I don't need it anymore.

Just, quickly, and I think I speak for just about every librarian on the planet here:  Don't request an interlibrary loan and then decide you don't want it.

Interlibrary loans:

• take quite a bit of effort and paperwork
• sometimes require sending multiple requests over a series of several days
• sometimes require in-depth communication with other librarians
• cost us and the other library money
• are a way that we present ourselves to other libraries - mishandling an ILL can make us look bad

Today someone came in and said he "didn't need" the ILL anymore because he was going on vacation.  That's the way they always say it.  "I don't need it anymore."

This had been one of the hard ones, with rerequests and talking to a few different people at the other library, and finally today I heard back that the book was available and waiting for pick-up... and I had to email her back and tell her our patron didn't want it anymore, sorry for all the trouble.

UGH!!!

If you aren't going to "need" the book because you're going on vacation, don't request it a week before you leave!  We're very clear that the books can take a while to come in.

Just, keep this in mind:  Interlibrary loan isn't something to be taken lightly.  It is a privilege.  Treat it as such.