Interlibrary Loan: Interlibrary Loan

• UAF students, staff, faculty, and emeriti, are eligible for Interlibrary Loan (ILL).
• Local, dues-paying UAF Alumni Association members are eligible for Interlibrary Loan.
• Fairbanks North Star Borough Library patrons are not eligible for ILL through UAF but are encouraged to use the Fairbanks North Star Borough (FNSB) Library's ILL service.
• To use the UAF ILL service, you must have a valid PolarExpress card, be in good standing, have no overdue items, fines, or other blocks.
• Distance patrons must have a valid library account in good standing, have no overdue items, fines, or other blocks.

• UAF students, faculty, and staff, are not limited to a number of items they may request. The ILL department makes every effort to process requests as quickly as possible on a first come first serve basis but, we may process large batches of requests in smaller amounts over several days if necessary during busy times.
• UAF local dues paying alumni are limited to 12 requests per calendar year.

Patrons may request the same item a maximum number of 3 times. If you find that you need an item multiple times, please make arrangements to duplicate the portions you need for your research use, or make a suggestion to the Collection Development librarian that the item be purchased for the library's collection.

• Physical items held at the UAF libraries or other Alaska Library Catalog items can be placed on hold for pickup at any Alaska Library Catalog.
• You can use Interlibrary Loan to request materials held at UAF libraries or ALC libraries if you are a distance patron, the item is checked out or missing, or any other reason.
• Items needed by an entire class or study group should be put on library reserve by the instructor, rather than borrowing multiple copies through Interlibrary Loan.
• Interlibrary Loan can be used to request scans of book chapters or articles held at the Rasmuson Library, BioSci Storage, or Mather Library.

We attempt to obtain materials free of charge whenever possible, including going to lenders other than those the requesting person may expect. We will absorb most fees associated with transactions, but in cases where fees are excessive, we may have to ask you to pay. We will always contact you first if this is the case.

• Interlibrary Loan items are different from other library books because they do not belong to us.
• The library that sent the item has complete authority over the due date and restrictions on use. If a library restricts renewals the label on the front of your item will say “NO RENEWALS.” Libraries may also restrict use of the item to “Library Use Only,” these items are only available to be used within the library. If you need the item multiple times, it can be returned to the circulation desk & held for you on the ILL shelf up to the due date on the label.
• You are responsible for keeping your contact information up to date. Distance patrons should update their mailing address as soon as possible if it changes.
• It is your responsibility to return your loans by the due date, or to request renewal through us before the item is due. Failure to return interlibrary loan items often results in our library being denied making further requests from the same library.
• If you know you will be needing something beyond the due date listed on your online account (or label on the front cover of your item), please request a renewal when you are notified via email regarding the item coming due date.

• We send notices via email, so use an email address that you check regularly (does not need to be your UA email address.) You can update your email address at any time through your ILLiad account.
• We send automated emails when your item is available, when it is coming due, & when it is overdue.
• Email for items coming due will include a reminder to request a renewal if you need the item longer. The first reminder email will be sent 4 days before the item is due. Please submit renewal requests as soon as possible to give us time to contact the owning library.
• Emails with “REPLY REQUIRED” in the subject line require a response for us to continue processing your request. If you do not reply within 1 week, we will cancel your request.

• The lending library may at any time issue a recall for an item that has been loaned to us.
• We will contact you and ask you to return the item immediately.
• Please honor any recall we place and return the item as soon as possible. We can try to obtain the same item from another library if necessary.

• Items which have not been picked up by the borrower will be returned to the lending library on the date that they are due.
• Please pick up your ILLs as soon as possible so that you will have the maximum amount of time to use them.
• Note that not all items may be renewed.
• If you no longer need an item, please notify us and we will return it for you.

Please take extra special care of your ILL items. If they are damaged or lost while you have them, you are responsible for all replacement costs and associated fees as determined by the lending library.

• Failure to return your ILL item on time will result in your being blocked from all library privileges until the item is returned.
• Continued failure to return an ILL item will result in you being invoiced for a lost item at $60 per item or the replacement cost charged by the lending library, whichever is greater.
• If you are invoiced, you will also be blocked from placing interlibrary loan requests for 60 days from the date the item is returned.
• Unpaid invoices are turned over to the University business office for collection and will result in a financial block on your UAF records.

ILL can be used to request textbooks, but we do not recommend using ILL for your textbooks as we cannot guarantee you will get the book in time and be able to keep it for the entire semester.

Theses and dissertations may be requested through ILL. If we are unable to find a library that can loan us a particular thesis or dissertation, these titles may be purchased on a case by case basis for patrons via services such as ProQuest Dissertation Express. In most cases, ILL will absorb all fees associated with thesis and dissertation purchases, with no cost on your part. However, in cases where fees are exorbitant, we may request payment. You will always be contacted first under these circumstances.

• It is often difficult to borrow standards from other libraries. Rasmuson Library can order standards for students, faculty, or staff for the library’s collection. However, we have a limited budget for print standards.
• Students, faculty, and staff are limited to ordering a maximum total purchase price of $500 per academic year, per person. The student, faculty, or staff member understands that submission of a request does not guarantee purchase.
• Rasmuson Library subscribes to the ASTM database, which provides PDF files of current ASTM standards.

• All domestic and international libraries, including university, college, public, private, corporate, school, and village libraries may borrow from us using ILL.
• Interlibrary loan is a transaction between institutions, not individuals.
• Persons who locate items they wish to borrow from us, will need to contact their local library and request the items through the interlibrary loan office there.

• In accordance with ALA guidelines, the borrowing library is responsible for the item from the time it leaves our library until it has been returned and checked back in, including loss and damage.
• We make every effort to package our items securely and to send by a fast, reliable method.
• The borrowing library is also responsible for following any restrictions we may place on an item.

We will accept ILL requests from other libraries, corporations, and institutions via OCLC and from our online request form.

• In addition to regular books, we lend government documents and microfiche, maps, videos, films, music CDs, and theses and dissertations. Although we generally lend most items from the Alaska Collection, we reserve the right not to send items if their condition, rarity, or value are of concern.
• While we try to fill every request possible, we do not lend periodicals, newspaper microfilm, reference material, rare books, or archival material.
• Libraries wishing to borrow microfilm reels of Alaska newspapers are encouraged to contact the Alaska State Library.

Rasmuson Library checks out all items for 60 days (USA) and 90 days (International). Please use the following loan periods for your patrons.

• Books / Thesis /Fiche -- 4 weeks from date received.
• Video / Film / CDs -- 1 week from date received.

• We prefer to ship all copies via Odyssey or ArticleExchange, and do not charge extra for either service.
• We use USPS Priority Rate. We can send FedEx or UPS if the borrower provides account information.
• We ask that libraries return items via Priority Rate if possible, (Library Rate to and from Alaska takes approximately 4-8 weeks).
• We suggest using Delivery Confirmation or tracked delivery if you are concerned about materials getting lost.

• We do not charge the following libraries for ILL-Services: Alaska libraries and members of, LVIS, BCR, AM/BCR, formal reciprocal agreements, and all other libraries who do not charge us per their stated policy.
• We prefer OCLC IFM for all charges.
• We welcome reciprocal agreements. Please contact our lending technician if you have any questions, email uaf-lend@alaska.edu

• We charge repair costs for items that cannot be repaired in-house. The amount is determined on a case-by-case basis.
• Items which are at "Returned" status in OCLC will be given at least two months to appear before we issue an invoice for lost items.
• Our item replacement fee is a minimum of $95.
• We will try to contact the borrower to see if there are special circumstances before we send an invoice.
• Please do not send a replacement check until we send you a numbered university invoice.