Policies for Borrowing ILL Materials through McFarlin Library

What is ILL?

ILL is Interlibrary Loan, a service that most libraries have that enables them to borrow library materials from each other.

When should I use ILL?

Use interlibrary loan when the INNOPAC Online Catalog says the McFarlin Library does not own the book you want, or the periodical issue that contains the article you want. The Interlibrary Loan Department personnel will request the item for you from another library.

How do I submit an ILL request?

Fill out an interlibrary loan form available on the World Wide Web. Click on "Interlibrary Loan" on the McFarlin Library homepage. McFarlin's online interlibrary loan Web forms are available from any Internet-connected computer, but may be used only by University of Tulsa faculty, staff, and students. If the Web forms are not available, ask at the Reference Desk for alternatives. 

How can I get my materials on time?

Plan ahead and do your research early. Requests are usually processed and completed within 7-21 days although some can take longer.

How much will an ILL request cost to make?

Interlibrary loan requests are free to University of Tulsa students, faculty and staff even though ILL transactions are expensive. The average cost for a completed interlibrary loan transaction in the United States is over $30 per request

What might delay ILL requests?

Inaccurate information, especially inaccurate citation information, can slow the request. Be sure title, issue and page information is accurate. Including periodical ISSN numbers can help, too. ILL electronic forms that are insufficiently filled out will not process. Important Tip: Be sure to put a date on your ILL form that reflects the time past which you no longer need the information you are requesting. Use the date format yyyymmdd (e.g., 19990523).

Can requests be turned down?

Copyright guidelines require "fair use" limits on interlibrary loan borrowing. Simply put, McFarlin Library is only allowed to request 5 articles from any one journal during a calendar year under "fair use" guidelines. After five requests have been processed, the library must begin paying copyright fees on each article; fees set by the copyright holder. Your request may be turned down if the copyright fee is excessive, or if copy permission cannot be obtained from the copyright holder.

And of course, sometimes a library cannot be found that will loan the item.

For more information, please contact:

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