Inter-library loan and document supply service
The Inter-library loan service supports the learning, teaching, research, and other work of Loughborough University. We provide members of Loughborough University with access to information resources which are not available from the print collections or electronic subscriptions of Loughborough University Library. We do this either by borrowing these resources, or by getting photocopies or PDFs of them from other libraries around Britain and sometimes overseas. If there is a book, journal article, conference paper or other information resource that you need for Loughborough University-related work, and the University Library does not have it, you can request it from the Inter-Library Loan service and we will set about getting it for you.
London users can request access to any electronic resources which the Library doesn’t currently have access to via the request form. We are currently unable to offer physical ILLs to London users so please only request items electronically.
How do I make requests?
Using our online request form. Log in to it with your Loughborough University username and password. Please confirm we do not hold the item already using our library catalogue, before placing your request.
Please use the online request form to request one item at a time. This is important for reasons relating to the law of copyright.
What can I request using the inter-library loan service?
You can request items which are not available in print or electronically from Loughborough University Library. You can find out what print resources and e-Resources are available from the University Library using Library Catalogue Plus.
If the item that you want is not available from Loughborough University Library, the inter-library loan service can attempt to obtain it from another library for you.
How do I receive what I have requested?
Once you have received your ‘Request waiting’ email, The item will be issued to your Library account and will need to be collected and signed for at the Level 3 enquiry desk of the Library.
Any item that is not collected or consulted may incur a charge.
Sometimes the owners of books stipulate that their books may not be borrowed and may only be consulted in the Library building. The Inter-library loan service has no control over this.
We aim to supply Journal articles, book chapter, conference papers or similar to you as a PDF. Where we are unable to send them electronically, we will contact you to arrange collection from the Library or post it to you at an address of your choosing.
Please note that we do not normally post items to students living on campus.
Can somebody else make a request on my behalf?
Unfortunately this is not possible. The law of copyright means that you may only request items that you will use yourself. The owners of copyright in books and other documents—which sometimes include their authors—are protected in this way against undue loss of royalties. Detailed terms and conditions are in the online request form.
Can I only borrow things using the inter-library loan service, or can I request copies too?
If you request a book, a whole journal-issue, a volume of conference proceedings or similar, then we will obtain it for you from another library. The item will then be issued to your library record and you will be advised when it is ready to collect.
If you request a single journal article, conference paper or book chapter, we will ask another library to make a copy of it for you and send it to you University email address.
Can I request electronic copies?
Yes. Most requests for journal articles and book chapters will be obtained by RapidILL within 24 hours (please ensure you include an ISSN or ISBN for fast delivery)
If RapidILL cannot satisfy the request, we will look for an alternative way and contact you.
Can I request theses and dissertations?
- Loughborough University doctoral theses are on the University's Research Repository: access the Research Repository.
- OpenDOAR is a directory of other similar repositories around the world: access OpenDOAR.
- DART-Europe is a catalogue of European theses: access DART-Europe.
What services are available at Loughborough University London campus?
At present it is impossible for us to offer a full service to readers based at the London campus and we are unable to supply you with books and other original documents in hard copy, that have been borrowed from other libraries. However, we can supply copies of journal articles, book chapters etc. to you. It may also be possible for us to supply you with short-term access to eBooks where these are available. We are sorry for the inconvenience that this may cause. Please contact the London Librarian if you require a book that is not in the University Library collections.
There are many other libraries in London and it may be possible for you to consult books or other items using these libraries. For more information refer to the British Library, JISC Library Hub or see our section on SCONUL access.
How many requests can I make, and do I have to pay?
Members of Loughborough University have an annual allowance of pre-paid Inter-Library Loan/document supply orders, as follows:
Type of reader | Number of ILL requests/year |
---|---|
Undergraduate | 5 |
Taught postgraduate | 10 |
Postgraduate researcher | 40 |
Member of University staff | 40 |
Honorary member of University | 5 |
Provided that your request falls within your allowance and that it is for for Loughborough University-related learning, teaching, research or other work, you will not have to pay.
If you exceed your allowance, or if you wish to request something that is not for Loughborough University-related learning, teaching, research or other work, then you must pay.
Our main supplier, charges £18.85 to lend us an item and up to £13.20 to supply a copy of an item. Other suppliers make other charges.
If you think that you have exceeded your allowance or if you wish to pay for an Inter-Library Loan/document supply order, please contact us.
What proportion of a work can be copied for me?
The law of copyright restricts how much of a work can be copied for the purpose of inter-library document supply. For instance we cannot get a photocopy of an entire book for you. Details as follows:
Type of work | Proportion to be copied |
---|---|
Book | up to one chapter |
Journal | up to one article from any issue |
Conference proceedings | up to one paper from any conference |
If you wish to consult, more than one article in a particular journal-issue, it may be possible for us to borrow that journal-issue for you. The same applies to books and conference proceedings.
How long will it take for what I have requested to arrive?
This depends on what you have requested and which library supplies it. We make no guarantee as to how long a particular item will take to arrive. A PDF can take as little as one working day to arrive; Loanable items often arrive within five working days. We will inform you if an item is likely to take longer than usual to arrive.
How long can I borrow Inter-Library Loan books for, and can loans be extended?
This depends entirely on the libraries that lend their books to us. Loan periods are often from three to six weeks; Some libraries may be willing to renew or extend our loans of their books. If you would like to extend a loan, please contact us in plenty of time but be aware that this is not always possible and there maybe a limit on the number of renewals an item can have.
Since these books do not belong to Loughborough University it is very important to return them on time. The Inter-Library Loan system depends on co-operation and goodwill between libraries, and this means returning books to their owners promptly.
What happens if I do not return an Inter-Library Loan book?
If for any reason you are unable to return a book or other borrowed item to us, please let us know as soon as possible.
Our main supplier charges over £200 to replace an item that is not returned. Other suppliers charge other fees. These fees will be passed onto the borrower if the item is not returned.
How will the Inter-Library Loan service process my data?
Please note that the University Library is legally obliged to retain the details of each document supply order that it makes for six years in accordance with the Copyright, Designs and Patents Act 1988 (as amended) and related legislation. Personal data of customers collected by means of the Inter-Library Loan online request form will only be used by the University Library for purposes connected with the provision of an Inter-Library Loan and document supply service and will not be retained for more than six years.
Please note also that it is sometimes necessary for the University Library to provide personal data (but not sensitive personal data) of customers to third party suppliers in order to provide an Inter-Library Loan and document supply service to those customers.
If you have any queries about this please contact us.