There may be times when you want to borrow from another BC Library:
- You couldn’t find what you were looking for in your home library.
- You happen to be visiting another BC Library.
Interlibrary Loans: Bringing Materials in from Other Libraries
If you weren’t able to find the item you wanted in our catalogue, we can usually bring it in for you from another library. This is called an Interlibrary Loan.
You can try finding it yourself using the Illume software, a catalogue for all BC libraries. From there, you can request it to be delivered to Bowen Island Library for pick up.
You can also call, email, or visit us in person to make an interlibrary loan request.
About Interlibrary Loans:
- We can bring in books and audio-visual materials (CDs, DVDs).
- Materials added to libraries’ collections in the last 12 months are not available to request for Interlibrary Loan.
- You must have a valid Bowen Island Library account to request an interlibrary loan.
- ILL requests take 2-3 weeks to arrive to Bowen Island Library.
- There is a 1.00 charge for ILL requests that are cancelled post-shipment or not picked up.
Visiting Other BC Libraries
If you’re on the road and find yourself in another BC public library, you can easily borrow items. The best part is that you can return these items to any other BC public library, so if you’re traveling through BC, it’s easy to drop items off as you go. We call this program BC OneCard. For more information on how to do this, check out the BC Government’s BC OneCard page. (Please note that borrowing policies may vary slightly between various libraries).