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Interlibrary Loans Service

Intro

If we don’t have access to materials you need for your study or research, you can request these using our Interlibrary Loans service (ILL).

you can request

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You can request:

  • Journal articles
  • Book chapters
  • Books
  • Conference proceedings
  • Theses and dissertations

Requesting material is free and there is no limit on the number of requests you can make, with the exception of theses and dissertations, which are currently limited to 3 requests each academic year.

FAQs

  • How long does it take?

    • Articles and book chapters can be supplied between 24 and 72 hours subject to availability.
    • Print books can be supplied between four days to a week subject to availability.
    • We advise that items are requested at least one week before you require them.

  • How long can I keep my ILL print book for?

    Print books may be kept for two to four weeks, depending on the supplying library.

  • Can I renew my ILL print book?

    • Renewals are not always available. Please contact us (smrill@uwl.ac.uk) well in advance of your return date if you wish to renew.
    • Loans may not be supplied again within two months of return.

  • I lost my ILL

    Please contact us (smrill@uwl.ac.uk) as soon as possible if you think you have lost an ILL item.

    In some instances, a replacement copy may be accepted. Where this is not possible, the British Library charges a fee of at least £194.80 for lost items, including a non-returnable administration charge. This charge will be passed on to the requester.

  • Information for other libraries

    We are happy to supply material to other libraries. Please email us with your request details and your British Library account number.

    Loans are made on the following conditions:

    Items are normally loaned for a 4 week period.

    • Renewals will be considered upon request but cannot be guaranteed, and all items are subject to recall.
    • During term time, we are not normally able to lend books that are on a reading list. However, all last-resort requests will be considered.
    • Theses, reference-only, and restricted loan items are not available for interlibrary lending.
    • We are happy to lend CDs, DVDs, and music scores.
    • We can supply electronic copies of material for personal study (within copyright restrictions).
    • Loans and renewals are charged at British Library rates.

    We are a member of the NULJ scheme.

Find out more