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Interlibrary
Loan (ILL)
Helm Library, Room 107
(270) 745-6118
| If you are a first-time user, please visit the information and sign up page to get your login account. If you'd like to know about ILLiad, please read OCLC's "ILLiad at a Glance" page. |
What is ILL || How Much Does It Cost || How to Request ILL
How Long Does It Take || ILL Service Hours || Center for Research Libraries
ILL Service Hours
-
Regular Hours:
Monday - Thursday 8:00 a.m.-6:30 p.m.
Friday 8:00 a.m.-6:30 p.m.
Summer Hours:
Monday - Thursday 8:00 a.m.-6:00 p.m.
Friday 8:00 a.m.-4:00 p.m.
What is ILL?
Interlibrary Loan (ILL) is an agreement among libraries to share library resources needed for research. WKU faculty, staff and graduate students may use ILL as a supplement to the WKU Libraries. WKU undergraduate students may request ILL materials on ILL forms signed by their instructor or a librarian. Books, journal articles, dissertations, government documents, and microfilm materials may be borrowed on ILL. Copyright law and international Interlibrary Loan codes may place restrictions on what materials may be borrowed.
How much does ILL cost?
All costs incurred for ILL requests are paid for from the WKU Libraries budget. There is no charge to our patrons.
How long does it take to get the material?
With Illiad's electronic delivery, articles will take 1 or 2 days. If the lending library mails us the article, it will take longer. Typically, it takes 2-4 weeks to receive requested books (which are usually sent via US Mail), however it may take longer depending on workloads of WKU and lending libraries' ILL offices, completeness of the citation given and availability of requested material. In order to have the request filled in time, it is important that you indicate a deadline date on the request form.
ILL may have difficulty obtaining recently published books from other libraries. It may be better for you to request that your library liaison purchase it for the WKU Libraries' collection.
How do I request an ILL?
First, check TOPCAT to be certain we do not own the material you are requesting! Here are some helpful hints:
- Check TOPCAT under both author and title
- We may have it
even if it is not on TOPCAT! Some items which might not be in the catalog
include:
- older journals or discontinued titles—check for these on WKU Libraries microfiche catalog
- some U.S. government documents—ask at Reference Center or call 6107
- microform collections—check WKU Libraries microfiche catalog
- If you have any doubt, ask for assistance at the Reference Center, Periodicals Desk, or Interlibrary Loan office.
- Then, submit ILL request online using our web form
- You may also pick up and fill in the ILL request forms available in Helm Library outside the ILL office. Yellow forms are for books, dissertations, and other monographic requests; blue forms for journal articles, newspaper microfilm and other serial titles. Completed request forms may be submitted by mail or in person to the ILL office.
Center for Research Libraries
In order to enhance ILL service, WKU Libraries holds an associate membership with the Center for Research Libraries. Books, journals, newspapers, state documents, major microform collections, foreign dissertations, and federal census microform reels are among the research materials which may be borrowed from CRL. You may search the Center for Research Libraries' Catalog from here.
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