Interlibrary Loan Services: Interlibrary Loan (ILL)

Click the button below to request an ILL.

• What is Interlibrary Loan?  Interlibrary loan (ILL) supplements the instructional, research, and scholarly activities of Wabash faculty, staff and students by obtaining material not owned by Lilly Library from other libraries worldwide.

• With your Wabash ILL Patron Account you can:
  • Place requests for items from other librarires
  • Track the status of your requests
  • Renew checked out items
  • View filled article requests
  • Access request history. 

• Who may use the service?  Current Wabash College faculty, students and staff may use this service. Interlibrary loan material is always subject to recall by the lending library. If recalled, material must be returned within 24 hours.  Wabash College alumni living in Montgomery County may also use this service if materials can be obtained free of charge.

• How do I place a request?
  • Find the item you are looking for in the Library Catalog.
  • If we do not own the item, click on the Request Item link.
  • You will be present with the Patron Account login page.
  • Once logged in the request form will be populated with the item information.
  • Complete the form then submit your request.
  • If you have a citation but cannot locate the item in the catalog, you may complete one of the blank request forms.

• How long does it take to get material and how long may I keep it?
  • Journal Articles / Book Chapters:
    • Generally arrives electronically within 1 to 4 days.
    • You will receive an email upon receipt.
    • Articles / Book Chapters will remain available for 30 days and may be downloaded up to 5 times.
  • Books / Videos / Music CDs / Theses / Government Documents:
    • Generally arrives within 4 days (if available in Indiana) and may take 2 weeks or more if outside of Indiana.
    • You will receive an email when your material is ready to be picked up at the Circulation Desk.
    • Materials will remain on the hold shelf for up to 2 weeks then returned to the lending library if not picked up.  See note below about items not picked up. 
    • Most material can be kept for 3 to 4 weeks with the possibility of one renewal.  Loan lengths and renewal options are based on the lending library's policies.
    • Materials are returned to the labeled crate on the Circulation Desk.
  • Items Not Picked Up:
    • While patrons are not charged for an ILL item there is a cost involved - approximately $18 per item.
    • After the third instance of not picking up an item, the patron may have their privileges suspended for a period of time.
    • If a patron does not pick up an item, the patron will have to wait to re-request that item for a period of 6 months.   

• Overdue Materials:  Interlibrary loan materials not returned in a timely manner jeopardize our relationship with lending libraries.  Chronic lateness and repeated requests to return materials may hinder your ability to request materials in the future.  Extremely overdue materials are subject to replacement charges which will be added to your account in the Business Office as these fees have to be paid to the lending library.  The only way to receive a refund for these fees is if the materials are returned and the lending library is willing to issue a credit.

• What cannot be borrowed?
  • Reference books, rare or historical items, entire issues of journals, current "bestsellers", and genealogical materials are generally not available for ILL borrowing.
  • Textbooks and required readings that appear on the Wabash College Bookstore course list cannot be requested through interlibrary loan.  Interlibrary loan service is intended to supplement the library collection by providing material needed for course-related research.  Unfortunately, it cannot be used as a substitute for purchasing required course materials.
  • Due to short loan lengths for interlibrary loan, do not request materials you will need for an entire semester.

• Copyright Law Compliance Warning:  All interlibrary loan requests are subject to the copyright law of the United States (Title 17, United States Code) which governs the making of photocopies or other reproductions of copyrighted materials.

•  Other Considerations
  • Please order only what you can/will use. Though “free” to you, there is a cost to the Library for borrowed materials.
  • Material (with the exception of photocopies) obtained through interlibrary loan may not be placed on reserve.
  • Users are responsible for any overdue fines, damage to material or loss of material.
  • Requests that incur a fee are limited to those by faculty, staff and students for material to be used in coursework, instruction or research.
  • Requests for materials other than for coursework, instruction or research will only be processed if it can be borrowed free of charge.
  • Requests by alumni and family members of faculty/staff will only be processed if it can be borrowed free of charge.