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Interlibrary Loan: ILL FAQ's

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ILL FAQ's

1. When can I expect my book to arrive? 

   Books usually take between 7-14 days to arrive at the library. Depending on the location of the book and processing times of other libraries, books may arrive sooner or may also take longer. Please note that ILL processing does not occur over the weekend. If you state on the submission form that you need your item in less than a week your request will not be processed. 

2. When can I expect my article to arrive? 

    Articles usually take between 3-7 days to arrive at the library. Depending on the rarity of the article and processing times of other libraries, articles may arrive sooner or may  take longer. Please note that ILL processing does not occur over the weekend. If you state on the submission form that you need your article in less than 3 days your request will not be processed. 

3. How will I receive my article request? 

  Articles will be emailed to the email account listed in the submission form. Patrons are asked to use their Cabrini account to ensure that the article does not end up in a spam. Please also make sure that your inbox is not full, which can prevent the delivery of articles. Articles will either be emailed directly as PDFs, or patrons will receive an email from Article Exchange, providing them with a web link and a password to retrieve their article

5. Why wasn't my article request filled? 

   HSL makes every effort to fill article requests. In some instances it is not possible to obtain an article, and patrons will receive an email informing them that their article request could not be filled. Common reasons for unfilled articles include: 

  • Article is published in a publication not widely held by libraries in the United States
  • An article is newly published and is under an embargo 
  • The article is a dissertation
  • All lenders are charging a fee for this article
  • Insufficient time to fill request (see "When can I expect my article to arrive?")
  • The request is from the PsychTests database 

6. Why wasn't my book request filled? 

   HSL makes every effort to fill book requests. Lending libraries determine which materials they will lend. The following types of books are often not made available for loan: 

  • Textbooks
  • Current Best-Sellers
  • Recently Published Books
  • Reference Works 
  • Rare Books 
  • Software, DVDs, and other non-print items usually do not lend as well
  • Insufficent time to fill book request (see "When can I expect my book to arrive?")

7. Why did I receive an email asking me to check the citation of the article I requested and confirm that I still want it? 

   Sometimes there are aspects of an article's citation that call into question whether it will be useful to the patron. If this is the case, you will be contacted and asked to verify that you do want the article. Some common reasons for this include: 

  • The requested article is more than 15 years old 
  • The requested article is from an industry newspaper or other non-academic journal
  • The requested article is a dissertation abstract. 

8. How long will I be able to borrow a book for? 

   The length of time patrons have to borrow a book is determined by the lending library. The lending period is usually between 2-4 weeks but can be as long as 2 months. We ask that patrons return items at least 3 days before the due date listed on the book so that it can be processed and mailed prior to the due date.  Failure to return books or long overdues can jeopardize our chances of borrowing from a library again, please honor due dates! 

9. May I renew a book I borrowed?

   Whether a book may be renewed or not is determined by the lending library. Often libraries will allow up to 1 or 2 renewals. It is always best to ask for a renewal BEFORE a book becomes overdue. To ask to renew your book please email ill@cabrini.edu. 

10. Will I be charged for my request? 

   In almost all cases ILL is free. There are a few instances in which an item can only be obtained by paying a fee to the lending institution. In these instances you will be informed of the cost of the item and asked whether you are willing to pay the charge. You will never be charged for an item without your consent. 

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Holy Spirit Library
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