Library Policies - MUAC

Interlibrary Loan
The Gerald J. Ball Library participates in local, state, regional and national resource sharing programs to obtain materials for its patrons.  This resource sharing service is known as interlibrary loan or ILL.  Interlibrary loan is a library-to-library transaction; therefore all requests must be administered through a library.

Eligibility
Interlibrary loan service is available to current Marian University faculty, staff and students. All others may submit requests through their local public libraries.

Before you submit a request:
1.  Ascertain whether the Gerald J. Ball Library already owns the item you need:

• Search the online library catalog for book and journal titles.
• Search the e-journals A-Z  portal for journals available in electronic format.
• Search for articles in an appropriate subject database.

Interlibrary Loan tips:

• Include all bibliographic information in your request.
• Do not use abbreviations, when full titles are available.
• Request renewals at least three days before the due date.
• Return interlibrary loan materials to the Circulation Desk.  Do not use the book drops.

Time Required
Requests are usually processed within 24 hours of receipt by the interlibrary loan staff. Requests are verified and submitted electronically to a string of up to five potential suppliers.  Users must allow a minimum of 10 days after submitting a request to receive material.  Often, the item is received in much less time, but this can never be predicted.  Peak borrowing periods, staff shortages, and the efficiency of the supplier, may influence the length of time needed.

Loan Periods
The loan period for borrowed materials varies and is controlled by the supplier.  Due dates are clearly marked on each borrowed item.  Generally, libraries offer a two or three week loan period, with one renewal possible.  Renewals must be requested before the due date of the current loan. Renewals are not automatically granted by the lender.  Restrictions on the borrowed material will be indicated on a printed label attached to the item.

In order to maintain good resource sharing relationships with other institutions, due dates must be honored. 

Notification, Pick-up and Delivery
Borrowers are notified via email when material is received.  Interlibrary loan materials may be picked up at the Library Circulation Desk.  Articles are delivered electronically.

Basic Policies

• Entire journals are not available for borrowing. Tables of content and articles may be requested instead. 
• Borrowed materials must be returned promptly.  Late return of library materials endangers our resource sharing relationship with other libraries. 
• Abuse of interlibrary loan policies (i.e. repeated late return) will result in the blocking of your interlibrary loan account.
• All users are subject to fines and replacement costs for lost or damaged interlibrary loan materials.
• There are no limits on the number of requests one user may submit.
• Interlibrary loan items are not accepted for placement in the Course Reserve Collection.

About Theses and Dissertations
Patrons may request master’s theses and doctoral dissertations through interlibrary loan.  However, many libraries do not lend theses and dissertations from their institutions.  In the event that the work is not available for loan from any institution, you will be referred to the Proquest/UMI web site where you may personally purchase the item.  Standard delivery is less than seven days.