyn, email or call: ckress@mclinc.org, or 215-886-9818.