Interlibrary Loans: Borrowing FAQs
Requesting Items
Submitting Requests
Receiving Requests
Returning Requests
ILL Quotas
Where can I get general information about requesting material on Interlibrary Loan (ILL)? Please contact Information & Research Assistance or the General Services Desk, located on the level 10 of the Library. If further information is required, please consult ILL staff by email at
lib.illo@uleth.caHow long does it take? Delivery time for a requested ILL item depends on the request type
(copy or loan), the location of the lending library, the speed with
which the lending library fills the request and the delivery method
used. Some materials arrive within days or hours from the time a
request is processed, while others may take months.
Do I have to know where an item is located before I request it through ILL? No, ILL staff will determine which location can supply the material requested. However, if you do know where the item is located, please indicate the location on the request form under Other Information.
Can I borrow videos on ILL? Yes, if the location which owns the video will lend it. When requesting videos on ILL, please use the
BOOK/AUDIOVISUAL electronic request form and add the word
"[video]" after the title of the item.
Can I borrow an entire issue of a journal? You can obtain articles from the journal but not the entire journal itself.
Can I borrow items from other Alberta libraries on ILL? Yes, but you may also obtain The Alberta Library (TAL) card from the General Services Desk of the Library. TAL cards are available to students, faculty, and staff having University of Lethbridge Library borrowing records in good standing. Once you obtain a TAL card, you may borrow materials in person from most Alberta libraries. Please consult the
TAL card website for more information.
If an item is checked out in our Library, can I borrow it on ILL?
Yes, books from the Main Collection that are checked out may be requested on Interlibrary Loan.
If an item is at the bindery, can I submit an ILL request form?
Yes, items that are listed as at bindery may be requested on ILL.
If an item is listed as billed, can I submit an ILL request form?
Yes, items that are billed may be requested on ILL.
If an item is listed as for repair, can I submit an ILL request form?
Yes, items that are for repair may be requested on ILL.
If an item is listed as missing, can I submit as ILL request form?
Yes, items that are missing may be requested on ILL.
Back to top
How do I submit an ILL request? Requests may submitted online by completing the
Interlibrary Loan form appropriate to the material you wish to borrow/receive via interlibrary loan.
Why do I need to put a "Cancel if not filled by" date on the ILL request form? ILL staff use this date to determine the feasibility of obtaining the item within the time period you wish to use it.
What if I don't have all the citation information required on the ILL request form? Please ask Information & Research Assistance (Reference) staff for assistance. They may be able to help you find a complete citation using resources available in the Library.
Back to top
If I find I no longer need an item, how do I cancel my Interlibrary Loan request? Please contact ILL staff by email at
lib.illo@uleth.ca.
How will I know when the material has arrived? You will be notified by email when requested material has arrived. Loans are available for pickup upon presentation of your updated Campus Card at the General Services Desk of the Library. As of March 30, 2009, links to PDF copies are emailed to the email
address provided in the requestor's submitted request. These links
remain active for 14 days or 10 viewings, whichever occurs first.
How can I check the status of my Interlibrary Loan request? If you wish to confirm the Library received your submitted interlibrary loan requests, please contact Information & Research Assistance or the General Services Desk. If you require further information about the status of your interlibrary loan request, please contact ILL staff by email at
lib.illo@uleth.caHow long can I have an ILL item on loan? The loan period is normally 3 weeks with
NO RENEWALS.
Back to top
Where do I return the material I received on ILL? Interlibrary loans must be returned to the Library's General Services Desk on or before the due date.
Will I be charged fines for overdue ILL materials? Yes, fines are $1.00 per day per item and will be added to your library record.
Back to top
How much does ILL cost? Fully subsidized ILL requests are provided according to a quota based on number of requests per user. The quota is determined annually by the GFC Library Committee according to the available budget, the average cost of lending library fees and the number of users.
ILL Quotas for the fiscal year April 2011-March 2012.
In addition, Faculty and Graduate Students may qualify for the
Special Needs Quota (SNQ).
How can I find out the number of items I have requested on ILL?
Please contact Information & Research Assistance or the General Services Desk. If further information is required, please contact ILL staff by email at
lib.illo@uleth.caIf I use up my quota of fully subsidized requests, can I still request items on ILL? Yes, but the cost is $5.00 per completed request. For loans this fee is payable when you pick them up from the General Services Desk; for copies this fee is added to your patron record when the copies are received from the supplying library. Patrons wishing to charge over-quota expenses to a research grant or a department account should consult ILL staff by email at
lib.illo@uleth.ca
Maintained by
Content Revised: July 10, 2013
