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Interlibrary Loan FAQ

ILL@UMKC Interlibrary Loan

 

What is Interlibrary Loan (ILL) and ILL@UMKC?

If the materials you need are not held by the UMKC University Libraries, the libraries will try to borrow or photocopy the material from another library through Interlibrary Loan (ILL). ILL is the borrowing and lending of materials between libraries, and ILL@UMKC is the system you use to place and manage your requests. This service is available to currently enrolled UMKC students, faculty and staff, and members of the Community Information Program. Requested items may be available in as few as three days or as many as twenty one days. Every effort is made to ensure the shortest possible receipt time.

What is Document Delivery ?

As we begin our renovation and in anticipation of moving many of our materials into the Robot (Automated Storage/Retreival System), we would like to make access to library materials as simple as possible. Document Delivery is the first new service that we will provide to accomplish this goal. For current UMKC faculty, faculty proxies, staff and members of the Community Information Program, if you need to photocopy an article or chapter from materials that are available in print in Miller Nichols Library, we can retrieve the material, scan and deliver it to your desktop. 

Requests for Document Delivery service can be placed through ILL@UMKC, just like you would place a request for Interlibrary Loan. If the materials you need are not held in print by Miller Nichols Library, the libraries will try to borrow or photocopy the material from another library through Interlibrary Loan (ILL). Document Delivery is available to current UMKC faculty, faculty proxies, staff, graduate students, and members of the Community Information Program. Items requested from Document Delivery should be available in under three business days. Every effort is made to ensure the shortest possible receipt time.

For more information about this program, please see the Document Delivery FAQs.

What are the advantages of ILL@UMKC?

  • SAVE TIME: personal information will not need to be entered with each request, and some databases will fill out the request form for you.
  • STAY IN CONTROL: edit, cancel and check the status of your requests.
  • KEEP UP TO DATE: view your current checkouts and due dates, and request renewals.

How much does ILL@UMKC cost?

  • For UMKC students, faculty and staff, interlibrary loan does not cost anything. The library absorbs any costs incurred, including those associated with borrowing, shipping and copyright.
  • Members of the Community Information Program should contact the Community Information Program Coordinator at 816-235-1528 for a list of fees associated with the service.

How do I Request Books?

Step 1: MERLIN
Search the MERLIN Library Catalog.

  • From the library's home page, choose the "Library Catalog" tab.
  • If the book you need is not available in the Miller Nichols Library, choose "All MERLIN" from the drop down menu next to the search button (where it says "UMKC") and click "Search" again.
  • If the book you need is available from another MERLIN library, you can request it.
    • Click on the blue "Request" button at the top of the page.
    • Sign in using your email username and password, then choose a pickup location. Books generally arrive within 3-5 days and can be checked out for four weeks (undergraduates) or up to sixteen weeks (graduate students, faculty and staff).
    • You will notified by e mail (to your UMKC e mail address) when the book you requested has arrived. Check on the status of your request by selecting "View Your Own Record" in the MERLIN Library Catalog.

Step 2: MOBIUS
If the book you need is not available in the MERLIN Library Catalog, then search the MOBIUS Union Catalog - a consortium of over fifty academic libraries in Missouri.

  • From the MERLIN search screen, click the blue button at the top that says "MOBIUS" to repeat your search, OR connect to the MOBIUS Union Catalog and search again.
  • Click on "Display holdings of MOBIUS Libraries" to check availability.
  • If a copy of the book you need is available, you may request it.
    • Click on the "REQUEST THIS ITEM" link in the middle of the page. Choose your cluster (UMKC is in the "MERLIN" cluster), then fill out the form with your name and identification number and choose a pickup location. Books generally arrive within seven days and can be kept for three weeks, with two renewals.
    • You will be notified by e mail (to your UMKC e mail address) when the book you requested has arrived. Check on the status of your request by selecting "View Your Own Record" in the MERLIN Library Catalog.

Step 3: Interlibrary Loan (ILL@UMKC)
If the book you want is not available from either a MERLIN or MOBIUS library, you can place a request through the Interlibrary Loan Department. We will try to borrow it from any library that owns it, in the U.S. or abroad.

  • Sign in to ILL@UMKC.
  • Please let us know if the book is held by a MERLIN or MOBIUS library, but is not available.

    • If we find a copy available through MERLIN or MOBIUS, we will try to obtain it that way.

  • Please include an OCLC, ISSN or ISBN number, if you have one.
  • Please include any special instructions.
  • Most items have a loan period of about three weeks. The lending library sets the due date.
  • Requests can also be placed through most databases(see below for more information).
  • You will be notified by e mail (to your UMKC e mail address) when the book you requested has arrived. Check on the status of your request by logging in to ILL@UMKC.
  • See below for more information on placing requests through ILL@UMKC.

What is a recall?

The lending library may recall an item from us. If you are notified that an item you have has been recalled, please return it immediately. If you are not finished with the item, place another Interlibrary Loan request and we will re-request it from another library.

Failure to return items borrowed through the UMKC Interlibrary Loan department could result in the suspension or termination of your library privileges. Please make an effort to return your items by the date due.

Linda Hall Library

If the item you need is related to science or technology, you may want to check the Linda Hall Library's online catalog (www.leonardo.lindahall.org/ipac20/ipac.jsp?profile=lhlopen#focus) for availability before placing an Interlibrary Loan request.

The Linda Hall Library (www.lindahall.org) is a private library specializing in science and technology that is located one block southwest of the Miller Nichols Library. If what you need is held by Linda Hall, we may ask that you obtain it there instead of through Interlibrary Loan.

You will need to obtain a UMKC Courtesy Card in order to check out items from the Linda Hall Library. Currently enrolled students, faculty and staff can apply for a UMKC Courtesy Card at the Miller Nichols Library Access Services Desk. You do not need a UMKC Courtesy Card to photocopy journal articles.

Copyright Guidelines

 

Please read before making requests.
 
UMKC's University Libraries' interpretations of the CCG copyright guidelines regarding the requesting of journal articles current in the last 5 years are as follows:
  • CONTU Guidelines limit photocopy requests to five articles from the last five years of one journal title (current year plus four previous years) per calendar year. This means that the University Libraries can request copies of only five newer articles from any journal title per year without paying copyright fees.
  • Beyond the allowances of the CONTU guidelines, UMKC pays copyright fees for each article received from that journal title. Fees may equal and often exceed $36 per article.
Please request judiciously and be mindful of copyright guidelines when requesting scans. For more information on copyright and intellectual property laws, try visiting the links below.

Who can use ILL@UMKC?

  • Interlibrary Loan services provided through ILL@UMKC can be used by UMKC students, faculty, staff and members of the Community Information Program only (and are for research purposes only).
  • Friends of the Library, UMKC alumni and students from other campuses may request Interlibrary Loan services at Kansas City area public libraries - see your public library for more information.

What can I request through ILL@UMKC?

  • Use Interlibrary Loan to order articles in journals not available at the Miller Nichols Library, UMKC Law Library or Linda Hall Library. We will order articles from journals at the UMKC Health Sciences Library.
  • Use Interlibrary Loan to order books not available at Miller Nichols Library, UMKC Law Library, Linda Hall Library or MERLIN or MOBIUS libraries.
  • We cannot order textbooks. Most textbooks are not available in the Miller Nichols Library or from other libraries. In addition, books ordered through Interlibrary Loan will not be available for an entire semester and are subject to recall. Do not use Interlibrary Loan to try to obtain textbooks.

How long will it take and where do I pick up my ILL@UMKC items?

  • Most articles arrive within five days and most books arrive within ten, but it may take as little as three days or as long as three weeks or longer to receive an item.
  • You will be notified by email when your item is available.
  • Books, audiovisual materials and microfilm may be picked up at the Miller Nichols Library Access Services Desk during regular library hours. Most articles will be delivered electronically. If we cannot deliver an article electronically, a paper photocopy will be sent through campus mail or held at the Access Services Desk to be picked up. Photocopies are generally yours to keep.
  • All microfilm must be used in the library and is non-circulating.

How can I get what I need as quickly as possible?

  • The fastest way to obtain your materials is to go to the library and check-out the book or copy the article you need. For example, many Intralibrary Loans occur between the Miller Nichols Library and the Health Sciences Library. Because of the distance between our campuses, we will continue to provide loaning services across town, but filling requests for local patrons from our own collection does take time away from filling requests for materials not available in the Kansas City Metro area. Therefore, if you need a material quickly, and it is available at a UMKC library, the fastest method to receive it is to physically go to the library.
  • Do not order unnecessary materials. This sounds obvious, but you would be surprised at how many faculty members and students order everything they have found on a topic and then evaluate them later. It will help everyone if you can evaluate the articles from your search and only order the pertinent items. If you would like more information about evaluating citations before ordering your documents or if you would like instruction on how to perfect your searching skills, please email or call the MNL reference desk at (816) 235-1534.
  • Check other local libraries for journal articles. Most of their catalogs are also available on-line. After determining which library has the materials you need, you can go to the library, find the journal, and copy it yourself. This is the fastest way to obtain a journal article that is not in the UMKC library collection.
  • Use a document delivery service. These services cost money, but if you absolutely need an article for a grant you're writing or a paper you're presenting, paying for document delivery may be your best bet to ensure next day service. In most document delivery services you can order on-line with a credit card and have your article faxed to you by the next day. Examples of document delivery companies include Infotrieve Online (www.infotrieve.com) and the Canada Institute for Scientific and Technical Information (CISTI) (http://cisti-icist.nrc-cnrc.gc.ca/main_e.html).

ILL Lending (for other libraries)

Request methods

  • OCLC ILL to OCLC symbol UMK
  • ALA forms by fax, mail or e mail
  • IFLA form
  • Please submit rush requests via OCLC and follow with a phone call; we will supply as staffing allows.

Lending Period
Four weeks, with 2+ week renewal upon request

Shipping
Loans: USPS library rate
Photocopies: Ariel, mail or fax (by request)

Non-Circulating Materials
Reference collection, periodicals, microfilm/microfiche, audio CDs, reserve materials, special collections. Some videos and DVDs are available for loan (determined on a case-by-case basis).

Charges
See the OCLC Policies Directory or contact us for charges. We participate in IFM.
We welcome requests for reciprocal agreements.

Affiliations
UMK is a member of:

Other Policies
Up to four volumes of multi-volume sets will be supplied per lending request; additional volumes require an additional request and are subject to additional charges.

We try to accommodate all requests for theses/dissertations.

How do I login to ILL@UMKC?

  1. Go to the ILL@UMKC login screen.
  2. Enter your UMKC Username and Password
  3. Click "Logon to ILL@UMKC."
  4. If you have not placed an interlibrary loan request recently, you will be asked to provide your personal information. You will only have to do this once. Fill out the form with your most current information, making sure to include your UMKC email address and campus address (if you have one), and click "Submit Information."

How do I request via ILL@UMKC?

If the book you want is not available from either a MERLIN or MOBIUS library, you can place a request through the Interlibrary Loan Department. We will try to borrow it from any library that owns it, in the U.S. or abroad.

  1. Sign in to ILL@UMKC.
  2. In the menu on the left side of the page, select the type of request you want to place (article, book, book chapter or dissertation/thesis).
  3. Fill out the form as completely as you can; items marked with an asterisk (*) are required.
  4. Let us know if the book is held by a MERLIN or MOBIUS library, but is not available. If we find a copy available through MERLIN or MOBIUS, we will try to obtain it that way.
  5. Include an OCLC, ISSN or ISBN number, if you have one.
  6. Include any special instructions.
  7. Read the statement of Copyright and Financial Responsibility.
  8. Click "Submit Request"

How do I request a book or article via Research Databases?

Interlibrary loan requests can also be placed directly from many of the library's research databases. ILL@UMKC access has been activated in databases from:

  • All databases that link through the Find it @ UMKC button
  • FirstSearch (which includes WorldCat, RILM and GEOBASE)
  • Ovid (which includes PsycInfo)

For all databases that link through Find it @ UMKC:

  1. Click the Find it @ UMKC button.
  2. Click on the Miller Nichols Library link near the bottom of the page.
  3. Log in to ILL@UMKC using your email username and password.
  4. Check the information in the form that opens and make any additions or corrections.
  5. Click "Submit Request."

For FirstSearch databases:

  1. Follow the link to "Miller Nichols Library"
  2. Log in to ILL@UMKC using your email username and password.
  3. Check the information in the form that opens and make any additions or corrections.
  4. Click "Submit Request."

For Ovid databases:

  1. Either follow the directions for Find it @ UMKC databases above (for faster processing of a small number of requests), or:
  2. Mark all of the records you would like to request.
  3. Follow the link to "Order" in the bottom right area of the screen.
  4. Fill out and submit the form.

Databases that do not link to Serials Solutions (including ProQuest databases) and that are not mentioned above cannot request directly through ILL@UMKC. To request articles from these databases, follow the directions above in How do I request via ILL@UMKC.

Please check the MERLIN and MOBIUS catalogs and Serials Solutions for books and articles before placing your request. Include any notes about the item or special instructions in the form. Most articles are delivered electronically.

Note: ERIC documents with an accession number beginning with "ED" are available online or on microfiche at the Miller Nichols Library. Ask at the Miller Nichols Library Reference Desk for more information.

How do I place renewals?

To request a renewal through ILL@UMKC:

  1. Log in to ILL@UMKC
  2. Click on the Transaction Number of the item you want to renew.
  3. Click on the "Renew Request" link at the top of the page to renew.

Your Interlibrary Loan item is due by the date printed on the purple band. You may request a renewal unless the item is marked "No Renewals."

  • Request a renewal through ILL@UMKC.
  • We will request a new due date from the library that lent the item to us and, if they agree to renew, contact you by e mail with the new due date.
  • If they cannot renew, we will ask you to return the item by the original due date or, if overdue, as soon as possible.
  • You may request another copy if you still need the item and your renewal request was denied.

How do I check the status of a request?

  • Log in to ILL@UMKC
  • Search for your request using the search box
  • Or, find your request in the menus listed under "View" on the left side of the ILL@UMKC screen.
  • Click on a transaction number for more detailed information.
  • See our Transaction Statuses Interpreted page for definitions of the "Status" in your request.
  • If you have any trouble or still have questions, contact the Interlibrary Loan office.

How can I be secure when using ILL@UMKC on a public computer?

Web browsers cache information and create a history file on the local workstation. This allows a subsequent user of the workstation to access the system under your name using the browser's Back button to recall a page from the cache, or by finding a page with your personal information in the browser's history file. If you are concerned about the security of your interlibrary loan requests, you can take the following steps:

  • Access ILL@UMKC only from your personal computer or an otherwise secure workstation.
  • When using a public access workstation:
    1. Delete from the history file those pages that contain your personal information.
    2. Exit from the Web browser before you leave the workstation. This prevents the Back button from accessing the pages you were using.