Interlibrary Loan

What is Interlibrary Loan? / Who may use ILL? / How do I use ILL? / How long does it take? / Is there a charge? /
How long may I keep books? / How do I returned borrowed materials? / ILL Rush Request

What is interlibrary loan?

Interlibrary Loan is a service which obtains study and research materials not available in the Coates Library. Books are borrowed from other libraries, and photocopies of non-circulating materials can also be acquired. The conditions of this service are set by local agreements, the regulations of the individual lending libraries, and the National Interlibrary Loan Code.

Who may use interlibrary loan?

Current Trinity University students, faculty and staff are eligible.

How do I use interlibrary loan?

Simply fill out an online ILL request to initiate an ILL order.

How long does it take to get a book or photocopy via interlibrary loan?

The time taken for requested materials to arrive depends upon several factors, including how close the supplying library is to Trinity, whether or not the item is immediately available at that library, and transit time. You should generally allow one to four weeks for receipt. IT IS IMPORTANT TO PLAN AHEAD WHEN REQUESTING MATERIALS ON INTERLIBRARY LOAN.

Is there a charge for interlibrary loan?

There is usually no charge to students for materials received through ILL. Faculty and staff are charged only when a supplier charges the library and the cumulative charges for the year are greater than $50.00. Rush delivery, when requested by the recipient, will be charged in full.

How long may I keep books?

The loan period is determined by the lending library and is usually two to three weeks. A renewal should be requested only when absolutely necessary and may be denied by the lending library. A renewal request must be made in advance of due date.

How do I return borrowed materials?

All materials borrowed through interlibrary loan should be returned to the Coates Library Circulation Desk. Please leave the yellow book sleeve attached. Late return of materials jeopardizes the ability of our library to borrow from other libraries in the future. Students will incur fines for overdue ILL items.

ILL RUSH REQUESTS

What is interlibrary loan rush service?

While we make every effort to submit ILL requests to likely suppliers within 24 hours of receipt, the Library and user must still wait for the supplier’s processing time and delivery time, usually Library Rate mail. For users who cannot wait for this normal delivery time, the Library offers rush service, when it is available for the particular item requested. Library staff will select a supplier, usually a document delivery company, which will process the request promptly and send via an expedited service, including fax, overnight mail, or Federal Express.

What delivery time can I expect for rush service?

The speed of service depends somewhat on the particular company providing service for the item, as well as the format of the item. For instance, photocopies of articles can be faxed from several services within 24 hours. Books and microfilm reels must be sent via overnight mail or a courier service, usually from another library, and so 48-72 hour turnaround time is often more normal for these items.

What is the cost for rush service?

All additional fees incurred as a result of using rush service must be paid by the user. Unfortunately, some fees cannot be fully determined at the time a request is submitted. However, ILL staff will attempt to give an accurate estimate of the total charge. Faculty and staff may ask to have the bill charged to their departments; students must pay by check or money order at the Circulation Desk when the item is picked up. Recently, several of the document delivery firms’ charges were as follows:

Is delivery time guaranteed?

The Library will make every attempt to make the material available as soon as possible. However, most of the document delivery vendors do not guarantee delivery time, nor do other libraries. Thus, all fees will still be due even if an item is somewhat delayed. In cases of serious late service, the Library staff will contact the vendors and attempt to receive a refund on the charges. If successful, the user will not be charged.

How do I request ILL Rush Service?

To request an item via rush delivery, follow the instructions that you will find on the online request form.

Can I order directly from document supplier myself? 

Some vendors, including CARL UnCover and FirstSearch FastDoc, can be searched on the Library’s Internet workstations. Once desired items are located, users may order them directly from the vendors, if they supply their credit card numbers. Fax delivery can be sent to the Library’s fax machine; ask for the number in the Interlibrary Loan office. (Note: non-ILL items may not be directed to this machine; the Library will charge $2/page for any non-Library fax items received.)