Interlibrary loan is a free service for current university students, faculty, and staff. University-affiliated users can request books, articles, chapters, and more from other libraries. Interlibrary loan is intended to fill the need for items that the Libraries may not own or if current resources have been lost.
Request a book
If you request a book loan, we will try to borrow it from another library or purchase an ebook for the collection. If you only need a chapter or specific pages from a book, you can use the Article/Book Chapter form that you will see on the top menu once you are logged in to ILS. Here you can choose Article/Book Chapter, AV or Course Materials (for instructors).
Check the status of your request
We'll email you when your items are available. You can review the status of a request at any time by clicking the check status link below or logging into your Interlibrary Services account. If you have questions about your request, contact us.
Who is eligible?
Current university students, faculty, staff and university retirees. See Interlibrary Services for External Organizations and Individuals if you are not a current student, faculty or staff.
What can I physically borrow?
Books, conference proceedings, microfilm, AV materials, dissertations, and theses.
How long does it take?
An Interlibrary Loan request for a physical item normally takes around 5+ business days to receive your materials. Requests for articles or chapters are usually filled within 24-48 hours (depending on availability).
How much does it cost?
There is no charge for this service. However, overdue fees, recall fees, and replacement costs for lost or damaged books apply.
How long can I keep this item?
The loan period is entirely dependent on the lending library’s due date. The loan period can range from one week to six months. Not all libraries grant renewals on interlibrary loan items.
Return an item
Interlibrary loan physical items can be returned to the circulation desk at any of the following libraries on the university main campus: Architecture and Planning Library, Benson Latin American Collection, Classics Library, Fine Arts Library, Kuehne Physics Mathematics Astronomy Library, Life Science Library, Perry-Castañeda Library, or Walter Geology Library. Pickle Research Campus users can return items to the book drop at the Library Storage Facility or in the blue bags via Campus Mail.
Renew an item
Not all interlibrary loan physical items can be renewed. To find out if your item can be renewed, log in to your Interlibrary Services account and select Checked Out Items. From this list, you will see which loan requests can be renewed. If you see the Renew button, select this option a few days before the due date for the longest available renewal. You may keep the item until you receive confirmation of the new date or a message stating that the item must be returned.
Only one renewal is allowed for borrowed material.
Overdue Items
Failure to return interlibrary loan items by the due date will result in your Interlibrary Services account being blocked. The next step for long overdue, lost or damaged items is a block on your Libraries circulation privileges and a financial bar placed with the university registrar. Please see our policies page for more information on overdue, lost or damaged interlibrary loan materials.
