Interlibrary Loan

Interlibrary loan, also known as ILL, is a service of libraries that allows you to borrow items from beyond the local SAILS library network here in Southeastern Massachusetts. If we do not have an item, we will try to get it for you from another library. The first source to borrow beyond our network is the Commonwealth Catalog followed by nation-wide interlibrary loan.

Commonwealth Catalog: Massachusetts Statewide Library Catalog

If something you want is not in the SAILS network, we will try to get it from the Commonwealth Catalog, which is made up of many of the libraries in Massachusetts. Call 508-999-0726, ext. 377 or email the Library. You can also place your own requests at the Commonwealth Catalog.

How to Use the Commonwealth Catalog:

Interlibrary Loan Beyond the State of Massachusetts

If the item is not available in the Commonwealth Catalog, we can try to get it from outside the state, or a college library that is not in the Commonwealth Catalog. Time is the big question: Commonwealth Catalog requests usually come in 5 to 7 working days, outside the region can take 2 to 3 weeks. Best-sellers, popular videos, and rare genealogical books are difficult to obtain - but ask and we'll see what we can do.