Interlibrary Loan Mission
To facilitate research for Portland State University faculty, staff and students by supporting educational and curricular needs.What is ILLiad?
ILLiad is the web-based system used to request an item through PSU Interlibrary Loan & Distance Education Library Services. ILLiad is an acronym for InterLibrary Loan internet accessible database.
Current PSU students, faculty and staff members, as well as emeriti, are eligible for Interlibrary Loan services. Those not currently affiliated with PSU should seek to access ILL services through their local public libraries. Patrons with fines in excess of $50 will not be allowed to use Interlibrary Loan & Distance Education Library Services. Students pursuing graduate degrees but not currently registered will receive ILL privileges; those living more than 30 miles from campus will also be eligible for document delivery services from our collection. A letter from the department will be required to confirm that a degree is being pursued and indicating an intended graduation date.
Who is eligible for Distance Education Library Services?
Faculty and staff who support Distance Education services and students registered in a Distance Education program, living more than 30 miles from campus and taking an online, partially online or televised course should identify themselves when setting up an ILLiad account with the "Distance Ed." status and also elect "Mail to Address" as the loan delivery method. ILL will provide electronic access to journal articles and use First Class U.S. Mail to send books from PSU collections and other library collections. Patrons are responsible for returning materials to PSU ILL by their due dates. Patrons with fines in excess of $50 will not be allowed to use Interlibrary Loan & Distance Education Library Services. Students pursuing graduate degrees but not currently registered will receive ILL privileges; those living more than 30 miles from campus will also be eligible for document delivery services from our collection. A letter from the department will be required to confirm that a degree is being pursued and indicating an intended graduation date.
What does Interlibrary Loan cost?
PSU Library always tries to borrow from libraries that lend free of charge. However, if the item cannot be obtained free of charge, PSU Library will subsidize up to $20 for each interlibrary loan request. (The average cost to borrow an item through Interlibrary Loan is $17.50.) If the cost to borrow an item exceeds $20, the request will not be processed until the patron agrees to pay the excess.
Patrons may incur other charges if any are assessed by the lending library. Additionally, patrons who fail to pick up requested items may be fined any applicable lending charges.
Interlibrary Loan Charges & Fines
- Overdue fines: as assessed by the lending library
- Lost item service charge: $12 (nonrefundable)
- Lost item replacement cost: $45 or higher
- Lender charges (if the requested item is not picked up)
How long does it take to get Interlibrary Loan materials?
Most articles are scanned and posted to the web within two to three days. Most loans arrive in 10 to 14 days. Certain materials, such as high-demand items, may take longer to obtain. Once an item is available, an e-mail notification will be sent.
Where are Interlibrary Loan items picked up?
Loans are held at the Circulation Desk, located on the first floor of the library. Articles can either be delivered electronically or held for pick-up at the Circulation Desk. To request electronic delivery of articles, indicate YES to the PREFERRED ELECTRONIC DELIVERY option in the account setting (YOURACCOUNT > UPDATE PREFERENCES). PSU photo ID will be required to pick up items at the Circulation Desk.
What kinds of materials can be borrowed through Interlibrary Loan?
PSU Interlibrary Loan is for educational, curricular, and scholarly research needs. In addition to books and articles, this includes journal volumes, microfilm, dissertations, and audiovisual materials. Popular films, CDs, or books for leisure reading, maybe borrowed from local public libraries. The Summit catalog is another option for these materials.
May textbooks be requested through Interlibrary Loan?
PSU ILL will not, as a general rule, request textbooks for the current or upcoming term. Alternatives to requesting textbooks through ILL would be to check the Summit catalog or to request that the instructor place a copy on Reserve.
May dissertations be requested through Interlibrary Loan?
Yes, although some libraries do not lend dissertations. The PSU subscription to the Dissertations and Masters Theses database provides full text of dissertations from 1997 to present. Newer dissertations may also be purchased from UMI.
Is there a limit to the number of requests that can be submitted?
At this time, there is no formal limit to the number of requests that may be submitted. Patrons who submit a high volume of requests may be referred to the appropriate subject librarian who can help clarify needs or find local materials.
Also, please note that copyright restrictions may hinder multiple requests for articles within the same publication.
May the same item be borrowed more than once?
Generally, no. Items that are required more than once should either be purchased by the patron or suggested for the PSU collection. If the item is not readily available for purchase and is required for research, an exception may be made.
A PSU owned book is checked out. Can it be borrowed through Interlibrary Loan?
Interlibrary Loan will not borrow items owned by PSU. Check Summit for an available copy. Summit requests generally arrive in three business days. Also, a hold may be placed on the PSU owned copy at the Circulation Desk.
PSU has a copy of the item on Reserve. Can it be borrowed through ILL?
Interlibrary Loan will not borrow items held on Reserve. The Summit catalog is another option for finding available copies.
May Interlibrary Loan materials be renewed?
Most loans are eligible for renewals. A request may be submitted anytime up to the due date. Log into ILLiad and click on RENEW CHECKED OUT ITEMS in the left column. Select the appropriate Transaction Number and click on RENEW REQUEST at the top of the page. To request a renewal for materials which are overdue, please contact Interlibrary Loan.
Items marked NO RENEWAL are not eligible for renewal.
For how long are Interlibrary Loan materials renewed?
As renewal periods are set by the lending library and not by PSU, there is no set period of time for a renewal. When a renewal request is submitted, the due date is automatically extended (generally seven days from the original due date). This is done to allow the lending library time to respond. Interlibrary Loan will send an e-mail detailing the status of the renewal once the lending library has responded.
If a password is forgotten, what can be done?
Passwords can be reset at any time. Access this feature from the ILLiad logon page by clicking on the "Forgot your ILLiad password?" button. An e-mail will be sent with instructions to reset the password.
How is contact information updated?
Log into ILLiad, select the UPDATE PREFERENCES link located in the left column under YOUR ACCOUNT, and edit the contact information.
Who is authorized to pick up Interlibrary Loan materials?
In addition to the requesting patron, any person listed on the account may pick up Interlibrary Loan materials. Picture ID will be required. Authorized persons may be added or removed from an account by logging into ILLiad, selecting the UPDATE PREFERENCES link located in the left column under YOUR ACCOUNT, and changing the names in the box provided.
May items be borrowed from libraries in the Portland area?
Yes. Portland State University students, staff and faculty members have check-out privileges with all Orbis Cascade Alliance and Oregon University System libraries. Items may be checked out directly or may be requested via the Summit catalog. Items requested from Summit usually arrive within three to five business days. Obtain books faster from local public libraries by borrowing them directly.
Are all Interlibrary Loan requests filled?
Interlibrary Loan successfully fills most requests, but roughly 5% cannot befilled because not enough time is allotted, some items are non-circulating, or citations are incorrect. Some items (such as dissertations and audio/visual materials) are not generally circulated through Interlibrary Loan.
What are the PSU Interlibrary Loan Lending policies for other libraries?
PSU Interlibrary Loan lending policies are available at: Information for Other Libraries
Do you keep my request history?
Yes, we keep data until it is no longer needed to manage library services. We protect your information from unauthorized disclosure. The request history benefits users who can review bibliographic information from previous requests. Please refer to the Library privacy policy for further information. Contact ILL staff if you have concerns.
Still have questions? Trouble with ILLiad?
Contact Interlibrary Loan:
Hours: Monday through Friday, 9am to 5pm
Location: Millar Library, Room 284. The office is located on the 2nd floor of the library (on the south side of the building, to the left of the Reference Desk if facing it).
Phone: 503-725-3879
E-mail: ILL@pdx.edu
Fax: 503-725-4527