Ask Us

For items not owned by the Carlsbad City Library, you may request an interlibrary loan (ILL) using Ask Us, by email to librarian@carlsbadca.gov, by calling 442-339-2038, or by coming in to the library. To process the request, we'd need your name, contact information (library card number, phone number, email address, preferred pick up location), and then the details about the title you'd like to borrow (author, title, publisher, ISBN and any particular edition).

Please be aware that interlibrary loan requests will not be accepted for items published within the last 12 months, or for items owned by the Carlsbad City Library. Processing time on an interlibrary loan request is minimum 2 weeks. There is a $6 charge for each item we receive via interlibrary loan. 

Patrons must pay the $6 Carlsbad Library ILL fee online or in person before picking up their requested item.  We prefer online payment and the ILL Office will send directions on how to do that if we can obtain a copy.

Some libraries charge lending fees. We'll attempt to borrow from libraries which do not, but if the item is not available without an additional fee, the ILL office will contact you. Any such payments would need to be made via check or money order payable to the lending library upon item pickup.

• Interlibrary loan items that can be checked out are available for pickup at Dove or Cole locations;
• All microfilms are library use only that can be viewed only at Cole Library;
• Your due date may be different than your due dates for Carlsbad Library owned items and ILL items are not renewable. Due dates should be visible on the ILL cover wrap; please contact ILL office staff if you have due date questions.

We encourage patrons to use Link + (Link Plus) is a free service that allows cardholders to borrow items not available at Carlsbad City Library, providing access to millions of additional titles from over 70 participating libraries in California and Nevada.