Interlibrary Loan

Policy Title: Policy for Borrowing Walker Library Interlibrary Loan Materials

Purpose and Scope: This policy identifies persons eligible to borrow Walker Library interlibrary loan materials, the length of time the materials may be borrowed, and items that can be borrowed.

Policy Statement: The Library requests materials not available at Walker Library to MTSU students, staff, and faculty with a valid MTSU ID.

Conditions and Procedures: Interlibrary Loan (ILL) provides enhanced access to and delivery of research and instructional materials. A valid ID must be presented each time materials are checked out.

• The service is administered in accordance with the American Library Association National Interlibrary Loan Code (2008), International Resource Sharing and Document Delivery: Principles and Guidelines for Procedure (2009), the US Copyright Revision Act of 1976 (17 US Code 101 et seq.), and in conformance with special consortial arrangements and reciprocal agreements entered into with individual libraries.
• Interlibrary Loan will attempt to borrow or obtain materials which are not owned by the James E. Walker Library, materials that have been formally declared lost or missing, materials have been unsuccessfully recalled, or are at the bindery. Materials owned by the MTSU libraries that are currently checked out to another patron may also be requested through Interlibrary Loan.
• Interlibrary Loan will not attempt to borrow or obtain entire issues or volumes of periodicals, reference books or rare books, genealogical works, maps, textbooks, dissertations, or privately published reports. Although every attempt will be made to request audiovisual materials, many libraries do not lend these materials. Textbooks for MTSU classes cannot be borrowed through Interlibrary Loan.
• Renewals on Interlibrary Loan are at the discretion of the lending library, not Walker Library. An item can usually be renewed as long as it is not marked NO RENEWAL and if the request is made only one or two days after the original due date. Walker Library has no control over the due date of the item and cannot specify a specific due date for an item.
• If you lose a borrowed item, you are responsible for all costs levied by the lending library.  
• Your Interlibrary Loan Borrowing privileges are subject to being blocked if borrowed materials are not returned to Walker Library in a timely manner.
• All Interlibrary Loan charges must be paid online. Payments cannot be made in person.  
• If you have extenuating circumstances surrounding the late return, loss, and/or damage of Interlibrary Loan materials, you may initiate an appeal at the Interlibrary Loan Services Office Monday – Friday between 8:00 a.m. and 4:00 p.m.
• Books borrowed through Interlibrary Loan may be picked up at the Circulation desk after borrowers are notified that the book is available.
• Books borrowed from other libraries will not be shipped to international addresses.
• There is no set limit to the number of Interlibrary Loan requests that can be submitted; however, we may not be able to process and/or subsidize a large number of transactions from any one individual. Please use Interlibrary Loan services judiciously.

Additional Interlibrary Loan Borrowing Procedures:

1. Proxy Borrowers: 

• MTSU faculty and administrators may designate a graduate student, student worker, or staff member to act as a Proxy Borrower. The designated individual is able to borrow materials for the faculty member on the faculty member’s account. 
• To designate a proxy borrower, the faculty member and designated student should complete and sign the Proxy Student Borrowing Form.
• The completed form should be brought to the Circulation Desk during library operating hours, along with the student’s ID and the faculty member’s ID to establish the account. After that, only the student’s ID will be needed to borrow materials.
• Proxies are not accountable for library charges assessed to the MTSU faculty or administrator.

2. MTSU Visiting Scholars: 

• Visiting Scholars or Visiting Faculty from other institutions are eligible to borrow materials from Walker Library with the permission of their sponsoring academic department in one semester increments. These privileges give access to hard copy materials only. All library charges incurred but not resolved by the visiting scholar/faculty shall be the responsibility of the sponsoring department once the visitor has left the University. Requests for Visiting Scholar Privileges are handled via the form at https://library.mtsu.edu/borrow/visitingscholar.

Related Policies:
Library Policies:

Policy for borrowing Walker Library General Collection materials
Policy for borrowing Walker Library Curriculum materials
Policy for borrowing Walker Library Media materials
Policy for borrowing Walker Library Reserve materials
Policy for borrowing Library Technology Services equipment