Library - Interlibrary Loan

Article Request Form   Book Request Form     Definition:  Interlibrary Loan is the process which a library requests materials from, or supplies to, another library.   Purpose:  The purpose of interlibrary loans as defined by this code is to obtain, upon request of a library user, material not available in the user's local library.

Scope:  This code is intended to regulate the exchange of material between libraries in the United States.   * Prepared by the Interlibrary Loan Committee, Reference and User Services Association, 1994, revised 2001.  Approved by the RUSA Board of Directors January 2001.   CSJ Policies and Procedures: Q:  Who is eligible to use Interlibrary Loan (ILL)? A:  ILL is available to any registered student or employee of the College of St. Joseph.  ILL is not available to guest borrowers or alumni.  These individuals may obtain this service through a local public, school or academic library.   Q:  How will I know when my article or book has arrived? A:  If you have a campus mailbox, articles received will be placed in your mailbox.  If you have requested a book, a notice requesting you to come to the library will be placed in your mailbox.  If you do not have a campus mailbox, we will phone you to let you know your request has arrived.  Please remember that it is your responsibility to check at the circulation desk in the library to see if anything has come in for you.   Limitations on Material to be Borrowed: We do not borrow items listed in our catalog unless they are declared lost or checked out.  Lending libraries determine what materials they will photocopy or loan.  The following materials often are not available through ILL: Recently published books Entire volumes or issues of periodicals Reference works Rare books or original manuscripts Newspapers in their original format Videotapes or sound recordings Computer software Works of genealogy Dissertations & theses Procedures: After you have reviewed our Periodical Holdings List, and the CSJ On-Line Catalog to establish that the library does not have that journal issue, or book, an Interlibrary Loan request may be made. Click on the appropriate Interlibrary Loan request forms (Journal Article, or Book). See links to forms on top of page. Please carefully fill out each request form with the specified information. Books borrowed on Interlibrary Loan must be returned by the specified return date on the book.  If a book is lost, please notify the Librarian. The borrower will be billed for the cost of the book. The cost will be determined by the lending library. Use of Borrowed Materials: Loan periods and renewals are determined by the lending library.  Borrowers  (including faculty) can expect to keep most materials for two to four weeks.  Researchers should make every effort to complete their work with ILL material within the original loan period.  If a renewal request becomes necessary, the Librarian should be notified at least five days before the due date.  The Librarian then contacts the lending library for permission to renew.  Only one renewal per item can be requested.  Please note that all ILL materials are subject to immediate recall by the lending institution.  Our ability to borrow from other libraries is dependent on our past performance with returned books.  When patrons keep ILL materials beyond the due date, they jeopardize our ability to borrow from that library.  The lending library also establishes the conditions under which borrowed material may be used.  Items may be restricted for use in the library only, photocopying may be prohibited, etc.  A borrower's failure to comply with the conditions of a loan could jeopardize his or her interlibrary loan privileges and/or those of the College of St. Joseph with lending institutions.   Continued failure to return ILL materials in a timely manner may result in suspension of an individual's interlibrary loan privileges.   Please Read This Important Information Please be advised that when requesting articles, or books, (particularly from Medical Journals), that a fee of $5.00 to $20.00 may be charged by lending library.  This fee is passed on to the student requesting the material. Please indicate on the specified line of your request form if you will accept a charge for the material.  Every attempt will be made to find a location that is free of charge.  If we find “No free locs,” and you have specified that you will accept NO CHARGE, then the requests will be returned with the statement NO FREE LOCATIONS CAN BE FOUND.  If the individual determines that they will accept a charge, the request may be resubmitted for processing.  Please note that this may delay receiving the requested information. After completing the request forms, please give them to the Librarian to process.  Your request will be processed as expediently as possible.  Remember that it may take two weeks or longer to receive the material, depending on where it can be located.