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Whether you choose to acknowledge June as the "National Great Outdoors Month" or June as the "National Camping Month," we here at the Library take this controversial position: "Why not celebrate both?!"

"It was a perfect weekend, no wind, sunny, and warm. 16 families camped, swapped stories, fished, boated, water-skied, and some even loafed." 

It sure seems like these happy campers are keen on camping! Did these 1965 "Prairie Dog Campers" from Overland Park and Prairie Village ever get that tent assembled? Or, are they still out there to this very day? To find out, you'll just have to read the story about this fascinating tidbit of local lore! 

And for even more local history, visit jocohistory.org or follow our hashtag on Twitter.

Happy Music Monday! We are so happy to bring you local music recorded live. You might notice that we've outgrown our MakerSpace sound booth! We've discovered that our branches, like the Leawood Pioneer Library, are big enough to accommodate larger bands and books absorb sound perfectly. Who knew that a Library is such an awesome sound recording studio. But don't take out word for it, listen for yourself! Here's Black Mariah Theater performing:

1. Honey Stop

2. Emerald Cut

3. You're No Good

As a library patron, you may have been faced with this dilemma: You arrive at the library armed with a list of resources you need to expand your knowledge on one of your favorite subjects, only to find out the library doesn’t own the book you want! What do you do? That’s where the librarians in the Interlibrary Loan (ILL) department come into play. The ability to obtain books and materials from all over the world is one of the best-hidden gems of the library.

Evolving Through the Years

In 1886 U.L. Rowell, Librarian at the University of California, Berkeley, sought permission to borrow a book from another library, thus creating the Interlibrary Loan program. What started with a simple form to fill out by hand, developed into a complex system of online databases used today to easily share items between libraries worldwide. OCLC, or the Online Computer Library Center, is a database with over 30 million entries of materials held in more than 10,000 libraries, and is the main resource used in Interlibrary Loan requests.

What We Do

Here at Johnson County Library, our Interlibrary Loan Department employs three full-time staff and five part-time staff. We process around 1,700 items monthly to lend to other libraries and borrow around 1,400 items monthly for our own patrons. ILL uses couriers who drive across Kansas, Missouri, Texas and Colorado to deliver materials, as well as the U.S. Postal service. We can attempt to borrow anything from books, to DVD’s to cake pans! Recently the department obtained a plastic model of a human ear from Idaho for a patron!

How it Works

As a resident of Johnson County, you have access to the Interlibrary Loan Service we provide. You are able to have up to 15 requests at a time, and you can manage much of it on the Interlibrary Loan account page through our website. All you need is your library card number and pin. You can access Discovery, which is the worldwide catalog used to place a request for an item. ILL request are available for three weeks with no renewals. If patrons wish to put in another request for the book, ILL staff can try to get the item from another lender.

If we are able to obtain it, the item will be waiting at the branch you select in just a few short weeks. Be sure to keep the white strap wrapped around the item so we know where to send it back. It’s also recommended to have an email address on file for prompt notifications and communication, as well as to obtain requested articles. And don’t worry, if you’re stuck our Librarians are always happy to help!