Interlibrary Loan :: Frequently Asked Questions

What is Interlibrary Loan?
Interlibrary Loan (ILL) is a service which obtains materials not available at Carroll University. While we will try to obtain every item a patron requests, some materials, such as videos, music CDs, or theses are more difficult to obtain. If you are having trouble deciphering your citation, please see a reference librarian for assistance. Incorrect citations will take longer to process and incomplete citations will be retuned to the patron unfilled.

Who may use ILL?
All Carroll University students, staff and faculty members in good standing (i.e. no overdues, fines, etc.) are eligible to use ILL.

Where is the ILL office?
The ILL office is located at the Circulation Desk in the lobby of the library. Office hours are Monday - Friday, 8:00 am - 4:30 pm.

How much will I have to pay to request an item via ILL?
The cost for ILL is $5. Graduate students and faculty/staff receive 25 complimentary ILLs per semester (Fall/Spring/Summer). Undergraduate students in 200-level courses or above can receive up to 10 complimentary ILLs a semester (Fall/Spring/Summer) as long as they meet with a librarian in their area of study first. If a student wants to request more than their allowed number of complimentary items, then the $5 will be collected at the time the request is made.  If ever a charge for an ILL will exceed $14.99, you will be notified of the additional charge prior to ordering. 

How long does ILL take?
In general, ILL requests take 10-14 days to fill. Some harder to obtain materials may take longer, while other commonly held items may arrive sooner. Please allow sufficient time.

What is a citation?
From the dictionary: "to mention a passage or an author as reference, argument or example." For ILL purposes, a citation is the information needed to successfully retrieve the item requested. An article needs journal title, volume, date, pages of article, author and article title. Book requests need book title, book author, publisher and date of publication. For faster service, complete and accurate citations should be supplied, along with the source of the citation. For assistance with your citation, please see a reference librarian.

How do I know if an item is already owned by Carroll Library?
ALWAYS check PioCat (the library's catalog) to verify if the title is held at Carroll University. Any requests made for items that we already hold will be cancelled and will count toward the patron's free requests each semester.

How do I check PioCat if I only have an abbreviated journal title?
You can use PubMed's Journal browser to determine the title of a journal. Just enter the abbreviation as found in PubMed (or cut and paste). Use the full title PubMed gives you to check PioCat for Carroll's holdings.

What is copyright?
Copyright, as applied to libraries, is a set of guidelines that prohibits unlawful reproduction of copyrighted material. (For more details, see Interlibrary Loan Policy on Copyright.) If your request exceeds copyright limits, you will be advised of your options: where the item is held so you may retrieve the item yourself; requesting alternative materials; or paying the royalties for copyright clearance.

How will I be notified?
Our primary form of contact is email. You will be notified by phone, if no email address if given. Remember when giving us your phone number to include your area code, if other than 262. Please only give us your email address if you check your mail regularly.  Please be sure to keep your information up to date by filling out the Contact Information form.

Where do I pick up my requested materials?
ILL materials can be picked up at the Circulation Desk any time the library is open. You must have your Carroll ID to pick up ILL materials.

How can I check the status of an ILL request?
You can stop by the ILL office during regular office hours, Monday - Friday, 8:00 am - 4:30 pm. You may also email us or call (262) 650-4889.

How long can I keep the materials I recieved via ILL?
The lending library will determine the due date of your book loan, generally 4 weeks. Photocopies are yours to keep.

How do I request a renewal for ILL materials?
Renewals are at the discretion of the lending library. Unless stated on the bookstrap "NO RENEWALS," we will try to renew the item for you. Please notify the ILL office if you desire to renew the item 3 days prior to the due date. Most libraries will not renew overdue items, even if it is only one day.

What is an e-doc?
"E-doc" refers to an e-document or an article that is sent to the requester via e-mail.  You will receive e-documents in PDF format. You will receive an e-mail notifying you that a document is available. The e-mail contains information about the original request, including IL number and citation. There is also a "hot link" to the document itself, which is stored on a server at WiLS (Wisconsin Library Services, in Madison). The recipient of the e-mail can click on the hot link and retrieve the document. For most e-mail programs, this works automatically, by launching Adobe Acrobat Reader. At that point, the document can be viewed or printed. Items remain on the WiLS server for 10 days.

What if I lose an item I received via ILL?
Your responsibilities are the same for the ILL item as they are for items checked out from the Carroll Library. You will receive 2 overdue notices and then a bill for the replacement cost of the item (price to be determined by the lending library). If you do not pay the bill, or return the item, your borrowing privileges will be suspended and a hold will be placed on your college records.

What is the fine if my ILL item is overdue?
Fines for ILL items are the same as they are for items checked out from the Carroll Library. $0.25/day the item is overdue, with a 7 days grace period. If the fine is paid at the time the item is returned, the fine will be reduced by 50%.

How do I submit an ILL request?
Undergraduate students must fill out a paper form, available at the reference desk. Graduate students and faculty/staff must submit the request electronically.

Who do I contact for ILL help?
Margaret Rein is the ILL manager and can be reached at ill@cc.edu or 262.650.4889.  You can always see any librarian for assistance as well.