Thanks to library resource sharing, millions of books and other physical items are circulated each year via interlibrary loan to support readers everywhere. Given the sheer volume of transactions, it is unsurprising that a small percentage of items get lost or damaged in the process. Many lenders bill for every item that is lost or damaged, regardless of whether the item will be replaced. However, invoicing and processing replacement payments often involves significant work, for both lenders and borrowers. In this discussion, we consider the real costs and benefits of invoicing and explore whether there may not be better alternatives—such as invoicing less as a community, and expanding payment options—that could lower the burden on both sides while maintaining the borrower’s responsibility and the integrity and fairness of the system as a whole.
