Library
Interlibrary Loan Policies & Procedures
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Interlibrary Loan Policies & Procedures
Click here to email
the ILL department
(emails sent after regular
business hours will be answered the next business
day)
IMPORTANT: ALL communication for interlibrary loan will be via your University of St. Francis email account (i.e. yourname@stfrancis.edu) whether this is your prefered email or not. Please check your email!
What is Interlibrary
Loan?
Who
may use this service?
Will materials be mailed to my home address?
How
do distance students make use of ILL?
What
may be borrowed?
How
long does it take?
How
much does it cost?
How
will I be notified when the material arrives?
How
long may I keep the material?
What
if I need the material longer?
Overdue,
lost or damaged materials
Unclaimed
materials
Procedure
for using Interlibrary Loan
ILL
Department contact information
What is Interlibrary Loan?
Interlibrary Loan is a transaction between libraries whereby materials owned by one library are made available to another library for use by an individual. Photocopies may be substituted for loans of original materials.
Who may use this service?
Current members of the USF community including faculty, staff and students may use this service. Unfortunately, we are not able to offer this service to those outside the USF community or to USF alumni. Please refer to our ILL Eligibility page for more details.
Will materials be mailed to my home address?
In general, materials will only be mailed to students and faculty who reside more than 30 miles from the Joliet campus. See the map below to determine if you are eligible for mailing. Those within the green circle should expect to come to the Joliet campus to retrieve items, unless extraordinary circumstances exist. The USF Library will assume the cost of shipping materials to students outside of the radius, but students are responsible for return postage. Every effort will be made to provide electronic copies of article requests when available.
If you live in or near the borders of Illinois, you may specify to pick up books requested through the I-Share Catalog at any I-Share library. For example, if you live in Peoria, you may request that the item be delivered to Bradley University to be picked up there (and you can return it there too). Choosing this option will save you time and return postage.
How do DISTANCE STUDENTS make use of ILL?
Distance students should consider USF their primary library resource. They should fill out the online Interlibrary Loan Request Form (using the ILLiad system) to initiate loans for books not owned by USF or any of the libraries which share in the I-Share catalog and for articles not available through the USF library online resources. In addition, this ILLiad system should be used to request any articles that are not available full text through the library's online subscription databases.
Books owned by USF or available through one of the other 64 libraries represented in the I-Share Catalog (I-Share member libraries) should be ordered directly through the I-Share Catalog (for more information, click here). This will require a valid library barcode. *Please note that distance students only are able to request USF owned books through the I-Share catalog. Other patrons must come to the library for USF items.
Books requested via the I-Share Catalog will first be sent to USF (unless otherwise specified by the patron at the time of the request), then sent to you via UPS. Generally, books will only be mailed to students who live outside of a 30 mile radius of the USF main campus. If you live inside the 30 mile radius, the library will hold books for you to pick up in person (see map above).
If you live in or near the borders of Illinois, you may specify to pick up books at any I-Share library. For example, if you live in Peoria, you may request that the item be delivered to Bradley University to be picked up there (and you can return it there too). Choosing this option will save you time and return postage.
In addition, reference librarians can assist distance students in locating books in a location near their class or home site (use the Ask-A-Librarian form or call the reference desk at 800-726-6500). In many cases, distance students may be able to request interlibrary loan services through their local public library as well. Journal articles may be ordered using the Photocopy Request Form in ILLiad. Policies and procedures for article loans are the same for on-campus and distance students. Please allow 2 -4 weeks for all interlibrary loan requests (includes time for processing, requesting and mailing).
What may be borrowed?
The policies of libraries owning the material govern lending permission and restrictions. Items which generally are not available through interlibrary loan include reference books, rare and fragile books, genealogy materials, materials difficult to package for mailing, newly published books and audiovisual materials. The University Library will not borrow a publication it owns or has on order unless it has been declared missing or is currently checked out.How long does it take?
An average of one to two weeks is required from the date the request is received by the Interlibrary Loan desk to the time the material arrives. Certain requests may take longer if several libraries have to be contacted. Be sure to indicate the date after which the material is not needed.How much does it cost?
Every effort is made to obtain materials from local libraries that generally do not charge fees for borrowed publications. However, it is sometimes necessary to fill requests from libraries whose charges range from $10 to $20 for both journal articles and books. Please indicate on the interlibrary loan request form the maximum you are willing to pay. You will always be contacted in advance about possible fees. (Please note that for rush requests, it may be faster to accept a charge in advance.)How will I be notified when the material arrives?
You will usually be emailed or telephoned within 24 hours of receipt of the requested material.How long may I keep the material?
Once the material arrives, the length of the loan is usually two to four weeks, but may be longer or shorter depending on the policies of the lending library. Please make sure to check the due date when you receive the item. Occasionally, a library specifies that the material is for use within our library only. Please pick up all materials promptly, as the loan period begins from the material's arrival date at the Interlibrary Loan desk as opposed to the date you pick it up.What if I need the material longer?
If you need to keep the material longer than the specified loan period, and you requested the item via ILLiad, notify the Interlibrary Loan Department by email or phone so the lending library may be contacted.
If you requested the item via the I-Share Catalog, you may request a renewal online by logging in to My Account. Please note that some libraries do not permit renewals.
Overdue, lost or damaged materials
Persons not returning materials within 30 days of the due date will be billed a $10 overdue fee per item plus replacement costs. The replacement costs will be canceled if a book is returned or renewed; only the overdue fee will be assessed. All borrowers with overdue materials or outstanding library charges may be denied borrowing and/or library privileges by the University Library. Failure to receive an overdue notice, for whatever reason, does not remove this responsibility.Once material is picked up from the Interlibrary Loan desk, you are responsible for the care of that material until it returned. Many materials received through interlibrary loan are fragile. Please handle them with care. If the material is damaged, you may be billed for replacement or repair costs.
Unclaimed materials
Unclaimed books borrowed for your use will be returned after the date due and/or hold period has passed. Unclaimed photocopies which are obtained without cost will be destroyed after the deadline you gave on the request form.Procedure for using Interlibrary Loan
ILLiad (use for: articles and books not owned by USF or any I-Share library)
- Make sure the material you need is not owned by the University Library. Ask a Reference Librarian to assist you, if necessary.
- If you have not already done so, fill out the ILLiad Registration Form (go to the Interlibrary Loan Request form and click on First Time Users).
- Fill out the online ILLiad Interlibrary Loan request form, including personal information such as your USF ID number.
- Be sure to fill in the "verified in" line, which indicates where you found the citation (i.e., online catalog, ProQuest, InfoTrac, CINAHL, etc.). Also, include ISBN, ISSN or other identifying numbers.
Please note that articles can only be sent by email if the user has a valid USF Email Address and if the article was received from the Lending Library in electronic form. Also, on-campus students will be expected to pickup their printed articles and all books at the Circulation Desk in the library. Furthermore, a signed form indicating that the books have been received will be required regardless of delivery method. Multiple requests by a single user will be processed in batches of 5 to ensure that all patrons are helped in a timely manner.
I-Share (use for: books owned by I-Share libraries or books owned by USF (distance students only))
Interlibrary Loan Department Contact Information
Monday-Friday 8:00 a.m. - 2:30 p.m.
Phone: (815) 740-3446 or 800-726-6500
Fax: (815) 740-3364
Email: Interlibrary Loan Department