Introducing Interlibrary Flown

The UMass Amherst Libraries are pleased to announce a new delivery system of requested items to patrons. ILF, or Interlibrary Flown, is an expansion of the Library Express service that utilizes the natural superspeed of the peregrine falcons nesting atop the W. E. B. Du Bois Library to fly library materials directly to the on- or off-campus home addresses of current students and current or retired faculty and staff.

Peregrine falcons are known for their speed. In controlled dives, or stoops, they can reach over 240 miles per hour, making them the fastest animals on Earth—and ideal ILF workers. Their fast flying, coupled with vision eight times as powerful as that of any human employee, allows them to locate patrons and make deliveries more quickly and efficiently than standard mail.

ILF has been in beta testing for several months, during which time the average successful delivery rate has reached an all-time high of 95%, with just 5% of testers reporting receiving pigeons instead of books. Such incidents are likely to decrease further as the service takes off.

Currently, ILF operates solely one-way; to return requested materials, patrons must mail or bring them in-person to the Libraries or Library book drops. The Libraries hope to expand the program eventually to incorporate this service; if you or a peregrine you know is interested in applying for an ILF position, please contact the Libraries’ Talon Management team.