INTERLIBRARY LOAN POLICIES

In support of The University of Montana's mission to provide a quality-based learning and research environment, the Maureen and Mike Mansfield Library will provide users the dynamic services essential to identifying and accessing information.  Interlibrary Loan (ILL) provides research materials not owned by the Mansfield Library. 

Circulation  and Interlibrary Loan policies, and schedules of fees and fines, are created to ensure timely access by all users to library materials. All loan policies will be available in print and on the Library’s Website. Library fines and associated fees are subject to Board of Regents’ approval. Access privilege levels and borrowing checkout times have been set in accordance with electronic resource licensing agreements, library personnel resources, and the needs of diverse types of library users with consultation from appropriate campus groups including: Faculty Senate Library Committee, ASUM, Graduate Council, Staff Senate, Human Resource Services and the Alumni Association

WHO MAY USE INTERLIBRARY LOAN

Faculty, students, staff  and life time retirees of The University of Montana must be registered users of the Mansfield Library and have a valid library account to receive interlibrary loan privileges. Users may not submit requests for private business or commercial enterprises. Failure to abide by the library's policies may result in the suspension of ILL privileges. Requests from patrons with outstanding library fines, overdue items or lost materials will not be processed. Undergraduates are encouraged to work with the Reference and Information Center personnel to identify appropriate materials that are held in the Mansfield Library's collections.

The library is not able to offer interlibrary loan service to alumni, inactive students, University retirees, community users and others not affiliated directly with The University of Montana. These users should seek ILL assistance from their local libraries.

COSTS

There is no cost to the UM ILL patron. ILL costs are paid with library funds. National studies indicate each interlibrary loan request averages $29.00, split between the borrowing and lending library.

USING ILL

Please check the Mansfield Library Catalog for materials before placing ILL requests.

You can place a HOLD on a book or media item or government document, etc. in the Library catalog regardless of whether it is checked out, sitting on the shelf in the Mansfield Library, or at one of our partner libraries. Simply search the library catalog, choose an item from the result list, and on the next screen you will see an option on the right side to click HOLD. Follow the instructions, e.g. choosing your campus from the drop down menu for Pick Up At field, and you will be notified via e-mail when it is available for pick up at the Mansfield Library Information Center counter. If the material is on the shelf and coming from one of our partner libraries, it will be delivered via U.S. Postal Service and Campus mail and typically takes 1 and 3 days to become available. If you have a campus address and wish to have the item delivered, instead of picking it up, reply to our email or telephone notification message, ask for delivery of the item, and supply your address. When you are finished with the item or when it is due, return it to the library in person or via campus mail.

UM Faculty, staff and students have Document Delivery privileges.

ILL requests are submitted online with the ILL Request Form.

There are different types of interlibrary loans: loans that are borrowed from other libraries and must be returned and electronic material that is not returned.

Borrowed material must be picked up at and returned to the Mansfield Library. A photo ID must be presented to pick up ILL material.

Failure to retrieve requested ILL material may result in suspension of ILL privileges.

Conditions of use and loan periods for borrowed material are set by the lending library and have different loan periods. Renewals may be requested prior to the due date. Renewal approvals are given by the lending library. It is the user's responsibility to check their ILLiad account for renewal confirmation/rejection. Mansfield Library will forward any fines assessed by the lending library to the UM patron.

Material requested through ILL is not borrowed for an entire semester and rarely, if ever, are textbooks loaned.  If material is needed for an extended period of time for research purposes, it is recommended that the Liaison Librarian be contacted to assist with this need.

Generally, borrowed materials are available for 2 weeks of use. Every library user can see an up to date list of ILL items borrowed and the due dates by checking their accounts in ILLiad. The Mansfield Library sends a series of notices to users about checked out and overdue items. Time intervals for notices are listed below and are based on typical library hours during the academic year; when the library is closed notices may be delayed accordingly.

A Courtesy Notice is sent via email 4 days before an item is due.

An Overdue Notice is sent via email 1 day after the item’s due date. Subsequent Overdue Notices are sent via e-mail two more times at 7 day intervals (i.e. on the 8th day overdue and on the 15th day overdue).

A Lost Notice is sent once.

Reproduced materials are generally received electronically from the lending library. The Mansfield Library's ILLiad software allows for easy electronic access to the material.

Articles received electronically are available to the patron 24/7 for 30 days from date of receipt. They can be viewed, printed, pasted into documents, saved to disk or downloaded to a personal computer.

TIMEFACTORS

Although turnaround times can vary considerably depending upon the type of request, the accuracy of the citation and the time of year, the following guidelines for delivery times can be used when planning research:

• Electronically delivered articles
  1-4 days
• Books and media borrowed from within Montana
  7 days
• Books and media borrowed outside of Montana
  7-14 days

During peak times of the semester more time is needed. Requestors should note their time constraints on the ILL form under NOT WANTED AFTER DATE.

Requests are processed 5 per patron per day in the order they are received. Therefore, patrons are expected to prioritize their requests and recognize that they will be processed as time permits.  It is also important to note that multiple items requested at the same time often arrive at the same time with the same due date.  Please plan for that when placing requests.

ILL CONTACT

Phone: 406 243-6736
E-mail: library.ill@umontana.edu