The MHLS Interlibrary Loan Department coordinates interlibrary loan services for members to borrow from nationwide collections, when items are not available in Sierra or SEAL.
How do I help my patron find material that is not in Sierra?
You’ll find over 90% of what your patrons are looking for by searching the collections of MHLS member libraries through the OPAC/Sierra.
- If the item is not available in the OPAC/Sierra, member library staff should first check SEAL (the regional database of catalogs from academic, special, public and school libraries in Columbia, Dutchess, Greene, Orange, Putnam, Rockland, Sullivan, and Ulster counties), and request the item through the SEAL interface.
- If the item is not available in SEAL, MHLS coordinates interlibrary loan services for members to borrow from nationwide collections through OCLC. Member library staff can send the request to MHLS ILL Department through the ILL Module within Sierra or email. Note: If a journal title in not available in Sierra, please also check the electronic journals on your county eResources/HomeACCESS page before sending in a request.
Before submitting an OCLC ILL request to MHLS:
- Member library staff must check the Mid-Hudson Library System and SEAL catalogs. If a circulating copy can be borrowed from either of those collections, MHLS will not place an OCLC request.
- Member library staff must check Amazon to see if a new comparable item is available for under $25. MHLS will not place an OCLC request if an item can be purchased for less than $25, the average cost of an ILL transaction at book rates for shipping.
Contact the MHLS ILL Department (845-471-6060 ext. 224) with questions about additional ILL policies from the MHLS Resource Sharing standards, ILL practice and procedure in the region and through the New York State Library Interlibrary Loan (NYSILL).
How do SEAL items get to my library?
- The item will be sent by the supplying library to the MHLS member library through the MHLS delivery, Empire Library Delivery, USPS or UPS.
How do I return SEAL items?
- If the item is from one of the following libraries, it can be sent in the delivery to MHLS ILL using this routing slip. MHLS will forward it onto Empire Library Delivery for delivery to the institution.
- Bard College
- Columbia-Greene Community College, SUNY
- Dutchess Community College, SUNY
- Marist College
- Mount Saint Mary College
- New Paltz, SUNY
- New York State Library
- Orange County Community College, SUNY
- Ramapo Catskill Library System member libraries
- Rockland Community College, SUNY
- Sullivan County Community College, SUNY
- Ulster County Community College, SUNY
- US Military Academy
- Vassar College
- If the item is from a library not on this list, you return it directly to that supplying library through USPS or UPS.
How do I send out an item requested of my library through SEAL?
- If the item is going to one of the following libraries, it can be sent it in the delivery to MHLS ILL using this routing slip. MHLS will forward it onto Empire Library Delivery for delivery to the institution.
- Bard College
- Columbia-Greene Community College, SUNY
- Dutchess Community College, SUNY
- Marist College
- Mount Saint Mary College
- New Paltz, SUNY
- New York State Library
- Orange County Community College, SUNY
- Ramapo Catskill Library System member libraries
- Rockland Community College, SUNY
- Sullivan County Community College, SUNY
- Ulster County Community College, SUNY
- US Military Academy
- Vassar College
- If the item is from a library not on this list, you send it directly to that borrowing library through USPS or UPS.
How can an OCLC item ordered by the MHLS ILL Department get renewed?
- Items brought in through OCLC cannot be renewed by library staff or patrons. If your patron needs an extension, please contact ill@midhudson.org who can request an extension from the supplying library.
How do OCLC items ordered by the MHLS ILL Department get to my library?
- The item will be sent by the MHLS ILL Department to the MHLS member library in the delivery.
How do I return OCLC items ordered by the MHLS ILL Department?
- MHLS Online ILL Request Form: Please use the ILL Module within Sierra. If you have questions about the ILL Module please contact the ILL department at 845-471-6060 ext. 224.
- MHLS ILL Routing Slips
