The Mid-Continent Public Library provides a free-of-charge InterLibrary Loan (ILL) service which allows customers to obtain materials from other libraries throughout the United States which are not owned by MCPL. This service is provided through the WorldCat online database. All materials have a 2-week loan period.
What is available through interlibrary loan?
Books, microfilm, photocopies, movies, sound recordings, and more are available through ILL. MCPL will attempt to borrow from other library systems (locally, regionally, and nationally) titles that MCPL does not own, does not plan to purchase, or only has non-circulating copies available.
Why might an ILL request be denied?
Lending policies vary from library to library. Many libraries may not lend local history or genealogy materials, reference materials, current year publications or bestsellers, and materials from special collections. While every effort will be made to locate the desired material, finding a library willing to lend is not guaranteed.
How are interlibrary loan requests placed?
Once a customer has determined that the Mid-Continent Public Library does not own the desired material, patrons may place interlibrary loan requests through WorldCat. Staff can assist with using WorldCat and placing a request.
Visit our InterLibrary Loan service page for more information about using WorldCat and placing an ILL request.
Requesting Materials on Microfilm
In some cases, MGC will loan items from our microform collection to libraries outside of the Mid-Continent Public Library system. MGC staff also facilitate customer requests for microform loans from collections held by other repositories, including libraries, state historical societies, and the Library of Congress for use at the Midwest Genealogy Center or other Mid-Continent Public Library branches with microform readers. The owning institution may charge a fee for this service.
For more information about our collection, explore our Microform Holdings Guides.
This form allows you to place an order for microfilm from other repositories to be sent to the Midwest Genealogy Center or Mid-Continent Public Library branch of your choice.