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Interlibrary Borrowing

Departmental Contact Information

126 C-D Middleton Library, LSU, Baton Rouge, LA 70803
Phone: (225) 578-2138 Fax: (225) 578-6992 Email: libilb@lsu.edu
Office Hours: 7:30 a.m. - 5:00 p.m. Monday - Friday
Odyssey: 216.54.119.188 OCLC code: LUU
Network Affiliations: ARL, ASERL, SOLINE, LALINC

Eligibility

1. ILB supports the research of current LSU faculty, staff, and registered graduate and undergraduate students only.
2. Interlibrary Borrowing privileges are not extended to any other classes of library patrons. These patrons should seek assistance from their local public library.
3. Faculty and students affiliated with the LSU Law School and the LSU School of Veterinary Medicine should request interlibrary loan service from their school library.

Scope of Materials That Can Be Ordered

1. Materials such as books, technical reports, positive microforms, government documents, etc.
2. Theses/dissertations. Some universities provide free online access to their theses and dissertations.
3. Articles from journals; generally, entire issues of journals cannot be loaned.
4. Materials owned by the LSU Libraries may not be ordered, unless there are special circumstances (item is missing from the library; journal issue is at the bindery; item is checked out). Before ordering, please make sure the item is not already in the LSU Libraries. Access the Catalog here.

Number of Requests

1. There is no limit to the total number of items that an individual can request through ILB, as long as this option is not abused and requests abide by the U.S. Copyright Laws. However, we ask patrons to space out requests and submit a maximum of eight a day to enable the staff to process them expeditiously.
2. The Library may only order five articles per year from a single journal for ALL users. Any additional copies from the same title are purchased from commercial document supply services, which charge processing and copyright fees. The LSU Libraries will subsidize up to $50.00; patrons are responsible for paying any overage.
3. Any researcher who needs to make extensive use of LSU Libraries Interlibrary Borrowing Service should meet with the ILB supervisor to establish ordering priority and to discuss any problems or stipulations.
4. Rush requests are accepted, but fees may be involved; patrons are expected to pay these fees if the lending library imposes them.

Borrowing Fees

We have requested an exemption from the LSU spending freeze so we can continue to borrow items for which there is a charge. In the meantime, however, we may not be able to obtain some items free and will have to cancel some requests.

1. In most cases, fees are not charged; the LSU Libraries has reciprocal agreements with other libraries for ILL purposes. In the case that the lender is not in our reciprocal agreement, fees are charged.
2. Every effort is made to acquire the material at no charge.
3. Heavy use of this service may require the patron and the library to share responsibilities for fees. Sometimes, arrangements need to be made when the cost is sizeable.
4. The patron is responsible for the following fees:
• The portion of a borrowing/copyright fee for a single request that exceeds $50;
• Rush order fees (express delivery, UPS);
• Fees resulting from the late return, loss, or mutilation of materials by the patron.

Overdue Items

Frequent overdue items could jeopardize our borrowing privileges with lending libraries.  When time allows, we will send patrons an email reminder of items that are due within the week. 

When an item becomes overdue, the patron will receive two overdue notices.  If the borrowed title is still not returned following the second overdue notice, the patron's library access will be barred. If the ILB office receives a bill for the overdue item from the lending library, the patron will be responsible for paying a $30.00 non-refundable LSU Libraries service fee regardless of whether or not the item is returned. If the item is lost or otherwise not returned, the patron will be responsible for the $30.00 service fee, the cost of the item and any other lender fees.

Renewals

Requests for renewals need to be made within 10 days of the due date.

Initiating Requests

1. Please consult the LSU Libraries Online Catalog before initiating requests.
2. Interlibrary Borrowing requests are to be submitted electronically using the Illiad Web Request Form
3. Ingenta requests can be initiated here.
4. Please make an effort to include a full citation. Please do not abbreviate, as this may delay your request from being processed. WorldCat is useful for finding citations.

Photocopies

1. The LSU Libraries will subsidize orders up to $50. Patrons will be asked to assume fees if their order exceeds the $50 limit.
2. Usually, libraries will not lend an entire journal issue, but the will photocopy articles within the limits of the Copyright Law (Title 17, U.S. Code). One of the conditions of the law is that the copy cannot be "used for any purpose other than private study, scholarship, or research." Please keep this in mind when ordering photocopies.
3. Copyright Law states that no more than five copies of articles from the same journal title are to be requested within a calendar year.
4. Copies may arrive within 24 hours to two weeks. When the article arrives, patrons are notified by email.
5. Once the patron is notified, the photocopy will either be placed outside of the ILB Office, mailed to the patron, or delivered to the patron's ILLiad account in PDF format, depending on how it was received from the lender.
6. Unless otherwise stated, articles do not have to be returned. They are intended for the patron to keep.

Loans

1. As with photocopies, patrons will be notified when loans arrive.
2. Once the patron is notified, s/he must pick up the item in the ILB office. An LSU ID is required. If the office is closed, items can be picked up at the Circulation Desk.
3. Patrons can authorize someone else to pick up a loan for them by listing the person's name in the Personal Information section of their ILLiad form. Authorized representatives must present an ID.
4. Patrons must abide by the conditions printed on the band, including due date.
5. Items must be returned to the ILB office or book drop in Room 126. Please do not return materials in the book drop in the main lobby.

Limitations
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Limitations on Types of Materials (these types usually are not available through Interlibrary Borrowing)

1. Materials owned by the LSU Libraries;
2. Textbooks for use in LSU courses;
3. Single issues or volumes of serials or journals (a select number of photocopies may be substituted);
4. New, in-print books; most of the time, the Library cannot obtain new release books. (Contact your Library Liaison for your academic department or place a Material Request for possible purchase by the Library);
5. Rare, manuscript, or fragile materials;
6. Reference materials;
7. Genealogical and related materials;
8. Books placed on Reserve or for group use;
9. E-Books.
10. Doctoral dissertations are not always guaranteed. Interlibrary Borrowing will attempt to obtain the material. University libraries vary in lending policies and most are available from University Microfilms Inc. or Proquest. Some are available for free on the Internet.

Time Considerations

Planning ahead is essential to ensure receipt of materials when needed. Your contact information in ILLiad is not currently linked to your PAWS account. Be sure the information in ILLiad is up to date, especially your LSU email address.

Books and other Returnables

1. A minimum of two to three weeks should be allowed to fill ILB requests. This assumes that a library can be located immediately and will fill the request promptly.
2. Interlibrary borrowing requests are sent through electronic networks. The materials are usually sent via Library Rate/U.S. Mail.

Serials/Journals and other Photocopies/Non-Returnables

1. Journal articles may arrive within 24 hours to two or three week's time depending on the mode of delivery and provider.
2. Because all articles are not available from commercial providers, requestors should plan ahead when ordering in the event that titles are not available from a supplier.
3. Multiple requests should be spaced out over a period of time according to priority.

Cancellations

1. Please notify the ILB staff immediately if the material is no longer needed or if you feel you will not be able to use it when the material arrives.
2. If for some reason your request was cancelled by the ILB staff, please contact the ILB Office if you need further clarification, or if you have questions.

Electronic Delivery
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Many libraries send requested articles electronically in PDF format, so they can be delivered to the patron's ILLiad account. You will be notified if your article is available in electronic format. When your material arrives, you will receive an email with specific instructions. Articles are available through the ILLiad account for 30 days before they are removed.

• Articles are to be used for scholarly use only. Please print one copy of the article and delete the file from your account once you have accessed it.
• To access articles electronically, please log into your Illiad account and select the "View/Download Electronically Received Articles" button.
• If you have any problems, questions, or concerns, please contact the Interlibrary Borrowing Office at 225-578-2138.

Frequently Asked Questions
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Can Undergraduates use Interlibrary Borrowing?

Yes. The service is available to undergraduates, but please be aware that materials may take a week or more to arrive due to dependence on other libraries and delivery systems. ILB is best used to obtain materials well in advance of assignments' due dates. Unless an exact source is needed, similar or the same information is usually available within the LSU Libraries. Please check the online catalog before requesting material. If you need assistance, please check here.

Do I include my citation?

Yes. In order to request an item from another University you must provide verification through a bibliographic resouce or index that can be cited. These indexes and databases can be accessed through the LSU Library Home Page for verification purposes if you don't have the original source of a reference. Also, please do not abbreviate. You must include the full title.

What is Copyright? And how does it affect my request?

Copyright is that protection afforded to the writer or publisher to exclusive rights to reproduce, publish, and sell the material. Interlibrary Borrowing must comply with Copyright Laws when requesting a photocopy from a University or Document Delivery Service. There is often a charge for these requests. LSU Libraries subsidizes $50 of this fee; should the charge exceed $50, you will be asked to pay the difference before the request is processed.

Materials obtained through Interlibrary Borrowing are for the exclusive use of the individual requesting the items. These materials become the borrower's responsibility from the time of receipt until the material is returned to the Interlibrary Borrowing Office. The patron is responsible for any infringement upon the U.S Copyright Law regarding materials on loan from other libraries. The abuse of ILB policies may result in the loss of borrowing privileges.

Can I order items that cost more than $50.00?

LSU Libraries will pay up to $50 for materials or articles ordered through ILLiad or Ingenta; should the charge exceed $50, patrons will be asked to pay the difference before the request is processed. Charges can be paid with cash, personal credit card, Tiger card, or charged to a departmental account. Check with the ILB staff for payment procedures.

Where do I pick up my material?

You may either request that your articles be mailed to your address (a campus address is preferred), or you may pick them up outside of the Interlibrary Borrowing Office, Room 126. Books must be picked up at this location. Because the books are borrowed from other libraries, the Interlibrary Borrowing Department will NOT send books through the mail to our patrons. When the department is closed, books can be picked up at the Circulation Desk.

How do I know my material has arrived?

Patrons will be notified via email when their material has arrived. Emails are automatically sent once the material is checked in from the lending library.

I forgot my username/password. What can I do?

Contact the Interlibrary Borrowing office at 578-2138 or libilb@lsu.edu. We can tell you your username or reset your password.

What is Ingenta?

The IngentaConnectComplete Library Gateway is a searchable database of more than 19 million citations from over 29,000 journals. The Gateway is a powerful, easy to use service offered by LSU Libraries as a means of expanding your access to current, scholarly research, including subsidizing the document delivery of articles less than $50.

Ingenta
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Overview

Please review Ingenta's revised policy first.

Ingenta allows patrons to order articles from periodicals not owned by LSU. Faculty, research staff, and graduate students are allowed to use this service for research or instructional use. These orders are subsidized up to $50 by the library. Instructions for accessing Ingenta may be found here. Also, please begin by searching the Online Catalog to confirm that your journals are not available in the LSU Libraries.

Troubleshooting

1. If asked for a credit card number, please email libilb@lsu.edu and ask if you can be connected to the LSU Patron's Deposit Account. Please note that if the LSU Libraries owns ANY years from a particular journal, the order will be blocked.
2. If your article has not arrived within three business days, please check to make sure your items are set up to arrive through the correct fax number. For the items to be sent to the ILB Office, you must set the fax number to 225-578-6992.