Interlibrary loan: Borrowing

We borrow materials not owned by the UVA Library from libraries worldwide for University of Virginia faculty, students, and staff. Materials that you may borrow from other libraries include articles, books, dissertations, government documents, technical reports, patents, and newspapers on microform. In some cases, videos and sound recordings are also available.

Please see our frequently asked questions for tips and tricks on making requests.

Request process

• Sign in to your VIRGO account using your Netbadge credentials. You will be prompted to create an account if this is your first use. (Check out our tutorial for step-by-step instructions.)
• From My Account, select the Requests option then choose the appropriate request type from the Make a New Request section. Fill in as much information as you have available to ensure we borrow the correct item. (Be sure to hit the Submit button at the bottom.)
• Loan requests are usually filled in 3-10 working days.
• Notice to Health Science Library users: The HSL Interlibrary Loan system operates separately from the UVA Library system. Please enter the HSL ILLiad system here. If you need assistance, please contact the Health Science Library at (434) 924-5444.  

*Please make sure the Interlibrary Loan book band stays on your item. These help us keep track of items and ensure they make it back to the right place!*

If you have any questions about setting up your account or placing requests, please contact us at 4leo@virginia.edu and we will be glad to assist you.

Learn more about how to use Interlibrary Loan. 

Renewals

Please wait until you receive a first reminder notice (one week before the due date) before requesting a renewal.

Do NOT request a renewal after receiving an overdue notice.

Do NOT request a renewal if the slip or label that came with the book says: “No Renewals”

To request a renewal:

• Check the label or slip that came with the item for “Renewals Allowed: Yes.”
• If “Yes”, sign in to your Virgo account.
• Under the ILL Checkouts tab, look for the item you wish to renew.
• Click the “Renew” button of the item to renew (NOTE: If no “Renew” button appears, you may not renew that item).
• You will be redirected to your ILLiad account at this point. Click the “Renew Request” link for the item.

Your loan will temporarily be extended one week, and ILL staff will be alerted to request a renewal from the lending library. Each lending library sets its own renewal policy, so renewals are not guaranteed.

If your renewal is approved, you will be sent a new due date by email.

If your renewal is refused, you will be sent an e-mail to return the book by the current due date. You may place a new request for the non-renewable item.

Borrowing fees

Access Services does not charge for Interlibrary Loan services. However, if the cost to obtain the material is greater than the usual fees for ILL service ($40.00), we may ask you to share the costs of obtaining the material before we proceed.

Overdue, lost, or damaged materials

Failure to return borrowed materials by the due date (or renewed due date) will result in the suspension of your Interlibrary Loan and LEO privileges until the items are returned. Your account will be blocked automatically once an item is ten days overdue.

Repeated late returns may result in a loss of these privileges.

Items that are extremely overdue (as determined by the lending library) may be declared lost by the lender. If you believe you have lost an Interlibrary Loan item, please contact our office immediately.

If you damage an Interlibrary Loan item, please report it to our office immediately. Please do NOT attempt to make repairs yourself; commonly used materials such as glue or tape are not appropriate for repairing library materials. Damaged items must be returned to the lender for assessment of the damages.

Fees for lost or damaged items, as set by the lending library, will be charged to your library account. Your account will not be cleared until these charges (which often include a non-refundable processing fee) have been paid.

Delivery of material

All book chapters and articles will be delivered via e-mail in PDF format.

For delivery of loans, you must select a delivery location for each item. (The system does remember your last selection.) Faculty and graduate students eligible for departmental delivery, may select the “LEO delivery to my department” option. Undergraduates and staff may designate a pick-up library for delivery.

Anyone who is a registered SCPS/distance education patron should select “LEO delivery to my department” for their delivery option. (Your mailing to address information is saved in our internal system.)

“In-Library Use Only” material

Lenders may request that their materials be limited to use within the library. For such items, this restriction will be noted on the Interlibrary Loan paperwork. The items will be delivered to the designated In-Library Use Only location, and you will be notified via email of their availability. Please do not remove these items from their designated location.

When you are finished with these items, please turn them in to the library desk staff and let them know you no longer need it, so they can return it.

Recalls and restrictions

All materials borrowed through Interlibrary Loan may be recalled by the lending library at any time. If you are notified that your item has been recalled, please return it immediately. There is no grace period for recalled Interlibrary Loan materials.

Physical materials borrowed from lending libraries are checked out to the patron who requested them and cannot be transferred to another patron. Do not make requests for other people on your account.

Lending libraries may place other restrictions on the use and photocopying of their materials. These will be noted on the Interlibrary Loan paperwork. Please abide by these restrictions.

By using Interlibrary Loan, you agree to all these terms and conditions.