Become a Find More Illinois Library

Join Find More Illinois (FMI) for a better interlibrary loan experience. It simplifies staff processing, increases patron access to remote resources, and expands the visibility of local resources. All Illinois libraries are eligible to participate, regardless of their size, type, or library software. New members can join at any time.

Find More Illinois does not replace library software or LLSAP membership. Its purpose is to simplify resource sharing between participants. For more details, view a comparison of FMI and LLSAP functionality.

Email RAILS Find More Illinois staff if you would like a link to a recorded webinar or would like to schedule a presentation for a group of library staff.

Interested in Joining?

Implementation Steps

  1. Quote acceptance/letter of intent (Library)
  2. Participation agreement (Library and RAILS)
  3. Develop an implementation schedule (RAILS and library)
  4. Data collection (RAILS, library, and integrated library system staff at library or shared catalog consortium)
  5. Software setup (Vendor and RAILS)
  6. Training (One day in-person training for library staff member, provided by RAILS and/or vendor)
  7. Integration of Find More Illinois into library's interlibrary loan workflow (Library, with advice from RAILS)

Considerations for non-automated libraries

Libraries without library software can join Find More Illinois. For non-automated members, FMI serves as an online catalog with interlibrary loan functionality. However, setup does take longer for these participants. All members of the program need the following:

  • A computer with a printer and barcode scanner
  • The latest version of the Firefox or Chrome web browsers
  • An internet connection with a minimum speed of 10Mbps
  • MARC records, call numbers, and barcodes for items in the collection
  • An electronic file of patron records with barcodes, names, and contact information

Find More Illinois support provides guidance for non-automated libraries that need help creating MARC records, call numbers, or files of patron records. Financial assistance may also be available.