What is Interlibrary Loan?

If UCSC doesn't have a physical copy of the book or item you need, we can borrow it for you from another library (at no charge to you)! We can also get you PDF scans of articles or book chapters.

Who Can Make Requests?

• UCSC faculty, staff, and currently enrolled students can use this service at no charge.
• Community patrons and UC alumni are not eligible.

What Can I Request?

• Books
• Book chapters
• Journals
• Journal articles
• Microforms
• Media items such as DVDs and CDs
• Not sure if you can request something? Just ask!

What Can't I Request?

• Locally owned items that are not checked out are not eligible for interlibrary loan.
• Materials available locally on reserve are not eligible for interlibrary loan.
• We cannot borrow streaming media.
• NOTE: It is difficult to obtain physical copies of newer journals, rare books, best sellers, and new fiction.

How Do I Make a Request?

• Use UC Library Search to find the item you would like to request.
• Articles can be requested directly from UC Library Search or databases. If you see the following button on a website, you can click it to initiate a request.
• If the "Request this" link does not appear for an item you need fill in the Manual ILL request form with as much information as you can (ex: title, author, ISBN, ISSN, etc)

How Long Does it Take?

• Digital materials (articles and book chapters) generally arrive in 2-3 days
• Physical materials (mostly books) usually show up in 5-6 days
• Factors that influence how long it will take to fulfill aren't known until the process starts because it depends on the library we are borrowing from (ie. UC and CSU are fast - going to a library outside of CA might take a long time)

What if I Have a Question or Encounter a problem?

Email us! Because interlibrary loan requests are often complex, it is best to reach out to us via email at ill@ucsc.edu with any questions. You can also call us at (831) 459-2234.