4. Document delivery

The National Library uses a variety of surface and air delivery services to provide loans and photocopies from its collection in response to ILL requests.

4.1 Purolator, Canada Post, etc.

The National Library now sends materials to all provinces except Quebec and Ontario by a combination of Purolator and Canada Post services thus providing a more equitable document delivery service to outside provinces. Delivery is guaranteed within two days and the cost is assumed by the National Library. However the requesting library pays for returning the material to the National Library.

4.2 Mail

Regular mail service is used to send library material to requesting libraries in Ontario and Quebec who are not members of any of the other delivery services.

4.3 Library rate

Libraries which are not members of any of the other services, and which do not specify delivery by courier, fax or ARIEL, will have books they request sent out by Library rate from the National Library. A label indicating that postage is paid is enclosed; it can be used when returning the books to the National Library. Library rate only applies to books and not to other materials such as microforms and audio recordings.

The Library rate label looks like this:

It should be affixed to the outside of the parcel when returning books and periodicals to the National Library. It should not be used for returning other types of materials, e.g. microforms, tapes.

4.4 Fax

The National Library will send photocopies by telefacsimile to libraries requesting this service on specific interlibrary loan requests.

A daily limit of 4 requests for telefacsimile document delivery per institution as well as a limit of 20 pages per request applies to this service.

4.5 ARIEL

ARIEL is a micro-computer based software package developed and marketed by the Research Library Group (RLG). ARIEL is designed to send and receive document images over the Internet network. It is necessary for both the sender and the receiver to have the ARIEL software and appropriate equipment.

The National Library will send items by ARIEL to libraries requesting delivery by ARIEL on specific interlibrary loan requests.

A daily limit of 4 requests for ARIEL document delivery per institution as well as a limit of 20 pages per request applies to this service.

4.6 Courier services

The National Library of Canada will send documents by a commercial courier when this option, which is not included in our regular service, is asked for by a requesting library. Arrangements and charges for these couriers must be borne by the requester.

4.7 NCR Express

The NCR Express is a document delivery service administered by the National Capital Region Library Consortium to pick up and deliver interlibrary loans, parliamentary papers and other items among the member stations in the National Capital Region daily.

Any library in the National Capital Region may become a member of NCR Express. The participating libraries cost is based on the volume of material shipped.

4.8 IUTS

The Inter University Transit System (IUTS) is a document delivery service operated by the universities of Ontario. All universities share operating costs. IUTS, LDS and PEBUQUILL meet for the exchange of material every morning at the National Library.

4.9 PEBUQUILL

Prêts entre bibliothèques des universités du Québec/ University Interlibrary Loans (PEBUQUILL) is a document delivery service between universities in Quebec. Like IUTS it links with the National Library every morning for the exchange of material among the three services.

4.10 SOLS

The Southern Ontario Library Service (SOLS) has a truck delivery service between public libraries in southern Ontario. It has a stop at the National Library.