- What is Interlibrary Loan?
- Who is eligible to use Interlibrary Loan?
- How do I submit an Interlibrary Loan Request?
- What does it cost?
- How many items may I ask for?
- What happens if I request something our library owns?
- How long does it take to get the items I’ve requested?
- How will I know when my items arrive?
- How long may I keep the item?
- Can I renew my interlibrary loan items?
- Where do I return the items?
- What happens if I am late in returning the items?
The library provides Interlibrary Loan (also called ILL) service to obtain material (books, dissertations, magazine and journal articles) that we don’t own. We generally get the material from other libraries, although occasionally we purchase items that are not available for loan by any library. Please note that many libraries will not lend films or DVDs. Before submitting an Interlibrary Loan (ILL) request, check the library catalog and the Journals List for books and journals already in the library.
WHO IS ELIGIBLE TO USE INTERLIBRARY LOAN?
Any Stetson student, faculty member, or staff member is eligible to use the Interlibrary Loan service. Retired faculty and staff members may also use ILL services.
HOW DO I SUBMIT AN ILL REQUEST?
Use the WorldShare ILL Request Form to submit requests for books, chapters, articles, etc. The form delivers your request directly into the portal the library uses to request materials from other libraries. Most of the library’s subscription databases include an Interlibrary Loan request link that you can use to place requests directly from the database.
Most Interlibrary Loan items are free. If the lending library charges us a fee, however, we may have to pass it on to you. We will send a notice letting you know that there is a charge, however, and we will not process the interlibrary loan until you have agreed to the charge.
There is no limit on how many Interlibrary loans you may ask for. Please remember, however, that if you ask for 10 books all at once, you may only have a few weeks to use all of them before they are due back to the lending library.
WHAT HAPPENS IF I REQUEST SOMETHING OUR LIBRARY OWNS?
If you request an item that the library owns, we will send you a note letting you know that we own that item. If any item that we own is missing, please speak to an Interlibrary Loan specialist or a Circulation Supervisor to ask about getting that item through Interlibrary Loan.
HOW LONG DOES IT TAKE TO GET THE ITEMS I’VE REQUESTED?
We try to get the requests out within 24 hours of receiving your request. After that, it is up to the lending library. We request the items online and the request bounces from one library owning that item to the next library owning that item until the request is filled. If the first library in line fills your request, you will get your item fairly quickly. If it goes through several libraries, the response time may be longer. Response time often depends on how “available” an item is — a book or an article that is owned by many Florida libraries will be quicker than an item that is owned by only one or two items out of state (or even out of the country). Plan ahead and ask for loans as soon as possible, allowing about two weeks (sometimes more, sometimes less) for the item to arrive.
HOW WILL I KNOW WHEN MY ITEMS ARRIVE?
If you have requested an article and we receive it in a digital form the other library, we will email it directly to you. If you have requested an article, and we receive a paper copy of it, we will email you or call you to let you know that it has arrived. You can pick it up at the Circulation Desk. If you have requested a book, or something that must be returned, we will email you or call you to let you know that it has arrived. You can pick it up at the Circulation Desk.
The due date is set by the lending library. Some libraries will give two weeks, some three weeks, some four weeks. Please respect the due date that is on your items.
CAN I RENEW MY INTERLIBRARY LOAN ITEMS?
We will request renewals from the lending library IF they allow renewals. Some libraries do not. If you must have the item for a longer time than the due date and it cannot be renewed, we will return the book to the lending library and then ask for it from another library. Request a renewal by emailing [email protected].
Return items to the Circulation Desk or place in the book drop on the front porch if the Library is not open. Please do NOT remove the ILL sticker or book strap on the cover of your book as it helps us get the book back to the right library.
WHAT HAPPENS IF I AM LATE RETURNING THE ITEMS?
If we are late returning many items to lending libraries, they may suspend our borrowing privileges. When we lose lending partners, it slows down the time it takes to get loans for the entire Stetson community. The Interlibrary Loan service depends on everyone abiding by the due dates set by the lending libraries.
For items more than 30 days overdue, the library will block your library borrowing privileges until the item is returned. For billed items, the library place a hold on your student account until the bill is paid for or the issue resolved.
