ILL

Today we step into the world of Interlibrary Loan--

a world of broadening horizons and Joe Cataio.

Whether you are familiar with this wonderful aspect of Crowell Library or not--today you shall learn! For Interlibrary Loan (ILL) is potentially my favorite feature of the library. 

Interlibrary Loan allows you to use books even if our library doesn't own them! Interlibrary Loan is made up of a network of libraries essentially sharing books like one big happy family. Constantly Crowell Library is requesting certain books for professors and students from other libraries and these friendly libraries are loaning out the requested item for a period of time. This network of sharing works both ways! So Crowell Library makes requests on behalf of students/professors and other libraries makes requests to Crowell Library on behalf of their patrons! Personally I have five ILL books right now--all of them from Loyola and DePaul. Along with Loyola and DePaul--the University of Chicago, the Chicago Public Library, the University of Illinois, and Trinity are the mains schools we receive our requested ILL books from. 

I know what you're thinking "This splendid educational opportunity--it must be complicated!"--although the name "Interlibrary loan" sounds like a daunting task (a request to make to the unkown gods)--believe me! Joe is so helpful, and requesting is so simple! 

First you go to http://library.moody.edu (per usual) 

Then click on the ILL link (the one that has a big red circle around it in the image below!)

After that you click whether your request is a Book/Essay in a Book or a Periodical. The actual request form is featured below (for a Book/Essay in a Book). The red asterisks mean FILL ME OUT PLEASE. But if you do not have the information--such as the ISBN #--leave that blank, but please! Please! AT LEAST! Type your name, email address, the title of the book + author. And if a specific edition is needed, type that out too! Otherwise it's hard to fulfill your book(ly) desires.

Automatically the request form states that you won't accept charges for the requested book--

YES, THAT MEANS INTERLIBRARY LOAN IS FREE! And then you click submit! Joe will receive your request and email you back. Essentially Joe does all the work for you! You make the request and he goes on a hunt to see what library has the book and would like to share! Sometimes books can arrive literally within days--especially when working within the local network of ILL libraries. But for scarce books, sometimes out of state ILL libraries are needed and therefore time is also needed to process/receive the requested book.

If you're lucky (apologies for my pagan lingo) when you request a book--your request can even lead to a purchase! If the book is relevant and seen as a necessity for our collection Joe will then approve and purchase your request! And no, this is not a "once in a life time" opportunity! I have had two ILL requests purchased for Crowell Library this semester--and believe me! They are GOOD BOOKS--You can't go wrong with Ellen Davis and Caspar David Friedrich.

So don't be shy! And don't miss out on this educational opportunity! Stay on top of your library game and if our collection doesn't contain what you need, request it via Inter Library Loan!