The seven regional public library systems and other large municipal public libraries have all agreed to a formal resource sharing policy. As such, they are partners in coordinating resource sharing activities and providing information and resources to other public libraries in the province.
As a result of this agreement, all member libraries of Northern Lights Library System must be willing to share their materials with other libraries. Tracpac is searched first. If an item is not located there, Relais is used for interlibrary loans.
The effectiveness of a resource sharing system depends upon the responsible distribution of borrowing and lending.
Libraries must be willing to supply materials as freely as they request materials. Any materials, regardless of format, may be requested from another library. The supplying library determines whether the material can be provided.
As the library is not able to purchase all materials that patrons may wish to use, the library will use ILL to augment the collection and reciprocate with other libraries.
