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Frequently Asked Questions

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What is ILL?

ILL stands for Interlibrary Loan. Interlibrary Loan is a formalized process of requesting and shipping/electronically transmitting requested materials between libraries for items the other library does not own, or may need an extra copy of.

What is Document Delivery?

Document delivery is the process of providing library patrons with requested materials. This term can include Interlibrary Loan, but is not exclusive to it. Document Delivery can include putting library-owned items on hold, scanning materials in-house from print sources, sending items via Campus Delivery and purchasing materials for individual use.

How do I submit a request?

You have different options depending on where you are searching for citations and information. Using the "Owned by Upstate?" Links on the web and in databases will bring out into the library's discovery platform, Primo. From here, you can click a "Get it from Interlibrary Loan" link to automatically populate a request form.

To manually fill out a request form, log into ILLiad. Your first time entering ILLiad, you will be asked to register. After registration, click the menu for New Request. Navigate to the request form that is most appropriate:

  • Article
  • Book or Media
  • Book Chapter

Fill out the form as completely as possible. The completeness of the citation will impact the amount of time to process your request. When finished, click the blue "Submit Request" button at the bottom of the page.

When will my item arrive?

The turn around time for any request is dependent upon the lending library. The average turn around time for articles is 24 hours; the average turn around time for loans (books, CDs, DVDs) is 5-7 business days. Please note that the library does not receive shipments over the weekend.

Variables that can impact these turnaround timeframes are:

  • The completeness of the citation submitted. Citations that are submitted without information, or with information in incorrect fields will not be retrieved as quickly as properly formatted, complete citations.
  • The rarity of the item being requested
  • The popularity of the item being requested (items that are popular and being used in classrooms are often on reserve at other libraries, and therefore not available for Interlibrary Loan)
  • Holidays
  • The age of a requested article. Items that are older and are not available electronically need to be found on shelf by the lending library, and manually scanned. This process impacts the turnaround time.

Can I renew my book/DVD/CD?

You can request a renewal for an Interlibrary Loan item, but the approval of the request depends on the lending library. Interlibrary Loan requests are usually only renewable once. You can request a renewal via your online library account. To renew, navigate to the "Loans" section of your library account, and click the renewal option next to your loan. Alternately, you can call 315-464-5116 or email request@upstate.edu to request a renewal.

How will I know when my item arrives?

You will receive an email from us asking you to come to the main desk at the library, or you will receive an email stating that your requested item is on its way to you via our pink bag Campus Delivery.

Where do I return my book?

Bring your book back to the main desk of the library in Weiskotten Hall. If you use the Campus Delivery Service, put the book back into the pink bag. Remove the label from the pink bag, and place in the intercampus mail service.

How do I download my article?

If you need extended access to an article (beyond 60 days), it’s important to download a copy of the article to your local computer for storage. 60 days after we receive an article you’ve requested, it will be purged from our server.

There are two ways to download your article. The first is from the link that is emailed to you. Click the link, which will open a PDF in your default browser. Download the PDF from the browser, and save to your local machine.

Another way to download your article is to log into ILLiad. In the menu, select View, then in the drop down menu that appears, select Articles Ready to Download. Click the link to View the PDF of the article you wish to download—this will open a PDF in the browser. Download a copy of the PDF to your local machine.

How long can I keep my book?

The length of a loan is entirely up to the lending library. While some libraries are very generous with the loan periods they provide via interlibrary loan, this is not always the case. The range of possibility is usually between 2 weeks to 16 weeks. If you need continued access to a resource, contact request@upstate.edu or 315-464-5116 and the Interlibrary Loan/Document Delivery office will work to get you a renewal, another item from a different library, or find another solution.

Can I order a textbook?

Ordering textbooks via Interlibrary Loan is not advisable. We cannot guarantee when the request will arrive, or if the loan will arrive at all. These items are in high demand, and usually purchased by other libraries for use by their students; it is highly likely that textbooks will be on reserve at other libraries (meaning not lendable via Interlibrary Loan).

Can I request an eBook?

Unfortunately, licensing restrictions from publishers usually prevents the sharing of eBooks between libraries. There are a few eBooks that may be available via Interlibrary Loan. We will attempt the request for you, but the loan of eBooks is unlikely.

How can I request an article’s supplemental material?

To request supplemental material, please add the comment “Supplemental material needed for this article” in the Notes section of the ILLiad article request form. Interlibrary Loan systems are designed to deliver one article only per request, so the supplemental material will be delivered separately from the article in another email.

How do I update my user information in ILLiad?

Please send any changes to request@upstate.edu to be updated.

Does ILL cost anything?

Interlibrary Loan services are free to all eligible users at Upstate, but the service does frequently incur costs— paid by the library— to obtain material. The library reserves the right to cancel any ILL request due to the expense it would generate. The cancellation determination could be made in relation to the amount charged, vendor payment system concerns, the item’s academic value, or the requesting user’s status. This is not an exhaustive list, but a list to illustrate the wide-ranging situations under which a request is canceled because it is deemed too expensive for the library to pursue.
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