Interlibrary Loan Material Use Policies

These policies relate primarily to borrowing, returning, and requesting materials borrowed on your behalf by the Interlibrary Loan service. Items requested via Interlibrary Loan that are owned by UC Davis will be converted to campus Document Delivery service requests and filled from existing library holdings. Limited information regarding billing, library accounts and library material use is included; for more information on those topics, please refer to those web and policies pages.

Eligibility for Interlibrary Loan Services

All requesters must possess a valid UC Davis library card in good standing to borrow materials via Interlibrary Loan.

Eligibility to borrow materials via Interlibrary Loan is limited to:

• Current UC Davis faculty, staff, students
• Retired and emeritus UC Davis faculty and staff
• Spouses and children of current, retired, and emeritus UC Davis faculty and staff

Other users may borrow UC Davis-owned materials stored at the Northern Regional Library Facility via Interlibrary Loan; requesters must contact Interlibrary Loans staff directly to place requests.

Restrictions to Interlibrary Loan Services

Some items may not be requested via Interlibrary Loan:

• Materials owned in any format by UC Davis libraries, unless checked-out, missing or lost; material checked out at UC Davis may be requested from other UC libraries only
  • Requests for copies from the UC Davis Library microform collection may be requested and will be filled by campus Document Delivery service
  • Requests for copies from the UC Davis Library Archives and Special Collections must be requested via the fee-based Archives and Special Collections Duplication Services
• Textbooks required by current course syllabi
• Materials currently in the library Reserves collections
• Recreational materials not related to University research or teaching

Interlibrary Loan Request Processing

• Most requests are processed within 24 hours of receipt, excluding holidays; requests from the UC Davis microfilm collections may require additional processing time
• Requests are limited to five requests per person per day; requests submitted in excess of five per day will be processed as time allows. Requesters will be notified of delays
• Every attempt will be made to fill all orders, but delivery cannot be guaranteed since materials are occasionally in use, missing, in closed collections, etc.
• Users requiring expedited handling of their Interlibrary Loan request(s) must:
  • Mark “RUSH” in the Notes field. Most regular rush requests are filled within 24 hours
  • Mark “PATIENT CARE EMERGENCY” in the Notes field if the rush is necessitated by a medical or veterinary emergency. Most patient-care rush requests are filled within a few hours
  • Notify Interlibrary Loan staff when placing a RUSH request (530-752-6379)

Interlibrary Loan Request Fulfillment

• Most requests for articles and chapters will be filled by an electronic or digital copy sent to the requester’s email address
• In cases when an acceptable electronic or digital copy is unavailable, the physical item will be sent for the requester to pick-up and review
• Physical materials may be picked up at Shields Library or shipped to a home address

Borrowing and Renewing Interlibrary Loan Materials

• Loan periods are set by the owning institution
• Special restrictions may be placed by the owning institution, such as “library use only” or “no renewals”
• Users should submit renewal requests at least one week prior to the due date to allow sufficient time for a response from the owning library

Recalled Interlibrary Loan Materials

• Interlibrary Loan materials that are on loan may be recalled at any time and must be returned immediately. Borrowers who will be away from their mailing address for a week or more are advised to return library materials or make arrangements to ensure the prompt return of recalled materials
• Recalled materials must be returned by the recall due date, which is no more than one (1) week from the date of the recall, regardless of the original due date
• Borrowers who fail to return recalled materials on time will be fined $5/day past due and have their library privileges suspended until the material is returned or the replacement bill is paid

Returning Interlibrary Loan Materials

• Materials are not considered returned until received and checked in at the library
• Interlibrary Loan materials must be returned at the Circulation Desk from which they were borrowed or to a book drop attached to that library location; these materials should not be returned to a remote book drop
• When returning library materials by mail, packages should be insured and sent by a mailing service that provides tracking (e.g., Ups, FedEx); the Library does not assume any risk for material returned at a remote drop box, by mail, or to another UC campus
• Interlibrary Loan materials that are on loan may be recalled at any time and must be returned immediately. Borrowers who will be away from their mailing address for a week or more are advised to return library materials or make arrangements to ensure the prompt return of recalled materials

Damaged and Lost Interlibrary Loan Materials

• Items that are returned damaged are subject to billing
• Items that are lost or returned late are subject to billing
• The owning library may assess charges in excess of those typically assessed by UC Davis; supplemental bills will be issued as needed