LibGuides: Library Information: Interlibrary Loan (ILL)

What is ILL?

The interlibrary loan service allows West Coast University students, faculty, and staff to borrow materials not available at WCU libraries from other libraries.

Requesting ILL

WCU ILL Request Form
After searching for a reference in our databases:
1. Fill out the WCU Library ILL Request Form
2. Send the form to your campus Librarian or to emailAskWCULibrary@westcoastuniversity.edu
3. A staff member will contact you once the item is received by us

Requesting ILL Through WCU Catalog

ILL FAQ

How can I request an ILL?

Once you have exhausted your search for the Full Text of your article through the WCU libraries' databases, you can fill out an ILL Request form (linked on this page) and give it to a library staff member or email it to us to process the request. In the near future, you will have the ability to request an ILL from a designated ILL webpage.

Who can use the ILL service?

Any student, faculty, or staff member of West Coast University can use this service.

How much does it cost?

We do not have a charging fee. Most of our affiliates do not have a charging fee. There can be an incident when only an affiliate library (with fees) can obtain your requested item. In this case, we search the institutions that carry your article in their collection and we inform you of their fees and you can then decide to complete the request.

How long does my item take to obtain?

This service is not recommended for last minute retrieval. Generally you can obtain an online journal article between one to ten days. Physical materials may roughly take between one to three weeks. We also have to depend on the institution's staff to reply back within a five day timeframe.

Where do I pick up my ILL material?

If it is an online journal article, we use a service called Article Exchange that will enable the lending institution to directly email your article to you. The library that processes your request will receive the physical item via mail and we will contact you for pick up.

How long can I keep an item I received through ILL?

It varies among institutions. For general policies, you can obtain an item between two to four weeks. Some institutions will allow you to renew your request for an additional two to four weeks.

WCU General Loan Policy

Loan Item Max: 2

Loan Period: 2 weeks

No renewal max or renewal period

Currency: US Dollar

Charges may vary