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Interlibrary Loan (ILL)

Explains the ins and outs of ILL as well as tips.

Helpful Tips

  1. Give us as much information as possible.

The more information you give us, the faster we can process your request and ensure that we get exactly what you wanted. Always include the Author and Title and, if possible, an ISBN or ISSN.

For example, one request we recently received was for a book titled Microeconomics with no other information. There are hundreds, if not thousands, of books with that title. Having more information would make it much easier to request exactly what you desire.

  1. Double check your request.

Giving us all the information is great… if it is correct. One recent request for a textbook gave the Spanish title of the book… but the person wanted it in English, which was a completely different title. Ensuring accurate information can help avoid misunderstandings or the wrong item being requested.

  1. Use the comment section of the request.

Maybe you want only the second volume of a three-volume set. Or maybe you are needing the German version of a text, not the English. Adding notes in the "Comments" section of your request can be extremely helpful in ensuring that you receive exactly what you need. If you are looking for a specific edition of a book, it is important to mention it clearly in your request, as different editions may have different content. Likewise, if you need a book in a particular language, you must mention the language preference to avoid confusion.