Interlibrary Loan

Welcome to the Interlibrary Loan division of the Dallas Public Library. Please take a moment to read this page before submitting your request. Interlibrary Loan service is available to those persons eligible for a free Dallas Public library card. If you live outside the city of Dallas you can contact your local library to request materials through Interlibrary Loan. Most public libraries provide this service.

Before requesting any material through Interlibrary Loan, you must have a current library card. This applies to both juvenile and adult library cards. You must present your library card in order to pick up Interlibrary Loan materials. When you register for the ILLiad account, your address must match the address on your library card.

We will process your request unless there is a problem with your library card as indicated in the following examples:

• There is a fine (for overdue materials and/or lost materials)  associated with your library card account and/or Interlibrary Loan account.
   
• Your Interlibrary Loan account's address does not match your library card account
   
• Interlibrary Loan staff will send you notification to clear the fines against your account before your request is processed.

Items owned by Dallas Public Library, even if they are for reference only, may not be requested using this service and any requests placed for such items will, regrettably, be cancelled.  Please check the Dallas Public Library Catalog before requesting materials through Interlibrary Loan requests.

Although Interlibrary Loan provides access to journal articles, books, microfilm, musical scores, and other materials that are not available from the Dallas Public Library system, there may be some limited availability. Not all libraries will lend their material. To learn more about this service, click on this link. 

Please note that Interlibrary Loan materials may take two to six weeks to arrive.

Funded by the Texas State Library.

Requesting Interlibrary Loan Materials Using WorldCat. 

Note: It is necessary to create an Interlibrary Loan account before using this system.

• Go to WorldCat
• Type  library card number and password
• Search for materials using the Basic, Advanced or Expert Search.
• A list of search results will appear.
• When you have decided on a specific record, click on the title.
• Scroll down to:
  • External Resources:
    Request an Interlibrary Loan
• Click on Request an Interlibrary Loan.  This will take you to the Dallas Public Library ILLiad logon screen. 
• Logon. 
• The WorldCat record is automatically entered into the ILLiad system without you copying or pasting the information. 
• Select FORMAT.
   
  If you do not select the format, there will be a dancing exclamation point, alerting you to complete this field, before the request can be submitted.  Once the request is submitted you will receive a transaction number.  You will need to exit out of ILLiad each time you submit a request in order to place another one from WorldCat.