Interlibrary Loan Services at the Julia Tutwiler Library provide UWA students, faculty, and staff with materials not available on the University campus. The Library also lends its own materials to other libraries worldwide. ILL services are a privilege that lending libraries grant to us to facilitate research. When UWA borrows from other libraries we are accepting responsibility for the care and prompt return of the borrowed materials. It is for this reason, all persons requesting to use ILL privileges are expected to be familiar with the Library's ILL policy.

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FAQ's

Who may use UWA interlibrary loan services?
Currently enrolled UWA students, faculty, and staff may request materials through our ILL services.

How do I make an ILL request?
Before making ILL requests check the Library and make sure the material is not available either on our shelves or in electronic format through a database. If material is missing or checked out please indicate this on your ILL request.

Requests can be made at the Library circulation desk. Request forms are available during all building hours. Print clearly all the requested information on the ILL form.

Requests for books will need an author name and full title. Other information, such as the publisher and date of publication, can eliminate processing delays. 

Requests for articles require an author name, journal title, title of article, page numbers, volume, issue, and date of the periodical.

Please include the most information possible in your requests.

Do I have to pay for ILL materials?

Through reciprocal and resource sharing agreements, there is no charge for books or photocopies requested from member institutions of the Network of Alabama Academic Libraries (NAAL), or other institutions with which we hold reciprocal agreements. If the material you request can not be obtained through a reciprocal lender, there may be a charge. Charges for books and photocopies are usually at least $10.00. Borrowers are responsible for all charges by the lending library, regardless of when the item becomes available, even if the item is not picked up from the Library. If you do not want to pay for an item, please enter -0- in the appropriate space on the request form.

When will the materials arrive?
LL materials take an average of five days, if they are processed by our reciprocal Alabama lenders. When materials must come from out of state the process is longer and may take up to a month. Please speak with the ILL department if you need materials quickly. We can not guarantee dates of arrival, therefore it is prudent to place your request early.

Receiving and returning ILL materials
Students are responsible for checking for arrival of ILL materials. Photocopies are mailed to campus addresses for faculty and staff only. ILL photocopies may be kept by the patron. Books must be returned by the date indicated on the yellow band.

Can ILL materials be renewed?
Renewals are granted by the lending institution. Requests for renewals must be made at least three days prior to the due date. 

Renewal requests are only accepted via the ILL Online Renewal Request Form on the Library web site.  Please see the Interlibrary Loan Renewal Policy for more information.

Are there fines for ILL materials?
ILL borrowers have a seven day grace period to return ILL material. After the seventh day a fine of $1.00 per day for EVERY day past the due date will be assessed.

Can you lose your ILL borrowing privileges?
As stated in our ILL policy, the UWA Library reserves the right to suspend or withdraw interlibrary loan services because of patron abuse, (e.g., consistently returning material late, excessive loss of material, etc). The parameters of UWA ILL service are governed by the current copyright law and guidelines, the National Interlibrary Loan Code, the lending library's policy, the NAAL Resource Sharing Program policies, and the UWA Library policies and procedures

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Interlibrary Loan Policy

The purpose of ILL (Interlibrary Loan) service at UWA is to make available materials needed for research but not in the library’s collection. This service is available for UWA undergraduates, graduate students, faculty and staff.

With certain exceptions, most types of material may be requested through ILL.  The lending library determines whether an item can be provided.  Items not obtainable through ILL include rare materials, archives, most reference materials, and bulky or fragile materials.  Many libraries do not lend a-v materials, recordings, or recently published books.  Please consult with the ILL department regarding these items.

BEFORE making ILL requests check to see if the library has the material in either paper or electronic format.  Incomplete forms will not be processed.

Undergraduates may request ten items at a time.

Except for extenuating circumstances, patrons may request a particular item only once.

Students will NOT be notified of arrival of material, but may call the circulation desk at 652-3613 to inquire if their materials have arrived.

ILL materials may be picked up at the circulation desk during normal circulation hours. Students must present their UWA student identification card to pick up ILL materials. 

ILL photocopies requested by UWA faculty and staff will be mailed through the campus mail system.

ILL will not obtain textbooks in use at UWA.

Through reciprocal and resource sharing agreements, there is no charge for books or photocopies requested from member institutions of the Network of Alabama Academic Libraries (NAAL), or other institutions with which we hold reciprocal agreements.  If the material you request cannot be obtained from a reciprocal lender, there may be a charge.  Charges for books and photocopies average $10.00. 

Borrowers are responsible for all charges by the lending library, regardless of when the item becomes available, even if the item is not picked up from the Tutwiler Library.  If you do not want to pay for an item, please enter -0- in the appropriate space on the request form.

The average time to fill an ILL through a NAAL lender in state is 5 days. This does not guarantee you will receive your materials by this time. If we need to use an out of state or non-reciprocal lender the process may take a few weeks.  During high volume times, such as the end of a term, materials take longer.  Please take this into consideration when requesting materials to ensure you will receive material when needed.

All ILL materials must be returned by the date indicated.  ILL borrowers have a 7-day grace period to return materials.  After the seventh day a fine of $1.00 per day for every day past the due date, including the grace period, will be charged. 

Renewals may be requested and are granted at the discretion of the lending library.  ILL renewal requests can be made through the ILL department in person, or by Internet site.  Please make renewal requests at least three days in advance of the due date.

Photocopied ILL materials may be kept by the patron.  Please return all other ILL materials to the Tutwiler library circulation desk.  Do not place ILL materials in the outside book drop.

The UWA library reserves the right to suspend or withdraw interlibrary loan services because of patron abuse, e.g. consistently returning material late, not picking up requested material, excessive loss of material, etc.  The parameters of UWA ILL service are governed by the current copyright law and guidelines, the National Interlibrary Loan Code, the lending library's policy, the NAAL Resource Sharing Program policies, and the UWA library policies and procedures.

For complete information on interlibrary loan services, see Anna Bedsole, or call 652-3842.

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Renewal requests for interlibrary loan materials are only accepted via the ILL Online Renewal Request Form.

If a book is from Auburn University no renewal can be given. If the band on the book has "No renewal" checked, no renewal can be given. Only one renewal per book may be given.

It is recommended that a renewal be requested at least three days in advance. Some libraries will not renew books on or after their due dates.

Once a renewal is requested, it may be assumed that there is a one month renewal. Only if the request is denied or a different amount of time is allowed, will you be contacted.

The UWA Library reserves the right to suspend or withdraw interlibrary loan services because of patron abuse, e.g. consistently returning material late, excessive loss or damage of material, etc. The parameters of the interlibrary loan service are governed by the current copyright law and guidelines, the National Interlibrary Loan Code, the lending library's policy, the NAAL Resource Sharing Program policies, and the UWA Library policies and procedures.

For complete information on interlibrary loan services, see Anna Bedsole, or call the ILL office at 652-3842.

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Need to contact the Interlibrary Loan Office?

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