Inter-library loans
From 1 July 2023 there will be changes to the delivery of the inter-library loans service in Western Australia.
Inter-library loans are not being suspended, and there is no reduction in State Government funding for public library services.
Material requested by library users not currently in an individual library’s collection will be supplied in electronic format such as eBooks in the first instance.
Print copies can be purchased on demand when an electronic version is unavailable or cannot meet user needs. Inter-library loans will still be available when requested materials cannot be supplied in either of these ways.
The inter-library loans service was established many decades ago when books and other materials were not so readily available, and borrowing between libraries provided a viable method for Western Australians to access the materials they needed.
While inter-library loans remain a valuable service for materials not readily available for purchase, the ever-increasing online availability of library materials enables the State Library and public libraries to work together to deliver more sustainable services to the community.