Materials Replacement Fund

How to use the Materials Replacement Fund

Imagine your library borrows an item on interlibrary loan (ILL) from another Kansas library. After your client returns it, you package the item carefully and ship it back to the lending library. But it never arrives. What happens then? In Kansas, we have a program to assist you in cases like this. It is the Materials Replacement Fund, which has been in operation since 1984. The MRF responds to the question would-be ILL participants often ask: "What happens if we lend an item through interlibrary loan and it's never returned?" By protecting libraries from losses, the Materials Replacement Fund encourages participation in resource sharing activities such as ILL.

How does the MRF work?

If a Kansas library lends an item through ILL, and if that item is lost or not returned, Statewide Resource Sharing will reimburse the lending library for the actual cost of replacing the lost item. To request reimbursement for a lost item, submit an MRF form to the address listed on the form. Feel free to photocopy the form as needed.

How to use the MRF

Interlibrary loan codes stipulate that borrowing libraries are responsible for the safety of ILL items. So borrowing libraries are responsible for submitting MRF claims. If an item you borrow via ILL from another Kansas library is overdue, here are the steps to follow:

1. Contact the lending library to let them know you're trying to retrieve the lost item. Be sure to keep the lending library informed throughout the process.
   As you try to recover the missing item, follow the steps outlined on the claims form. Give it your best shot. Most of the time, these steps will work.
2. Use your library's policy to determine when the item is considered lost. If your efforts to retrieve the item are unsuccessful and you have written off the item as lost, submit the claim form. Please include the lending library's Federal Employer Identification Number so we can send them a check.


3. Since the MRF reimburses the replacement cost, some verification (such as an invoice from the lender, a printout from Amazon.com, or other evidence of the item's replacement cost) must be submitted along with the completed form.
4. If the material was sent or returned via a delivery method with a tracking mechanism (such as UPS, FedEx, or the COKAMO courier), please submit a tracking request and apply for reimbursement through that service before turning to the MRF.

Remember, before submitting a claim, do your best to get the item back. And to sustain your library's good standing as a responsible ILL participant, keep the lender informed throughout the process.

Download "Materials Replacement Fund" Claim Form here.

For more information or help filling out this form, contact Rhonda Machlan