Home / Services / ILLIAD / ILL Policies and Frequently Asked Questions - FAQ

How long does it take to borrow materials through Interlibrary Loan?
One to two weeks.

What is the cost to use Interlibrary Loan?
Nicholson Library does not charge our community of users, but all charges from the lending library will be passed on to the person borrowing the material. 

Most books borrowed from libraries within the state are free; those from out of  state will always carry a postage fee, which is usually less than $3.00.

Some institutions charge $5.00 - $50.00 per loan.
For out of state institutions, this would be in addition to postage. 

A maximum cost section on the interlibrary loan form allows the borrower to set the dollar limit for each item requested through interlibrary loan.  It is very  important to fill in this section, or accept the possible $50.00 charge.

Articles copied and sent to our library are often free, but some institutions do  charge as much as $20.00 to copy an article.

Will the entire journal be sent to our library?
No, articles are copied from the journal and sent to Nicholson Library.

When are the interlibrary loan charges paid?
We do not know the amount of the postage charge until the material arrives. When  materials have charges they will be placed at the circulation desk and must be  paid for at the time of pick-up.

Where do I pick up interlibrary loans?
All materials with charges must be paid for and picked up at the circulation desk.  Books and articles not sent electronically, may be picked up at the circulation desk.

Do I need to know who owns the material?
No.

The citation shows ‘IN’ Ethics in the Natural Sciences.  Is the journal title Ethics in the Natural Sciences?
No, when the citation shows ‘IN’ it is referring to a chapter in a book.  The title following ‘IN’ is the title of the book.  The author and title of the chapter are usually given before the ‘IN’ information. 

Do articles need to be returned?
No, they are yours to keep and mark up.

How long are interlibrary loans?
It depends on the lending institution.  Usually 2 weeks use with the option of  renewing the book before the due date. INTERLIBRARY LOAN SHOULD NOT BE USED IN PLACE OF PURCHASING A TEXTFOOK - LOAN PERIOD IS TOO SHOR.

What if the material comes too late?
You are still responsible for the charges.  It is your request; you should plan far  enough ahead (two weeks) to receive the material in time to be useful.
Updated 5/23/2008