Statewide borrowing in Indiana is a reciprocal borrowing program that covers the entire state. What's reciprocal borrowing, you ask? It's an arrangement between libraries to allow patrons from one library system to check out materials from another library system.
That's right: now with your LCPL card, you can visit libraries outside of Lake County and check out books - no additional cost, no waiting for us to transport the book to you.
Which materials reciprocal borrowers are allowed to check out differs at each library. Some allow DVDs and other AV items in addition to books. If you've found an Indiana library that has the item you need, call first to make sure you can borrow it under the statewide borrowing program!
When you do borrow an item from a different library, you're responsible for the item just as you are when you borrow from us. That means you have to pay any late fees - so make sure you check how long you get to keep an item. It might be different from our loan period! You also must return the item to the library system from which you borrowed it - please don't return items from Porter County Public Library to us!
When you find a participating library that has an item you want to borrow, all you have to do is bring your Lake County Public Library card to that library (to prove you're a member in good standing) and they will issue you a reciprocal card. Reciprocal borrowers are usually given a different card than resident borrowers. Here at Lake County Public Library, reciprocal borrowers get a green card, while resident borrowers get a red one.
Once you have your card, you can check out whatever items that library includes under their reciprocal borrowing agreement.
ILL (or Inter-Library Loan) is a time-honored tradition amongst libraries. Through ILL, libraries are often able to acquire out-of-print or less-popular books from other libraries for a one-time loan. In order to do this, libraries literally box up the items and ship them to each other. If you've ever paid shipping on a lot of books, you know that this can be costly and that the shipping isn't the fastest!
With reciprocal borrowing you can go and pick up the book yourself, exactly when you want it. You don't have to wait for us to process the order or for the book to ship. It's faster for you and cheaper for the library.
Of course, Lake County Public Library will still offer ILL services! Learn more about ILL and purchase requests.
Opening statewide reciprocal borrowing to our patrons means that Lake County Public Library is now also open to patrons of other Indiana libraries. But don't worry - this won't impact availability of materials.
First, reciprocal borrowers at our library are limited to 50 physical items. They don't have access to our electronic resources, like ebooks and downloadable audiobooks. See the full list of reciprocal borrowing privileges.
In addition, we've hosted reciprocal borrowers from other library systems in Lake County for years. Patrons from Hammond, East Chicago, Whiting, Lowell, Gary and Crown Point libraries can all borrow materials from us. While we are opening reciprocal borrowing to the entire state through this agreement, it actually won't expand our area of service that much since we already serve most of the people closest to us. The further away a person lives, the less likely they are to drive out to borrow books: they are more likely to be served by other, closer libraries that are also participating in this program.
Here is a list of participating libraries from Northwest Indiana. Click the library name to visit their catalog and search for an item! For libraries outside of Northwest Indiana, scroll down.
CROWN POINT COMMUNITY PUBLIC LIBRARY
EAST CHICAGO PUBLIC LIBRARY
GARY PUBLIC LIBRARY
HAMMOND PUBLIC LIBRARY
LOWELL PUBLIC LIBRARY
WHITING PUBLIC LIBRARY
JASPER COUNTY PUBLIC LIBRARY
LA PORTE COUNTY PUBLIC LIBRARY
MICHIGAN CITY PUBLIC LIBRARY
NEWTON COUNTY PUBLIC LIBRARY
NORTH JUDSON-WAYNE TWP PUBLIC LIBRARY
PORTER COUNTY PUBLIC LIBRARY SYSTEM
PULASKI COUNTY PUBLIC LIBRARY
WESTCHESTER PUBLIC LIBRARY
If you want to travel a bit further afield, here is a list of all other Indiana libraries participating in statewide borrowing:
AKRON CARNEGIE PUBLIC LIBRARY
ALEXANDRIA-MONROE PUBLIC LIBRARY
ALEXANDRIAN PUBLIC LIBRARY
ARGOS PUBLIC LIBRARY
ATTICA PUBLIC LIBRARY
AURORA PUBLIC LIBRARY DISTRICT
BARTHOLOMEW COUNTY PUBLIC LIBRARY
BARTON REES POGUE MEMORIAL PUBLIC LIBRARY
BELL MEMORIAL PUBLIC LIBRARY
BENTON COUNTY PUBLIC LIBRARY
BICKNELL-VIGO TOWNSHIP PUBLIC LIBRARY
BLOOMFIELD-EASTERN GREENE COUNTY PUBLIC LIBRARY
BOONVILLE-WARRICK COUNTY PUBLIC LIBRARY
BOSWELL-GRANT TOWNSHIP PUBLIC LIBRARY
BOURBON PUBLIC LIBRARY
BRAZIL PUBLIC LIBRARY
BREMEN PUBLIC LIBRARY
BRISTOL-WASHINGTON TOWNSHIP PUBLIC LIBRARY
BROOK-IROQUOIS-WASHINGTON PUBLIC LIBRARY
BROOKSTON-PRAIRIE TOWNSHIP PUBLIC LIBRARY
BROWN COUNTY PUBLIC LIBRARY
BUTLER PUBLIC LIBRARY
CAMBRIDGE CITY PUBLIC LIBRARY
CAMDEN-JACKSON TOWNSHIP PUBLIC LIBRARY
CENTERVILLE-CENTER TOWNSHIP PUBLIC LIBRARY
CHARLESTOWN CLARK COUNTY PUBLIC LIBRARY
CHURUBUSCO PUBLIC LIBRARY
CLAYTON-LIBERTY TOWNSHIP PUBLIC LIBRARY
CLINTON PUBLIC LIBRARY
COLFAX-PERRY TOWNSHIP PUBLIC LIBRARY
CONVERSE-JACKSON TOWNSHIP PUBLIC LIBRARY
COVINGTON-VEEDERSBURG PUBLIC LIBRARY
CRAWFORD COUNTY PUBLIC LIBRARY
CRAWFORDSVILLE DISTRICT PUBLIC LIBRARY
CULVER-UNION TOWNSHIP PUBLIC LIBRARY
DARLINGTON PUBLIC LIBRARY
DELPHI PUBLIC LIBRARY
DUBLIN PUBLIC LIBRARY
DUNKIRK PUBLIC LIBRARY
EARL PARK PUBLIC LIBRARY
EAST CHICAGO PUBLIC LIBRARY
EDINBURGH WRIGHT-HAGEMAN PUBLIC LIBRARY
ELKHART PUBLIC LIBRARY
FAYETTE COUNTY PUBLIC LIBRARY
FLORA-MONROE TOWNSHIP PUBLIC LIBRARY
FORT BRANCH-JOHNSON TOWNSHIP PUBLIC LIBRARY
FORTVILLE-VERNON TOWNSHIP PUBLIC LIBRARY
FRANCESVILLE-SALEM TOWNSHIP PUBLIC LIBRARY
FRANKFORT COMMUNITY LIBRARY-CLINTON COUNTY CONTRACTUAL PUBLIC LIBRARY
FULTON COUNTY PUBLIC LIBRARY
GARRETT PUBLIC LIBRARY
GAS CITY-MILL TOWNSHIP PUBLIC LIBRARY
GOODLAND & GRANT TOWNSHIP PUBLIC LIBRARY
GREENTOWN & EASTERN HOWARD SCHOOL PUBLIC LIBRARY
GREENWOOD PUBLIC LIBRARY
HAGERSTOWN-JEFFERSON TOWNSHIP PUBLIC LIBRARY
HAMILTON NORTH PUBLIC LIBRARY
HARRISON COUNTY PUBLIC LIBRARY
HENRY HENLEY PUBLIC LIBRARY
HUNTINGBURG PUBLIC LIBRARY
JASONVILLE PUBLIC LIBRARY
JASPER-DUBOIS COUNTY CONTRACTUAL PUBLIC LIBRARY
JEFFERSON COUNTY PUBLIC LIBRARY
JEFFERSONVILLE TOWNSHIP PUBLIC LIBRARY
JENNINGS COUNTY PUBLIC LIBRARY
JOHNSON COUNTY PUBLIC LIBRARY
JOYCE PUBLIC LIBRARY
KENDALLVILLE PUBLIC LIBRARY
KENTLAND-JEFFERSON TOWNSHIP PUBLIC LIBRARY
KEWANNA-UNION TOWNSHIP PUBLIC LIBRARY
KINGMAN-MILLCREEK PUBLIC LIBRARY
KIRKLIN PUBLIC LIBRARY
KNIGHTSTOWN PUBLIC LIBRARY
KNOX COUNTY PUBLIC LIBRARY
LA CROSSE PUBLIC LIBRARY
LA GRANGE COUNTY PUBLIC LIBRARY
LADOGA-CLARK TOWNSHIP PUBLIC LIBRARY
LAWRENCEBURG PUBLIC LIBRARY
LEBANON PUBLIC LIBRARY
LINCOLN HERITAGE PUBLIC LIBRARY
LINDEN CARNEGIE PUBLIC LIBRARY
LINTON PUBLIC LIBRARY
LOGANSPORT-CASS COUNTY PUBLIC LIBRARY
LOOGOOTEE PUBLIC LIBRARY
MIDDLEBURY COMMUNITY PUBLIC LIBRARY
MISHAWAKA-PENN-HARRIS PUBLIC LIBRARY
MITCHELL COMMUNITY PUBLIC LIBRARY
MONON TOWN & TOWNSHIP PUBLIC LIBRARY
MONTEREY-TIPPECANOE TOWNSHIP PUBLIC LIBRARY
MONTEZUMA PUBLIC LIBRARY
MONTICELLO-UNION TOWNSHIP PUBLIC LIBRARY
MONTPELIER-HARRISON TOWNSHIP PUBLIC LIBRARY
MORGAN COUNTY PUBLIC LIBRARY
MORRISSON-REEVES LIBRARY
NAPPANEE PUBLIC LIBRARY
NEW ALBANY-FLOYD COUNTY PUBLIC LIBRARY
NEW CASTLE-HENRY COUNTY PUBLIC LIBRARY
NEW HARMONY WORKINGMEN'S INSTITUTE
NEWBURGH CHANDLER PUBLIC LIBRARY
NEW CARLISLE-OLIVE TOWNSHIP PUBLIC LIBRARY
NOBLE COUNTY PUBLIC LIBRARY
NORTH MADISON COUNTY PUBLIC LIBRARY SYSTEM
NORTH MANCHESTER PUBLIC LIBRARY SYSTEM
ODON WINKELPLECK PUBLIC LIBRARY
OHIO COUNTY PUBLIC LIBRARY
OHIO TOWNSHIP PUBLIC LIBRARY SYSTEM
ORLEANS TOWN & TOWNSHIP PUBLIC LIBRARY
OSGOOD PUBLIC LIBRARY
OTTERBEIN PUBLIC LIBRARY
OWEN COUNTY PUBLIC LIBRARY
OWENSVILLE CARNEGIE PUBLIC LIBRARY
OXFORD PUBLIC LIBRARY
PAOLI PUBLIC LIBRARY
PENDLETON COMMUNITY PUBLIC LIBRARY
PENN TOWNSHIP PUBLIC LIBRARY
PERRY COUNTY PUBLIC LIBRARY
PIKE COUNTY PUBLIC LIBRARY
PLYMOUTH PUBLIC LIBRARY
POSEYVILLE CARNEGIE PUBLIC LIBRARY
PRINCETON PUBLIC LIBRARY
PUTNAM COUNTY PUBLIC LIBRARY
REMINGTON-CARPENTER TOWNSHIP PUBLIC LIBRARY
ROACHDALE-FRANKLIN TOWNSHIP PUBLIC LIBRARY
RUSHVILLE PUBLIC LIBRARY
SALEM-WASHINGTON TOWNSHIP PUBLIC LIBRARY
SCOTT COUNTY PUBLIC LIBRARY
SHELBYVILLE-SHELBY COUNTY PUBLIC LIBRARY
SHERIDAN PUBLIC LIBRARY
SHOALS PUBLIC LIBRARY
SPENCER COUNTY PUBLIC LIBRARY
SPICELAND TOWN-TOWNSHIP PUBLIC LIBRARY
STARKE COUNTY PUBLIC LIBRARY SYSTEM
SULLIVAN COUNTY PUBLIC LIBRARY
SWITZERLAND COUNTY PUBLIC LIBRARY
SYRACUSE-TURKEY CREEK TOWNSHIP PUBLIC LIBRARY
THORNTOWN PUBLIC LIBRARY
TIPPECANOE COUNTY PUBLIC LIBRARY
TIPTON COUNTY PUBLIC LIBRARY
UNION COUNTY PUBLIC LIBRARY
VAN BUREN PUBLIC LIBRARY
VERMILLION COUNTY PUBLIC LIBRARY
VIGO COUNTY PUBLIC LIBRARY
WABASH CARNEGIE PUBLIC LIBRARY
WAKARUSA-OLIVE & HARRISON TOWNSHIP PUBLIC LIBRARY
WALKERTON-LINCOLN TOWNSHIP PUBLIC LIBRARY
WALTON & TIPTON TOWNSHIP PUBLIC LIBRARY
WANATAH PUBLIC LIBRARY
WASHINGTON CARNEGIE PUBLIC LIBRARY
WASHINGTON TOWNSHIP PUBLIC LIBRARY
WATERLOO-GRANT TOWNSHIP PUBLIC LIBRARY
WAVELAND-BROWN TOWNSHIP PUBLIC LIBRARY
WEST LAFAYETTE PUBLIC LIBRARY
WEST LEBANON-PIKE TOWNSHIP PUBLIC LIBRARY
WESTVILLE-NEW DURHAM TOWNSHIP PUBLIC LIBRARY
WILLARD LIBRARY OF EVANSVILLE
WILLIAMSPORT-WASHINGTON TOWNSHIP PUBLIC LIBRARY
WOLCOTT COMMUNITY PUBLIC LIBRARY
WORTHINGTON JEFFERSON TOWNSHIP PUBLIC LIBRARY
YORK TOWNSHIP PUBLIC LIBRARY