Did you know you can use Interlibrary Loan (ILL) to borrow materials through the Penn State Libraries that the Libraries do not have in their holdings? And if you’re at University Park, you may also use ILL to request UP Faculty & Staff office delivery of items? If you’ve ever been discouraged that the Libraries don’t subscribe to a particular database or journal that contains that one journal article you really need, this is the service for you! Just fill out the ILL form with as much information as possible so the Libraries can attempt to fulfill your request.
Items that I have received through ILL in the past year include:
- out of print theological tomes
- microfilm business records of a women’s art collective from the 1970s held in the National Archives of Art
- a German language newspaper from the 1930s
By registering to use interlibrary loan services and submitting requests for materials, users accept responsibility for complying with United States Copyright Law.
WARNING CONCERNING COPYRIGHT RESTRICTIONS
The copyright law of the United States (Title 17, United States Code) governs the making of photocopies or other reproductions of copyrighted materials.
Under certain conditions specified in the law, libraries and archives are authorized to furnish a photocopy or other reproduction. One of those specified conditions is that the photocopy or reproduction is not to be “used for any purpose other than private study, scholarship, or research”. If a user makes a request for, or later uses, a photocopy or reproduction for purposes in excess of “fair use”, that user may be liable for copyright infringement.
This institution reserves the right to refuse to accept a copying order if, in its judgement, fulfillment of the order would involve violation of copyright law.
The ILL unit uses specialized software to track borrower requests and to comply with the law. Where providing the copy exceeds the restrictions of copyright law, other arrangements are made to serve the request.
Even better, ILL will deliver PSU Libraries holdings straight to your office at University Park.
Visit PSU Libraries Interlibrary Loan page to get signed up! Here’s some additional information below.
Items that may be requested through ILL
- Loans of Books
- Copies of Journal and Newspaper articles (ILL reserves the right to refuse to accept a copying order if, in its judgment, fulfillment of the order would involve violation of copyright law.)
- Loans of Dissertations/Theses
- Loans of Newspaper Microfilm
- Loans of older journal volumes
U.P. Faculty/Staff Office Delivery
Office delivery is available to University Park Campus faculty and staff. Circulating material from the Libraries and Interlibrary Loan will be delivered to your departmental address via campus mail.
This service is available to faculty and staff who are registered with the Libraries and are in good standing. Materials should be delivered to your office within 3 – 4 business days. To ensure proper delivery of materials, please review your address information in your Library Accounts.
There are several changes when using this service:
- You will receive a system-generated notice that your material is being sent.
- Material will be checked out to your library or ILLiad account prior to being placed in campus mail. Due dates for restricted loan materials, such as DVDs, will be based on the date checked out, not the date received (see note about DVDs below).
- Material will be delivered to the departmental office address you provided in your CAT and ILLiad accounts.