Interlibrary Loan Departmenet
Who can use Interlibrary Loan services?
All Tech students, faculty, and staff can use this service.
This service is not offered to library users not directly affiliated with the University.
What can I order?
You can order books, journal articles, conference proceedings, theses, dissertations, materials printed on microfilm or microfiche, just about anything in printed format that you need for your research. We can also obtain some media materials from other libraries.
Interlibrary Loan does not borrow or lend textbooks being used for classes at Tech.
How can I make a request?
Interlibrary Loan Service request forms are available online and at the Reference and Information Desk, just inside the front door of the library.
We will need exact citations for the materials you request, your name, and how to contact you. If you do not have complete citations, you can ask the librarians at the Reference and Information Desk for assistance in locating missing information.
Click here to make an Interlibrary Loan Request
How long does it take?
Generally we can obtain journal articles in a week to ten days and a book in ten days to two weeks.
It takes longer when we get into the middle of a semester.
Order early!
How do I know when it arrives?
The department will notify you at the email address you write on the request form. If you would rather be notified by telephone, just indicate that on the form.
When you pick materials up, ask for them at the Circulation Desk.
What is the due date?
The due date for any item is set by the library that has loaned it to us. Generally it is two weeks to a month.
We don't want to sound heavy handed, but we do think borrowers should know that when they return materials after the due date, the lending library may choose not to loan to us again and so all Tech borrowers' ability to get materials from that library is jeopardized.
Most libraries will renew materials they have loaned to us, but ONLY ONE TIME. Just ask IN ADVANCE of the due date. We'll find out and let you know. Submit a renewal request using the ILL Renewal Request Form and contact the ILL office in 3 days (372-3710 or email) to determine if you received an extension on your due date.
Generally libraries do not send bound journals. Requested journal articles come in the form of photocopies and do not have to be returned.
How many requests can I make?
You can make as many as you need for your research needs at Tech.
In the middle of the semester when requests come in faster than we can process them, we will process ten per person per week.
You can indicate on your requests which ones are your first priority.
Is there a charge?
There is no charge for interlibrary loan service except for materials requested for research being sponsored by a grant or departmentally sponsored research. In these cases, any charges made by the lending library will be charged to the grant or department.
If materials are not returned, the lending library determines what to charge the borrower for replacement.
Where do I return materials?
Return materials to the Information Desk.
Copyright
The Interlibrary Loan Department makes requests in compliance with Copyright Law.
Document Delivery
So what is Document Delivery?
Commercial "document delivery suppliers" provide all kinds of information very quickly (within four days), but for a substantial price ($12.50 and up). The Angelo and Jennette Volpe Library will obtain documents from them for University faculty, students, and staff in the following circumstances:- Any article from a journal which was canceled by the Volpe Library as of January 1, 1997. If Interlibrary Loan will be just as fast or faster and will cost less, it will be used instead.
- Any material not owned by the library, not on the January 1, 1997 journal cancellation list, and not available through our interlibrary loan channels.
- When the material is to support grant funded research, the cost to the user will be the amount charged by the document delivery supplier.
- When there is no grant support, the Volpe Library will absorb the cost up to $100/fiscal year for each user.
- Any material owned by the library but not available in the building or through interlibrary loan when the item is (1) clearly lost, (2) missing, or (3) at the bindery (depending on bindery shipment dates.)
- Materials needed by students in the Environmental Science PhD program, for their work in that program, unless that material is available just as quickly from a less costly library source.
How can I request Document Delivery service?
Fill in an Interlibrary Loan Service form online or at the Reference and Information Desk. If you know your request fits in one of the specified document delivery categories, indicate that on the request so that we can quickly channel it into the document delivery process.
We will notify you by phone or e-mail when the material arrives.
Document Delivery Request
Interlibrary Loan Request