Pitts Quick Links
Interlibrary Loan
To borrow books or obtain digital copies of articles from periodicals or monographs not owned by Emory libraries, please fill out the electronic ILL form that can be found through the link below. Please note that the ILL staff cannot request copies of materials held by Emory libraries unless these materials are out of circulation (e.g., at bindery, missing, damaged). If an item you need for your research is checked out to another user, you should recall the item. If an item is on course reserves, it may not be obtained through ILL, since it is readily available at the library. Please inquire at the Reference Desk (404.727.0645) or the Interlibrary Loan Desk (404.727.1048) if you have questions.
Place an Interlibrary Loan Request »
Answers to Frequently Asked Questions about ILL
- Who is eligible for Interlibrary Loan services?
- How do I register for ILLiad?
- What is the most efficient way to fill out ILLiad forms?
- How long does it take to fill a request through Interlibrary Loan?
- How can I find the status of my ILL requests?
- Can I request non-traditional materials through Interlibrary Loan?
- Where do I pick up and return my ILL items?
- Can I renew my ILL books?
- If our library's copy of a book is checked out, can I request copy through ILL?
- How many requests can I make through ILL?
- How much does ILL cost?
- How will I be notified that my book or article has arrived?
- Are there fines for ILL books?
- I’m a faculty member and I’d like for my research assistant to place Interlibrary Loan requests for me. How do I set up an ILL Proxy account?
- Are there alternatives to Interlibrary Loan?
If you have additional questions about Interlibrary Loan or the ILLiad system send an e-mail to our ILL specialist at theill@emory.edu or 404.727.1048.
Who is eligible for Interlibrary Loan services?
All CURRENT Emory Faculty, Students, and Staff are eligible for Interlibrary Loan privileges. The home library of the user is determined by program enrollment or department affiliation.
How do I register for ILLiad?
Use your Emory NetID to log into ILLiad through the Pitts Website and fill out the registration form.
What is the most efficient way to fill out ILLiad request forms?
Including as much citation information as possible will result in the fastest processing and receipt of Interlibrary Loan Requests. Users are encouraged to copy and paste information from the item’s record in the union catalog at WorldCat.org, including but not limited to Title, Author, Publication Date, Publisher, ISXN, and the OCLC number.
How long does it take to fill a request through interlibrary loan?
- Electronic Copies - Users should plan on a minimum of 2-7 week days. Electronic delivery is typically faster than the shipment of physical items, so users are encouraged to submit requests for chapters or articles for fastest receipt.
- Books and other Loanables - Users should plan on 10-15 week days. Most books are shipped "library rate" 4th class mail.
- If you have not received your delivery within the designated time allotment, please contact the Interlibrary Loan office at 404.727.1048 or theill@emory.edu
How can I find the status of my ILL requests?
The current status of any ILLiad request can be viewed by logging into your ILLiad account. If you have any specific questions about your request, please contact the Interlibrary Loan office at 404.727.1048 or theill@emory.edu
Can I request non-book materials via Interlibrary Loan?
Lending policies differ among institutions for loans of A/V materials, microfiche, microfilm, etc. Additionally, these materials typically must be used in the library only upon receipt. Users are encouraged to submit these requests (indicating the desired format in the “notes” field), but also consider other avenues in the event that the material is not available for loan.
Where do I pick up or return my ILL items?
All Candler Faculty, Students, and Staff should pick up and return ILL items at the Pitts Theology Library Circulation Desk as indicated on the pink borrowing slip affixed to the cover. ILL items CANNOT be placed in the off-hours drop box or be returned to another Emory Library. Pitts will NOT accept the return of Interlibrary Loan items belonging to the Woodruff Library ILL Service (as indicated on blue slip affixed to cover).
Yes, UNLESS the pink label indicates otherwise. Requests to renew ILL materials must be made by the patron through his/her ILLiad account, and must be made four days prior to the expiration date. After logging into ILLiad, click on the button "View and Renew Checked Out Items" in the second section of the ILLiad Main Menu. Renewals are always conditional, and if the lender does not grant a renewal the user will be notified via email and the book be returned immediately to avoid fine accrual.
If our library's copy of a book is checked out, can I ask for a copy through ILL?
No. In most cases the length of time it takes to borrow a book is considerably longer than the amount of time it takes for the user to get the copy that is checked out by placing a hold on it. Any Pitts Theology Library book is subject to recall -- no matter who the borrower is. If you have placed a hold on an item and it is determined by the Pitts circulation staff that that item is irretrievable, you may then place an ILL request for it. In that case, you will need to specify the situation in the "NOTES" field of the ILLiad request.
How many requests can I make through ILL?
There are no specific limits on ILL requests for Emory faculty, staff or students; HOWEVER, we ask the users bear in mind that each request represents a significant expenditure by the libraries. Planning of your research and finding out as much as you can about an item before making an ILL request will minimize unnecessary expense and enable us to continue providing ILL as a free service.
Please also note, although we do occasionally receive and honor requests for items that are not specifically related to classes and/or research, ILL is not an entertainment service. If you make frequent requests for materials whose relevance to classwork and/or research is not clear, you might be asked to provide proof that you need these materials for other than personal enjoyment.
Emory University Libraries do not pass on any fees or costs to our users. The process of acquiring materials through ILL is a costly one, however, and users should not request unnecessary materials. A study done by the Association of Research Libraries showed that the average cost per ILL request (materials, postage, on-line time, labor, etc.) can often exceed $20.00 per request for Emory, and at least that much for the loaning institution! We want to be able to keep providing this service for free, so select the materials you request carefully.
How will I be notified that my book or article has arrived?
Students and faculty are notified that their materials have arrived via e-mail. Users provide the desired email address set to receive these notifications upon registering for ILLiad. Users can also check the status of your requests at any time by logging into your ILLiad account.
Books are held at the Pitts Theology circulation desk until the due date.
Electronic Documents are available on ILLiad for 30 days upon delivery. Users are strongly encouraged to download and save PDFs locally upon receipt for future use of the item.
Are there fines for ILL books?
- Fines accrue for overdue ILL loan items at a rate of $0.50 per day. Users will be notified of late fines via email and can pay them by cash or check at the Pitts Theology Library Circulation Desk or online through the user’s OPUS account.
- Loaned materials will be billed as "lost" on the 30th day after the due date and you will be billed $100.00 per item.
- Always return materials on time or request a renewal at least 4 days prior to the due date to avoid fine accrual.
I’m a faculty member and I’d like for my research assistant to place Interlibrary Loan requests for me. How do I set up an ILL Proxy account?
ILL Proxy accounts must be requested by faculty members from the Interlibrary Loan Staff at theill@emory.edu.
Note – Existing proxy accounts used for circulation of Emory materials are NOT used for Interlibrary Loan privileges.
Are there alternatives to Interlibrary Loan?
Local Emory Faculty, Students, and Staff are encouraged to take advantage of borrowing privileges from other Georgia institutions as outlined in the ARCHE/GETS agreements. For more information on borrowing from other libraries, click HERE.
If you have additional questions about Interlibrary Loan or the ILLiad system, please send an e-mail to theill@emory.edu.