Interlibrary Loan Service (ILL) - Frequently Asked Questions   (FAQ)

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Our Interlibrary Loan (ILL) services supplement the resources of the Boston University Libraries by providing access to materials obtained from other libraries and commercial document delivery suppliers to support your academic research at the university.

Who is eligible for the service?

Mugar Memorial Library's Interlibrary Loan Service is available to currently registered students, faculty, and staff affiliated with all schools and programs on the Charles River Campus, except Law and Theology.

Students, faculty, and staff affiliated with the Boston University Medical Center, Boston University School of Law, and Boston University School of Theology should submit their ILL requests to the ILL units of their respective school libraries.

Alumni, holders of BU Library Borrowers cards, and non-Boston University affiliated library patrons are not eligible for this service. They may use the ILL services of their current school, company, or public library.

What materials may be borrowed?

Generally, most books in another library's circulating collection may borrowed. In addition, subject to copyright law restrictions, we may obtain photocopies of journal articles needed for academic research.

Most libraries will not lend non-circulating materials such as:

 

periodicals, reference books, and materials held in Howard Gotlieb Archival Research Center pre-19th century imprints and newspapers (unless available in microform) sound and video recordings, films, and computer disks materials with controlled distribution, such as standardized tests

Many libraries restrict the loan of:

 

very fragile or oversize materials microforms and serials recent additions to their collections and materials in high demand locally

Informally produced or unpublished materials ("grey" literature) may be difficult to obtain. Click on the appropriate topic for a more complete explanation of options available.

 

Theses and dissertations unpublished Conference proceedings Faculty discussion and working papers restricted Research and technical reports

If the material you need falls into one of the above categories and your need is pressing, you may wish to speak with the ILL staff before you place your request. They will be able to help you determine the best and quickest way to get the information you need.

You may not request materials that are owned by the Boston University Charles River campus libraries. If a book you need is currently charged out, ask the Circulation staff to recall the book for you. If you cannot find a book you need on shelf, please fill out a Search form at the Circulation Desk. If Circulation staff cannot retrieve the book, you may submit an ILL request for the missing title.

If you think an item you need may be part of our collection, but are unsure of how to locate it in the online catalog, ask a reference librarian for assistance.

Is there a fee for this service?

No. This is a subsidized service. Mugar Memorial Library pays the ILL service fees assessed by supplying libraries and document delivery service providers.

Is there a limit on the number of requests I may place?

You may submit up to fifty ILL requests per week. Remember, however, that loan periods are limited (generally 2 - 4 weeks in length). If you need a large number of books, plan to space your requests so that you will be able to give each book due attention when it arrives.

Do I need to locate a library that owns the material I need?

No. You only need to identify the specific item you want. We have many resources to find locations for material.

Can I go to another library to charge out a book myself?

Through Interlibrary Loans, we can draw upon the collections of private, academic, public, corporate, and other special libraries, bringing materials here to our library for your use. This is a library-to-library service.

Academic libraries generally grant borrowing privileges to their own faculty, students, staff, and alumni. They may selectively grant borrower's cards to researchers with specialized needs for unique materials held within their collections (sometimes for a fee). Most permit on-site visiting privileges to other researchers. Some form of identification such as a college ID, or, for more restrictive sites, a letter of introduction, may be required to view materials in the collection. A reference librarian can help you investigate your options and prepare a letter of introduction if one is needed.

Boston University has established cross registration programs with some area schools and is a member of several consortia. Students in some programs may be eligible for borrowing privileges at cooperating institutions. The Boston Library Consortium sponsors the BLC borrowing card program that enables students to charge out materials held in several area academic libraries.

How do I submit an ILL request?

Check the Boston University Libraries' Online Catalog to make sure that the item you need is not owned by one of the Boston University Charles River campus libraries.

ILL Request Forms are available at the Reference desks at the Boston University Mugar Memorial Library, Pardee Management Library, Science/Engineering Library, and Educational Resources Library. You may also submit your request electronically by using our ILL web forms.

Use a separate ILL request form for each book or article that you need. Transcribe complete bibliographic details for each item requested. Do not use abbreviations. If your citation is incomplete, or you need help decoding abbreviations used in a citation, ask a reference librarian for help. Reference staff can provide guidance and assist in verifying bibliographic details.

Provide the following personal data on each form:

 

Your name and Boston University ID number Local address, telephone number, and e-mail address List your department affiliation or major, and status (faculty, graduate, undergraduate, or staff) Include a request cancellation date.  Always indicate on your request form when the item will no longer be of use. We try to obtain all materials as quickly as possible, but some requests may require an extended search of many libraries 

Describe the item needed. You will be asked for specific bibliographic details based on the material type:
 

In addition to the basic data elements listed above, add other pertinent details when appropriate, e.g., for conference proceedings: the dates and location of the conference. For technical reports: report series, report number, grant or contract number, sponsors, etc., can be useful clues, especially if you were not able to verify the citation in a standard index. Please cite either place of publication, publisher, or ISSN number when necessary to distinguish a series from other journals of the same name. Including an ISSN will also speed our search for libraries that subscribe to needed journals, as this number is a searchable field in many catalogs. If your original citation includes such information, we encourage to you to include these details.

Always indicate on each ILL request form, where you found your citation:

 

Include details that identify the SOURCE OF YOUR CITATION

For BOOKS and THESES: list the catalog, index, or database you used to verify the bibliographic details of your citation. Specify the volume, page, item number where the reference appears or list the database name and citation accession number. (E.g., OCLC #[accession number], DAI AN[accession number], National Union Catalog [year, volume, page + item number]). If you found your citation at a non-Boston University library Internet site, include the web URL or telnet address along with the description of your source of citation.

For ARTICLES: list the periodical literature index, abstract, or bibliography used. Include the volume, year, page, and citation item number, or provide database name plus accession number for the article. For references gleaned from a non-Boston University library Internet site, include the web URL with the description of your source of citation. If you did not obtain your citation from a standard index, abstract, or database, please list the title, volume, page where the citation appears. Please retain a copy for your files; you may be asked to submit a photocopy of the original reference citing the work if we have problems while processing your request.

How long will it take for my loan or photocopy to arrive?

The turnaround time required to receive materials will vary depending upon the completeness and accuracy of the bibliographic information supplied by the requester, the location of libraries who can supply the needed materials, workflow volume, and the shipping method used by the supplying library.

Most materials arrive within 2-4 weeks from request date; some may arrive within one week. Requests for obscure or very popular materials may take several months to procure. If you have an urgent need for a particular item, speak with the ILL staff.

How will I be notified that material has arrived?

We will mail a postcard or notify you by e-mail (following the preference you indicated on your request form) when the material has arrived. If you have not received a notification within two weeks you are welcome to telephone, or to stop by the ILL Office to inquire about the status of requested materials.

All Books, microfilm, and microfiche will be held for you at the Mugar Memorial Library Interlibrary Loan Office.

Photocopied articles will be held at the library where you submitted your request or the location you indicated on the ILL web form.  We also offer an option to mail photocopies to your academic department. This option must be selected at the time you submit your ILL request (see 'When article arrives' section of the web form, or ask a Reference librarian for instructions if you are submitting paper ILL request forms). Departmental mail delivery is only available for patrons who have an office or mailbox in an academic department on campus.

What is the duration of loans?

Loan periods are set by the supplying library and vary considerably: most loans are between 2-4 weeks in length. Supplying libraries may place additional restrictions upon the use of their materials, such as In Library Use Only, or No Renewals. A borrower's failure to comply with the conditions of a loan may result in the restriction or loss of ILL privileges.

May ILL materials be renewed?

Renewals are at the discretion of the lending library. Most ILL books are renewable for a single two-week period. Renewal requests should be submitted in person or by telephone directly to the Interlibrary Loan staff, several days before the item is due. Since policies of lending institutions vary widely, renewals cannot be guaranteed. Once an item is overdue, it cannot be renewed.

To submit an ILL renewal request, you may contact the ILL staff during office hours: Monday-Friday, 9:00am-5:00pm, Telephone: (617) 353-3706.

Where do I return borrowed ILL books?

All ILL loans must be returned directly to the Interlibrary Loan Office at Mugar Memorial Library. When the ILL Office is closed, speak to staff at the Mugar Reference Desk or the Mugar Circulation Desk; they have a key to the ILL Office and can assist you. Do not return ILL books to the Circulation Desk. Do not deposit ILL books in the Outside Book Drop.

Whom should I contact if I have other questions about Interlibrary Loan Services?

The Interlibrary Loan staff will be happy to answer any other questions you may have regarding our Interlibrary Loan services. Stop by our office, or telephone us at (617) 353-3706.