InterLibrary Loan Service Guidelines

Who is eligible to use this service (known as ILL)?
Current Goucher students, faculty and staff only.

Are users charged for this service?
No.

What is the usual wait for an interloaned item to arrive at Goucher?
From the date a request is made  -- for books now as well as articles -- it is possible that the item may be ready for downloading/pickup/shipping within two days, thanks to new truck and electronic delivery routes in place.  However, many items may still require  seven to ten days of delivery time, so you are cautioned to make your ILL requests as soon as possible in your research process.

By what means is notification of an item's arrival given?
An e-mail message is sent to the requestor's Goucher e-mail address.  Additionally, our library Service Desk can be contacted (410-337-6360) to check the ILL shelf for arrivals.  Check with our IT helpdesk if you are unsure how to have Goucher emails forwarded to your preferred email system.

Do I need to pick up my items at the library, or will you mail them to me?
Limited Residency program borrowers residing outside the Baltimore area should contact Yvonne Lev, our Distance Learning Librarian, to send her a mailing address.

How many requests may be made at one time?
For 1st-years through Juniors, it is expected that you will ask for no more than five items the same day, 10 in the same week, 25 requests per semester. The maximums for seniors, grad students and faculty are higher, but justification may be required in extreme borrowing cases..

Who should be contacted to discuss borrowing needs?
Thomasin LaMay, 410-337-6031  -- first; then either Barbara Snead 410-337-6366 or Muriel Jones 410-337-6068. 

For how long a period is an item typically interloaned?
The initial due date is set by the lending institution. By the time an item arrives here, usually there are two to three weeks remaining until it should be returned to our library’s Service Desk. That due date is recorded on the paper label or strap attached to the item.

Can the loan period be extended?
Yes, but not always. It is the lending institution's decision whether to grant further time. Renewal requests are most likely to be approved if made during the week BEFORE the initial due date. E-mail Thomasin LaMay, or call her (410-337-6031), if a renewal is desired, providing the title of the item(s) and the ILL number recorded on its label/strap.

What is the penalty for keeping ILL items beyond their due date, i.e. "Overdues"?
Anytime a Goucher borrower has items excessively overdue, it can penalize all our borrowers.  Some lenders block us from making any further ILL requests, until such items are returned.   Other institutions may choose to loan us items less often.   SO, PLEASE NOTE THIS NEW POLICY, AS OF THE FALL 2010 SEMESTER:   Any Goucher borrower whose items in combination reach a total of 21 days overdue or more, will NOT have any additional ILL requests fullfilled until ALL overdue items have been returned to us.   This policy should not trouble you, if you are careful about requesting renewals on time and/or returning overdues promptly, then re-requesting those titles still needed. 

Do these loan rules apply to ILL photocopies or article scans?
No. Photocopies or scanned-article files need not be returned.

Will the library purchase articles for me when interlibrary loan is not possible?
Document delivery is usually much more costly than "interloans" of articles.  We can only afford to offer this extra research support to senior thesis writers and graduate students.   And, for these students there is a limit of two purchased articles per semester.   For staff and faculty, case-by-case judgments will be made.

Are interloaned items subject to U.S. copyright laws?
Yes. Copyright details are included as part of Goucher's interlibrary loan forms.

Which items are less likely to be interloaned--but may be?
Very old or very new items. Electronic media. Microfilm reels. Requests for more than 20 photocopied pages.   Items, like dissertations, apt to be held by only a single institution or two. AND items incorrectly cited. Filling out the ILL form completely (avoiding abbreviations) and noting the source of the citation can minimize ILL delays or refusals.

Where can one learn about which ILL form to use for each type of item?
On our ILL Service home page