Interlibrary Loan

You have found a research source that you need for your paper, project, or speech, but it isn't available in our library. What can you do? You can ask the interlibrary loan librarian to locate the source at another library and make an interlibrary loan request for you.

What is interlibrary loan?
Interlibrary loan, or ILL, is a system that allows libraries to share resources with one another. The ILL librarian at the borrowing library locates a library that owns a book or periodical and sends a borrower's request to the lending library. The lending library photocopies the article or checks out the book in the name of the borrowing library and mails it. When the item arrives at the borrowing library, the ILL librarian gives the photocopy or checks out the book to the patron who requested it. When the patron returns the book, the borrowing library returns the book to the lending library and thanks them for their cooperation.

It's a good system, and it benefits everyone involved. However, it also relies on consideration and good will. When ILL materials are not returned promptly, it reflects badly on the borrowing library. If it becomes a pattern, some libraries may stop lending books to the offending library. Please return all ILL materials on or before the due date. Please make renewal requests several days before the due date. Your actions reflect on our library.

Can I make an ILL request?
All PSC faculty, staff, students, and community members with library bar codes can make ILL requests.

What do I have to do to make an ILL request?
You need a library bar code. If you do not have one, you can get one at the Circulation Desk. Then, you need to fill out the appropriate ILL request form: book, photocopy (a magazine article or a chapter in a book), and audio-visual.

When filling in the ILL request form, please fill in all the required information. (The required information is asterisked.) If you don't fill in a required field, the request will be sent back to you. Please fill in as many of the non-required fields as possible. Missing information may cause delays in getting what you need or in notifying you that your request is ready to be picked up.

If you are requesting a photocopy, you must sign/type your name under the Warning Concerning Copyright Restriction. If you do not sign/type your name, your request will not be processed until you do sign it. The Library is required to have proof that you have been notified of the copyright restrictions.

Will it cost anything?
All ILL requests are processed free of charge by our library.

The Library participates in five reciprocal borrowing plans: OCLC's LVIS Plan, the PRLC Reciprocal Photocopying Plan, the WV Academic Libraries Reciprocal Plan, the Western Maryland Health Education Center Plan, and the WV Library Commission's E-mail ILL System. The Library also has independent reciprocal agreements with other libraries. All these libraries lend books and send photocopies free of charge. The ILL librarian always requests from these libraries first.

However, if you must have the item, you can specify how much you are willing to pay. After the reciprocal libraries have turned down the request, the ILL librarian will then forward the request to non-reciprocal libraries. Most ILL fees range from $5-$15 for books and from $0.20/page to $5 plus copying fees for photocopying. The lending library will either fill the request or turn it down depending upon its ILL policies and fees.

If you need an item immediately and it must be sent by express mail or faxed, you may have to pay a RUSH fee. Rush fees range from $5-$10 plus the normal lending fees.

If you lose an ILL item, you are liable for any and all costs charged by the lending library.

If you don't return an ILL book on time, you are liable for any and all overdue fees charged by the lending library. You will also be charged $0.50/day by our library. Please remember that your behavior reflects on the reputation of our library.

How long will it take?
Generally, it takes about two weeks for an interlibrary loan. Sometimes it may take only one week. However, during peak research times (close to assignment deadlines), it may take longer. If you start your research early in the semester, you should have no problem getting the items you need for your project.

The Library uses an online ILL system to cut down on processing time. An e-mail request is sent out to a string of five libraries. Each library has four working days to answer yes or no before the request is automatically forwarded to the next library on the list. Usually it takes only a week or two for all five libraries to see the request. However, there is no guarantee the the item will arrive within two weeks, so the earlier you begin, the better chance you have of getting what you need.

If you have put off your research and your deadline is less than two weeks, some libraries will do priority/express/rush ILLs. Usually, however, they charge a fee of $5-$10 plus any faxing, shipping, or photocopying charges. If you are desperate, you may want to consider trying a rush request.

How many requests may I make?
You may make 5-10 requests per round. When one of the requests from the first round is received, then you may begin a second round. When one of the requests from the second round is received, you may begin a third round.

You are not limited to any overall total. However, the Library asks you to be discriminating in what you request. While we do not charge you, there is a cost involved. National surveys estimate that it costs the borrowing library $20 and the lending library $10 for each ILL. Please help us serve all our patrons.

What can't I get?
Generally, libraries do not lend reference books, reserve materials, rare books, issues of periodicals, or items from their special collections. They may photocopy pages out of these items for you if the request doesn't violate copyright law and if it won't damage fragile items. Occasionally, libraries will lend these materials with certain restrictions, such as in-library use only, or a shorter check out period, or no renewal. All restrictions placed on materials by the lending library are honored by our library.

Libraries may or may not lend media (films, VHS cassettes, software, and so on). If they do lend these items, they often charge rental fees, which can be quite expensive.

For more information about print ILLs, please see Ms. Bane.
For more information about media ILLs, please see Ms. McGuire.

ILL Request Forms
Book
Periodical Article/Photocopy
Media/A-V