Interlibrary Loan Guide

A skill for accessing research papers and books through interlibrary loan (ILL) and document delivery services when your institution does not have a subscription. Covers ILL workflows, alternative free access methods, and strategies for rapid document retrieval.

Understanding Interlibrary Loan

What Is ILL?

Interlibrary loan is a service where your library borrows materials from another library on your behalf. Most academic libraries offer ILL free of charge to their students, faculty, and staff. Turnaround time is typically 1-7 business days for articles and 1-3 weeks for books.

Types of Requests

Article/Chapter Request:
  - You receive a digital scan (PDF) of the article
  - Usually delivered to your email or ILL portal
  - Turnaround: 1-5 business days
  - Typically free