Who can use ILL services at Grace Library?
All currently-enrolled Carlow University students and currently-employed faculty and staff are able to request items through Interlibrary Loan.
What kinds of materials can I request through ILL?
You can use ILL to request a wide range of materials including physical books, copies of book chapters, journal articles, newspaper articles, DVDs, and more.
Unfortunately, most eBooks are unavailable for lending through ILL. If you request an eBook, we can change the request to a print copy of the title or request a specific chapter of the book.
Can I request my textbooks?
No. Requests for items identified as textbooks or other course materials will be cancelled and the requestor will be notified via email. As per our policy, Grace Library does not provide textbooks through ILL. The main reason we cannot accommodate these requests is because ILL loan periods are set by the lending library and are generally shorter than the length of the semester. This can result in late fees if they are not returned on time.
Is there a limit on how many items I can order through ILL?
Library users are limited to a total of 12 ILL books checked out at one time. Article requests are limited to 12 requests per week.
In accordance with copyright guidelines, article requests will adhere to the "Rule of Five." The Rule of Five states that a library cannot receive more than five requests from the last five years of a particular journal title in one calendar year. If a Carlow patron submits a request from a journal that has reached its five-article limit, the patron will be notified via email that their request cannot be filled.
Do I have to pay for items through ILL?
Most requests are filled free of charge, but there can be exceptions. Examples of items that might include a charge include, but are not limited to, copies from rare books and archival materials or articles from academic journals that are within the publisher's embargo period. Publisher embargo refers to a period of time (generally 12- to 18-months prior to the current date) in which a publisher does not allow full-text access to the most recent journal issues through services like ILL.
Any fees attached to a request will be communicated to and passed on to the borrower. They will be notified and given the chance to approve and pay or decline and cancel the request.
How long does an ILL request usually take to process and/or arrive?
Processing time varies depending on the availability of the item requested and the location of the lending library. When requesting materials, please consider that many libraries are closed and unable to process requests over weekends and holidays.
For books and other physical materials: Requests for print books usually take 5-10 business days, which includes processing and shipping time. While we do try to request books from local and regional libraries first, it is sometimes necessary to expand that search to include libraries that are farther away.
For articles: Because we use an online document delivery service, most article requests generally take 1-5 business days to process and fill. Keep in mind that it may take longer than 5 days for a request for newer articles to be filled, especially if the journal is under publisher embargo.
How will I know when my book is ready for pickup? Where do I go to pick it up?
You will be notified by email when your book is available for pickup. You will also receive an email notification that the book has been checked out to your library account that includes the due date. Please check your spam or junk mail if you do not receive either notification.
To pick up your physical ILLs, visit the Circulation Desk on the third floor of the University Commons. We will hold your ILL materials for 5 days.
How will I know when my article request has been fulfilled?
When your article is ready, you will receive an email that includes a link to the online document delivery service and a password that will allow you to download a PDF of the article. That link and password will be valid for 30 days or five views, whichever comes first.
If the lending library does not use the document delivery service, you may receive the PDF as an attachment to an email from our Interlibrary Loan email account.
When is my book due, and can I renew it if I need more time?
Due dates for Interlibrary Loan materials are determined by the lending library when they agree to send us the item. A yellow band with ILL information, including the due date, will be placed on all physical ILL materials.
Renewals for ILL materials are not guaranteed and are often declined. If you would like us to request a renewal for your ILL, please notify us in advance of the due date and we will let you know if the renewal is approved. If it is not approved, you will need to return it by the original due date.