Imagining Tomorrow, Delivering Possibilities Today

Welcome!

In southern and southeast-central Illinois, Illinois Heartland Library System is the heart of interlibrary delivery, providing pickup, sorting, and delivery of library items at no cost to our members. We also facilitate the transport of interlibrary loan items from IHLS-member libraries to RAILS and ILDS libraries and back again. This makes our members part of a robust interlibrary loan system that spans the entire state—something unique to Illinois! Any Illinois resident with a library card from a system-member library can freely request and obtain materials from any other system-member library in Illinois! For information on becoming a library system member, see our Membership Criteria.

Funding for Illinois library systems is provided by the Illinois State Library and the Illinois Secretary of State from revenue appropriated by the Illinois General Assembly or granted under the federal Library Services and Technology Act.

IHLS Delivery annually sorts and delivers 3.5 million items between the libraries of Illinois Heartland Library System

*Number above includes FY2020, during which the impact of COVID-19 resulted in a significant decrease in materials delivered from the previous year.

Carbondale

1840 Innovation Dr
Box 2, Suite 105
Carbondale, IL
62903

Contact:
Linda Petty, Area Manager
618.474.9828
lpetty@illinoisheartland.org

Champaign

1704 Interstate Dr
Champaign, IL
61822

Contact:
Linda Kates, Operations Manager
217.318.5352
lkates@illinoisheartland.org

Edwardsville

6725 Goshen Rd
Edwardsville, IL
62025

Contact:
Linda Petty, Area Manager
618.474.9828
lpetty@illinoisheartland.org

General Delivery Inquiries 618.467.8683

Delivering Possibilities

Functional 5-Day Delivery

because all library patrons deserve to receive their holds quickly

Illinois Heartland Library System's reliable five-day delivery service is offered to all member libraries at no cost to them through their free system membership.

What does this mean for patrons?

Fast transit of requested items

If the requested item is available, an item could be at the requesting library location in as few as one or two days.

Equity of service

High-volume and low-volume libraries have the same access to a five-day-a-week service.

Some libraries are pre-scheduled for five-day item pickup/delivery, while other libraries have requested fewer days or demand-only delivery. At any time, libraries can contact their designated IHLS Delivery hub manager or submit a help request to request additional or fewer pickups as needed, either on a permanent or temporary basis.

Delivery On the Go: Same Route, Same Day

Some items can be delivered to patrons even faster with our Delivery On the Go service. Delivery On the Go enables items to be delivered to the receiving library that very same day when those items are requested from an up-route library and delivery is scheduled to arrive at the requesting library later that day.

Learn More about Delivery On the Go

Modern, Efficient, Reliable

Protection for Library Materials

Waterproof tubs keep library materials protected and free from damage during inclement weather.

Recognizable Delivery Staff

Delivery drivers are easily recognizable by their uniforms, and our vans are clearly marked as IHLS vehicles. Librarians can feel secure knowing who is entering their buildings.

Reliable Delivery Fleet

Our fleet of delivery vehicles is maintained with high standards, and aging vehicles are replaced regularly. This minimizes the risk for mechanical-related delays. Patrons shouldn't have to wait for school or business materials because of a mechanical failure.

COVID-19 Safer for Staff & Patrons

All IHLS employees follow COVID-19 protocols, including wearing masks and regularly cleaning or sanitizing hands. We also deliver to prearranged contactless delivery exchange points in libraries whenever possible.

Custom IHLS Delivery Data Software

Custom data software allows IHLS to accurately track pickups and deliveries to libraries, helping us see how changes in delivery and in the world affect interlibrary loan.

Partnership with Libraries

Partnership with Libraries

The best people to tell us what we can improve and how our decisions will affect librarians and patrons are the library staff. We work directly with our members to get feedback on important delivery procedures. We also solicit feedback at IHLS member events and survey members annually to determine what we're doing right and what could be done better.

Communication with Members

Several communication media are utilized to get important information to members as quickly as possible in ways convenient to librarians:

Website
Email
Text messaging
Social media

Delivery Team Communication

Internally, we have monthly delivery staff meetings to keep an open line of communication between hubs and to set standards across our locations.

Equity of Voice

One of our guiding principles is equity for all library patrons. This allows small-volume and high-volume libraries to have equal say in delivery concerns and encourages libraries of all sizes to reach out.

Delivery Resources for IHLS Members

Routes

Find what IHLS Delivery route your library is on—and what other libraries are on the same route—on our Routes page.

Routes change periodically and may vary each day due to library delivery frequency requests.

View Routes

Delivery News

To get the latest IHLS Delivery news, read the latest delivery articles, sign up for the IHLS Official Business and Member Connection newsletter email lists, or subscribe to our emergency/inclement weather text alerts.

Sign Up for Email or Text Alerts

Delivery Guidelines & Acceptable Items

For quick and efficient interlibrary delivery service that also keeps library items safe from damage and people safe from injury, IHLS libraries are asked to abide by a set of Delivery Guidelines.

View Delivery Guidelines and Acceptable Items

Unidentified Items

Are you missing an item? Does one of these items belong to you?

View Unidentified Items

Forms and Documents

Looking for a transit slip, request form, or another interlibrary delivery resource?

Delivery