A cooperative system by which libraries lend specific books to one another is called?

A cooperative system by which libraries lend specific books to one another is called?

• A. Serials vs. monographs
• B. Interlibrary loan
• C. Periodicals
• D. Databases

Answer: (B)

Interlibrary loan is a cooperative system that lets libraries lend materials to one another on request. When a patron wants a book not held in their own library, staff coordinate with partner libraries to borrow the item, which is then lent for a set period and returned. This expands access to resources beyond any single collection and is a common service in library networks. The other terms refer to different kinds of resources or publication types—serials vs. monographs describes publication formats, periodicals are journals or magazines, and databases are digital collections of records—not a lending network.

Interlibrary loan is a cooperative system that lets libraries lend materials to one another on request. When a patron wants a book not held in their own library, staff coordinate with partner libraries to borrow the item, which is then lent for a set period and returned. This expands access to resources beyond any single collection and is a common service in library networks. The other terms refer to different kinds of resources or publication types—serials vs. monographs describes publication formats, periodicals are journals or magazines, and databases are digital collections of records—not a lending network.