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WorldShare ILL Billing - Interlibrary Loan Fee Management (IFM)

When libraries use OCLC WorldShare ILL to manage borrowing and lending requests, any losses of items are reconciled through OCLC Interlibrary Loan Fee Management (IFM). This is a system of debit/credit facilitated through OCLC.

Lender instructions (your item is lost/ damaged) 

During the lifespan of an interlibrary loan, use WorldShare ILL request queues to manage overdue items and send reminders through the system to encourage return of material. When items do not return on time, at or about 42 days overdue, contact the borrowing library notifying them of the outstanding loan. Use the Email button in the top right under "Actions." 

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Email template

Create email templates that you can easily copy and modify to communicate with other libraries. The following are suggestions:

Overdue (send after 3 weeks overdue)

This item is now XX days overdue. We have not received this item back from your library. Please review the status of the request and update based on your last action. If the item is not returned by your patron, it will be considered lost. Please reply as soon as possible so we can begin the remittance process.

 

Lost (send when considered lost and billable, recommended ~42 days overdue)

This item has not been received back and is now considered LOST. Please reply as soon as possible so we can begin the remittance process.

Please initiate a WorldShare loan request for reimbursement. Add the following information to the request, replace the bolded text with information your library provides before sending the email.

Request Details

  1. Title of the item - Title of Material (Replacement for request #XXXXXXX) 
  2. Verification - add a note regarding request is for replacement cost of lost item

Lending Libraries

  1. Lender string - enter our OCLC code XXX only 

Borrowing Library

  1. Check the box - "Use ILL Fee Management (IFM) for payment."
  2. Max Cost -  $X.XX (replacement cost for the item) and verify USD 

 

This will create a dummy loan and result in an IFM transaction in the amount of the item replacement cost. We will close the original loan when the dummy loan is placed and processed for payment. 

 

Borrower instructions (you borrowed an item that is now lost/ damaged) 

To reimburse a library, follow the process outlined above, with your library acting as the requesting/borrowing library.  Before you send the request, communicate with the lending library to verify replacement cost and to let them know that the item is lost and your library wishes to pay replacement cost. The lending library will need to follow-through with processing the lost item request for IFM payment, as well as close the original request after receiving payment.

Fill out a request with the following details:

Request Details

  1. Title of the item - Title of Material (Replacement for request #XXXXXXX) [reference the original request using the WSILL request #]
    Enter Title with reference to request ID
  2. Verification - add a note regarding request is for replacement cost of lost item
    Add verification note

Lending Libraries

  1. Lender string - enter the OCLC symbol of the library owning the lost material [enter only the one symbol in the request string]
    Enter OCLC symbol of lender

Borrowing Library

  1. Check the box - "Use ILL Fee Management (IFM) for payment."
  2. Max Cost - $X.XX [enter the replacement cost for the item as indicated from communication with owning library]; verify USD
    Select IFM and enter max cost

In order for the request to be closed and IFM payment transfer completed, each library (borrower/lender) will need to update the status of the request through the system. When the request is closed, the IFM balance is updated.

In Illinois, IFM fund balances are managed through our Illinois group service contract. Illinois Heartland Library System is the managing agent. When your IFM balance reaches +/- $100, either a check or an invoice will be issued.

OCLC Resources

Visit the OCLC WorldShare ILL Documentation and Training resources for additional information. The following reference material and video from OCLC helps explain for process of updating request status and how to handle lost items.