FAQ: Friday Interlibrary Loan

FAQ: Friday

Interlibrary Loan – fact, fiction and function

What, you ask, exactly do libraries (and librarians) mean when they talk about interlibrary loan?

Interlibrary loan -- ILL for short – is a cooperative arrangement between libraries, allowing materials to be loaned out to other libraries. Basically, it’s libraries borrowing from other libraries, on behalf of their patrons.

For example, perhaps you need a specific book or journal article that is not available in the Marian College library. You may request a copy through interlibrary loan. The ILL librarian will contact other libraries that have the item and request that they loan the book to us as an interlibrary loan. Provided another library agrees, the book is delivered to the library for your use.

How do I request an interlibrary loan?

It’s really a very simple process:

• Check the library catalog or database to be sure the item is not in the collection
• Fill out an Interlibrary Loan Request form (available at the Circulation Desk)
• Turn the form in at the Circulation Desk
• Wait patiently for a call from the library
• Pick up your interlibrary loan materials at the Circulation Desk

When should I consider using interlibrary loan services?

Any time is a good time to use interlibrary loan, although the night before a paper is due really is too late. Like any good research project, plan ahead.

Be aware that it can take up to two weeks for materials to arrive. It all depends on the library loaning out the materials and how quickly they send ILL items out. In most cases, materials are here in a week or less. Marian College is located in an area with numerous other college/university and public libraries nearby, our requests are usually filled and shipped quickly.

Where do I pick up/return interlibrary loans?

All interlibrary loan activity centers around the Circulation Desk at the Hackelmeier Memorial Library.

This is where you:

• Obtain Interlibrary Loan Request forms
• Turn in ILL request forms
• Pick up/return ILL materials

Why is interlibrary loan service useful?

Interlibrary loan is an easy way to track down something that you want or need that is not part of the library collection. You can request books, magazine or journal articles, and some libraries even loan AV materials (not many, though). Interlibrary loan isn’t all work, either – you can request leisure reading like novels, cookbooks, how-to manuals, etc – if it’s in a library, there is a good chance it’s available via interlibrary loan.

A few caveats about the interlibrary loan process:

It is important that you fill out the Interlibrary Loan Request form as completely and specifically as possible.
If you are requesting a book, include the title, author’s name and any edition information. If it’s a journal article, you must include the complete citation (title, author, journal, volume, issue, date, pages, ISSN). Don’t forget to include your phone number and email address, we may need to contact you with questions about your request or let you know when the materials are available for pick up.

The interlibrary loan period is determined by the library loaning the materials.
A tag is included on the front of the book, indicating the date to return the materials to this library. We will take care of sending the materials back to the lending institution. If you decide you need the materials a little longer, contact Sr. Pat Connor (ext. 6008) as soon as possible, she will request an extension on the loan period.

If you requested a journal article, the copy you receive is yours to keep – libraries generally do not send the entire issue of the journal, just a copy of the article requested.

Some libraries charge for interlibrary loan services.
There are libraries who charge for ILL services. In most cases we are able to find libraries that do not charge an ILL fee, but certain materials (highly requested, unique items) or organizations (major research institutions) may charge a fee.

Please note the section on the request form asking the total amount you are willing to pay for ILL services. Please fill this section out, it saves processing time. We will contact you before requesting the item if the charges exceed your limit.

Interlibrary loan can’t work miracles.
We can only request that materials be loaned to our library, we can’t demand them. So, if you want something that is part of an archive or special collection, you may have to travel to that institution to see/use the materials. Also, reference materials are not usually loaned out – ILL is generally limited to items in the library’s circulating collection only.

Be specific – we can’t read your mind.
It is very important to include precise information on the request form – request a specific item, not just “anything on subject X “. ILL isn’t a request for research services, it’s a request for a specific item.

ILL is a researcher’s best friend
Interlibrary loan is a great service for anyone doing extensive research. No individual library has everything ever published, so using ILL makes it easier to track down essential materials. ILL opens the door to other library collections across town and across the country -- without the hassle of traffic, parking, loan policies and unfamiliar copy machines.

So, keep interlibrary loan services in mind the next time you want a book or article that isn’t in the library collection. ILL is one of many extra services available @Hackelmeier Memorial Library.