UT Arlington Library

Interlibrary Loan locates and obtains for you information resources that are not available in the UT Arlington Library's print, microform or electronic collections. We get these materials from other libraries and from commercial document delivery suppliers.

Who can use ILL?

ILL services are available only to currently enrolled UT Arlington students and currently employed UT Arlington faculty, associates of the faculty, and staff. UT Arlington Library's users who are not among these categories cannot use the UT Arlington Interlibrary Loan services.

How do I get started?

First, you need to choose specific items you need that are not available at the UT Arlington Library. If you're not sure which particular books, journal articles, or other materials you need, contact the Reference Desk staff or the Subject Librarian serving your department for help.

Once you have a specific book, journal, or other citation, request your material through UT Arlington Interlibrary Loan Online.

What can I get through ILL?

You can get almost anything through Interlibrary Loan. Some things are harder to locate and borrow however. Reference materials, dissertations and theses, complete issues of periodicals, rare books, genealogical materials, video tapes, audio tapes or CDs, and computer disks are sometimes unavailable or can take longer for us to find a willing lender.

Materials that are available in the UT Arlington Library should not be requested through ILL. But you can request items that are lost, missing, or at the bindery.

You cannot request course textbooks through Interlibrary Loan. Faculty cannot request materials through ILL for the purpose of placing them on Reserve.

When will my request be processed?

Requests are processed in the order in which they are received. If your ILL request form is not completely filled out, your request will be delayed while we contact you for the missing information. If you turn in more than 10 requests in one day, we may spread the processing of your requests over a period of days so that all ILL users are served in a timely manner.

How does Interlibrary Loan find the material?

We use the OCLC online database, containing the holdings of over 9000 libraries world-wide, to locate and request most materials. Some items, such as dissertations, patents, and other specialized materials, are available through document suppliers and from other sources.

When will the material arrive?

Your materials will usually arrive within 2 weeks. Items that are very recently published, unusual, or in a format other than a book or photocopy can take longer. ILL offices around the US usually don't operate during weekends and holiday periods, so at those times there can be delays.

But, materials that are available from libraries in the State of Texas can arrive in less than 2 weeks.

If you have special needs requiring fast delivery, talk to the ILL staff about your situation and include your deadline on the request forms. We will try to meet your deadline. When your deadline is reached, we will stop trying to locate your material and let you know the situation.

At any time you are welcome to check the status of your request on Interlibrary Loan Online. Or feel free to contact the ILL Office to ask about the status of your request at (817) 272-3344 or library-ill@listserv.uta.edu.

How much will it cost?

The charges for most ILL materials are paid for by the UT Arlington Library.

Where do I pick up my materials?

If you have borrowed a book, you must pick up the book in person. Come to the 1st floor Circulation Desk of Central Library to pick up interlibrary loan materials that are being held for you. You must present a photo ID to pick up these materials.

If you have requested a photocopy, you can choose whether to pick up the copies in person or to have us mail the copies to you. Indicate your choice on the ILL request form. If we receive a copy in electronic format, the item will be delivered to you electronically.

If you have borrowed a book or if you have chosen to pick up a photocopy in person, we will contact you when your materials are ready to be picked up.

How long may I use the item?

Photocopies are usually yours to keep.

The loan period for books is set by the library that loaned the book to us. This loan period will vary according to the lending library and its needs. We can sometimes request ONE renewal of no more than 2 weeks. The lending library decides whether or not to allow the renewal.

The books we borrow through Interlibrary Loan are the property of other libraries. We respect those other libraries and their materials and appreciate their continued service. We also respect the due dates they have given for their books.

ILL materials returned after the due date indicated on the paperwork with the material will result in an overdue fine of $1 per day.

Can I renew the material?

If an item is not marked "No Renewal", and it has not already been renewed once, you can request a renewal through ILL Online. You will get a new due date that is 14 days after the original due date unless we contact you to tell you differently. If the lending library will not renew the item, you must return the item immediately.

Items that cannot be renewed include those that are marked as "No Renewal" and those items that have already been renewed once

Where do I return the items I have borrowed?

Return books and other ILL materials to the ILL Office, using the book drop in the counter next to the ILL Office. The ILL Office is located next to the circulation desk on the first floor of the Central Library. To avoid their loss or getting mixed up with UT Arlington Library materials, please do not leave ILL books any place else. You are responsible for the materials you have checked out until they reach the ILL Office.

What if I want more information?

UT Arlington Library
PO Box 19497
Arlington, TX 76019
817.272.3000 • 888.565.9023