Interlibrary Loan Services - Frequenty Asked Questions
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What is Interlibrary Loan?Interlibrary Loan (ILL) provides enhanced access to and delivery of research and instructional materials. The purpose of interlibrary loan is to obtain materials not available in MTSU's libraries. The service is administered in accordance with the American Library Association National Interlibrary Loan Code (1993), International Lending: Principles and Guidelines for Procedures (1987), the US Copyright Revision Act of 1976 (17 US Code 101 et seq.), and in conformance with special consortial arrangements and reciprocal agreements entered into with individual libraries. Who May Use the Service?ILL services are provided for MTSU faculty, staff, students, and retired administrators and faculty. Undergraduate students must obtain a faculty signature on each request form to take advantage of ILL services (unless the item is available from one of the Nashville-area Athena member libraries). Undergraduate students are limited to ten ILL loans at any time. Faculty who would like for graduate student assistants to submit ILL requests and pick up borrowed ILL material on their behalf, must complete a permission form (available in the ILL Services Office). What Can be Borrowed or Obtained?The ILL Services Office will attempt to borrow or obtain materials which are not owned by MTSU Library, materials which have been formally declared lost or missing, materials which have been unsuccessfully recalled, or materials which are at the bindery. However, materials owned by the MTSU libraries, which are currently checked out to another patron, may be requested through ILL from any of the Project Athena member libraries. A maximum of fifteen (15) requests per person per week will be processed. What Can Not be Borrowed or Obtained?The ILL Services office will not attempt to borrow or obtain entire issues or volumes of periodicals, reference books or rare books, genealogical works, maps, or privately published reports. How Long Does it Take?The length of time involved to obtain a loan or photocopy varies, but most materials are received within fourteen (14) to twenty-one (21) days. Frequently the length of time is shorter but it can also be longer. How Much Does it Cost?Interlibrary Loan Services will always attempt to borrow or obtain an item for the least cost possible. If the item comes from a Tennessee library or any library with which we have entered into a reciprocal agreement, there will be no charge. In all other cases, there will be a lending or photocopying charge for which the requester is personally responsible. The lending/supplying library determines the amount of this charge. In addition, there is a postage fee for any loans from out-of-state libraries. Payment is required upon receipt of material. Faculty may not charge payments to their department accounts. Also, if you loose a borrowed item, you are responsible for all costs levied by the lending library. While every effort is made to fill a request as quickly as possible, the ILL Services Office cannot control the processing speed of a lending/supplying library nor the speed of the U.S. Postal Service. Therefore, should a requested item arrive after it is no longer needed, the requester is still responsible for any charges. When placing a request, please keep in mind that the cost for a complete ILL transaction averages $30.00, according to a 1993 ARL/RLG Interlibrary Loan Cost Study. MTSU Library currently absorbs this cost. How Do I Place an ILL Request?Please check the online catalog, Voyager, carefully before submitting an ILL request. Request forms in paper format are available in the ILL Services Office and at the Reference Desk; electronic request forms are also available. Telephone requests are not accepted. Please complete a separate request form for each item. Write legibly! Bibliographic citations must include complete and accurate information about the item. Materials will arrive more quickly when forms are filled out completely and clearly. Incomplete request forms may not be processed. You will be contacted via telephone (local calls only) or email once all requested materials are received. How Long Can I Keep Borrowed Materials?The lending period for requested materials and renewal option are determined by the lending library. The lending period is usually two weeks. The requester can keep photocopies. Renewals of ILL materials should be requested only in unusual circumstances. If a renewal request is necessary, it should be placed at least four days prior to the due date. Renewals requested after the due date will not be accepted. If an item is overdue, fines may accrue (imposed by the lending library as well as by MTSU). Overdue fines imposed by MTSU accrue at $1.00 per day per book. In addition, borrowing privileges will be suspended. Please remember that overdue loans jeopardize our borrowing privileges with other libraries as well as the status of your account. The lending library establishes the conditions under which borrowed materials may be used. Items may be restricted to use in the library only, photocopying may be prohibited, etc. MTSU library will abide by any such restrictions without exception. Where Do I Pick Up Requested Materials?All requested materials must be picked up at the Circulation Desk. A MTSU ID is required. A $2.50 service fee is assessed for any item not picked up after 30 days. Where Do I Return Borrowed Materials?You are responsible for the prompt return of borrowed materials. All materials MUST be returned to the ILL office or the Circulation Desk. Do not remove the ILL book band and do not return the material to a book drop. Office HoursILL Services Office hours are 7:30 am to 7:00 pm, Monday through Thursday, and 7:30 am to 4:30 pm Friday. If you have questions regarding ILL services, please contact the ILL office during office hours. Contact
Interlibrary Loan Services |