Interlibrary Loan (ILL)
By requesting an interlibrary loan (ILL), borrowers can obtain many books and articles from journals not held in the University System of Maryland and Affiliated Institutions (USMAI) system. Books, periodical articles, dissertations, microforms, government documents, and technical reports are just some of the types of materials that can be obtained for you. University of Maryland faculty and graduate students may also use ILL to request electronic copies of articles available in the UM Libraries. ILL services are offered to all UM College Park faculty, staff, and students.
Hours & Contact Information
| Hours: Monday-Friday, 8:30a-4:30p | Address:
University of Maryland McKeldin Library College Park, MD 20742-7011 | |
|
Phone: 301-405-9178
Fax: 301-314-2487 | ||
| Email: docdel@umd.edu | ||
If you are from another ILL office, click on our Lending Policies and Procedures for more information.
Interlibrary Loan Instructions
Before placing an ILL request, you should first...
Check the Catalog to make sure that the University System of Maryland and Affiliated Institutions (USMAI) does not already own a copy of what you are requesting. ILL staff will cancel a request if they determine that you can obtain the material yourself from a USMAI library.
- If you find the material you are looking for in the catalog and it is listed as circulating...
click on the
button within the catalog record.
See: How to request material that is only available at another campus library. - If the material you are looking for is not in the catalog...
place an ILL request using Option 2 or Option 3, below.
For journals, you should fill in as much of the information as you can using the Full Text Finder to determine if the full text is available electronically. You should also be sure to check the title in the UMCP Catalog to verify that the specific volume is not held at College Park.
There are three ways to place an Interlibrary Loan request...- Click on the
button in the catalog record of the material you want to see. A new window will open to display "Find It" options. - Select
- Follow the instructions as prompted.
- Click on the button next to the item you're interested in viewing. A new window will open to display "Find It" options. If the database you're using does not have a "Find It" link, proceed to Option 3, below.
- Select
- Follow the instructions as prompted.
| Option 1: | For non-circulating materials listed in the USMAI Catalog:
|
| Option 2: | For materials located through a database via Research Port:
|
| Option 3: |
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Frequently Asked Questions
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How long will it take?
Materials supplied by off-campus sources are usually received in about two weeks. You may log in to check for a status report on your request. How can I track my request?You will receive an email when your requested item is available. A message of "Requested loan has arrived" indicates that a physical item (book, dissertation, microfilm, audio and video materials, etc.) is available to be picked up at the McKeldin Circulation desk. A message of "Requested item delivered electronically" indicates that electronic material (journal article or book chapter) is available online. Follow the instructions in the email to retrieve your materials. You may Log In to check the status of your request at any time. How much does it cost?Materials are usually supplied FREE. You will be contacted if there are any charges before the material is ordered. How will I receive my materials?You will receive an email when your requested item is available. Journal articles and book chapters usually will be delivered electronically (as PDF files) through our ILL system. Log In to view or print these items. Physical items (books, dissertations, microfilm, audio and video materials, etc.) will be delivered to the Circulation Desk at McKeldin Library and may be picked up in person during regular library hours. A valid UM ID card is required to check out ILL materials. How many requests can I submit?You may place any number of requests at one time; however, large numbers of requests may be processed over several days. How long can I keep ILL materials?Due dates for physical items (books, dissertations, microfilm, audio and video materials, etc.) are set by the lending library, not the UM Libraries, and may vary widely. Always check the band on your borrowed item to determine its due date. Items delivered electronically will be available for two weeks from the date of delivery. When viewing your list of "Electronically Received Articles" in our ILL system, check the "Expires" column to determine when your items will become unavailable. Be sure to print or save a copy of your item before this date. Can I renew ILL materials?Some ILL items may be eligible for renewal, depending on the policies of the lending library. Log In to the ILL system and click on the record for the item you are interested in renewing. Click on "Renew" to renew the item; if your request is denied by the lending library you will receive an email from Interlibrary Loan with the item's correct due date. Can I obtain dissertations through ILL?Interlibrary Loan can sometimes borrow a free copy for your use. Submit your request by logging in and completing a request form. Please note that through Research Port, faculty, staff and students have access to Digital Dissertations. Many universities require digital deposit of their dissertations. Therefore you may be able to get recent dissertations free directly from the issuing university's repository. If you would prefer to own a copy of the dissertation, you can request ILL to purchase one for you. You must include a check for $30.00 payable to UMI or attach an IDB form for $30.00 to your request form. Once the order is placed, the 8 1/2x11 unbound photocopy usually arrives within 5 - 7 working days and can be picked up from ILL or mailed to you. Call or email the Interlibrary Loan office for more information. |
Fines
- Replacement charges will be charged to your account if the material is not returned within 30 days of the due date.
Other Borrowing Services:
- Article Express: The Libraries will now deliver articles electronically to your desktop!
This service will deliver articles to you within three business days of
your request (provided they are available in print on the UM Libraries'
shelves.) In the event that an article you request is not available on
campus, Article Express will automatically refer the request to
Interlibrary Loan. This service is free of charge and available to *UMD
Faculty and Graduate Students only*.
To make a request, log in to your ILL account and click on Article Express. Complete the form and submit the request. That's all there is to it! You will be notified via email when the article is available.
- OCLC Faculty Borrowing Privileges (available to UM faculty)
- Chesapeake Information & Research Library Alliance (CIRLA) (available to UM graduate students & researchers)
