Interlibrary Loan Department

Overview

The Interlibrary Loan (ILL) service obtains, from other libraries, books, articles, and other materials not available in the Hamilton College Library.

Services and Policies

Qualified Users

Hamilton College faculty, staff and students are eligible to use the Interlibrary Loan service. As time permits, alumni and retired faculty and staff, and spouses and children of college employees may also use the service.

Request Forms

Electronic requesting is available via the ILL Forms on ALEX, e-mail Interlibrary Loan, and as a feature of many of the databases. Reference Librarians (telephone: 315 859-4735, or e-mail: askref) can help complete the form, check on the status of a request, and answer any questions you may have regarding ILL.

Pick Up and Delivery of Materials

Photocopies are usually sent as pdf documents via campus e-mail. Please note: only the campus e-mail accounts are supported (yourname@hamilton.edu). E-mail forwarded to other domains, including gmail, may corrupt the pdf document. Books and other materials are placed at the Circulation/Reserve desk in Burke Library or can be delivered to offices on campus. A notice will be sent once materials are received.

Required Time

Once the request has been ordered, it takes an average of eight days to receive an item. ILL requests are processed in the order in which they are received. If a special 'rush' request is needed, you may contact a Reference Librarian or an ILL staff member.

Status of Request

Reference Librarians (telephone 315 859-4735, e-mail Reference) or Interlibrary Loan Staff (telephone 315 859-4484, e-mail Interlibrary Loan) can check on the status of a request.

Loan Period

Three weeks is the average amount of time the lending library allows its materials to be borrowed. Photocopies do not need to be returned.

Special materials such as reference books, entire issues of periodicals, rare books, or recently published books may be difficult or impossible to borrow through Interlibrary Loan. Every effort will be made to obtain a copy of the requested material. If there is a problem in filling the request, you will be notified by mail. Some borrowed materials may be restricted to "In Library Use Only". If an item cannot be borrowed, the Library may be able to purchase it. A Reference Librarian (telephone 315 859-4735, or e-mail Reference) can help you place an order.

Renewals

Renewals are granted at the discretion of the lending library. To request a renewal, go to your ALEX account and select the "Renew your ILL borrows" feature.

Returning Borrowed Materials

Books borrowed through Interlibrary Loan should be returned to the Circulation desk at Burke Library by the date indicated on the front of the book. Photocopies do not need to be returned.

Loans to Students over Break

Because of the brief loan periods, Interlibrary Loan books are not available for use during Winter and Spring semester breaks. If an item is needed again after the break period, it can be requested in advance, to be available immediately upon the student's return in January or April. Interlibrary Loan materials can be requested for use during the Summer research session, if the student is resident on campus.

Fines - Overdue, Recalled, Lost or Damaged Books

For overdue ILL books, students will be fined $.20 per day for to a maximum of $40.00 per book. After the book has been overdue for 80 days, the system will add this fine as a replacement charge to the patron's record. Fines will not be refunded if the book is returned. The student will be billed for the book(s) by the College Business Office.

During the time between when the book becomes overdue and the billing letter is sent, a patron receives 7 overdue notices. The first notice is sent on the day after the due date. The second notice and all subsequent notices, are sent in 10 day intervals. If a book is lost or damaged, the lending library's fine must be paid by the student. Consistent violation of these policies will result in suspended borrowing privileges or will be taken to the Judiciary Board when appropriate. Faculty will be fined only if a fine is issued by the lending library.

Staff

Glynis Asu, Reference Librarian/Coord. of Interlibrary Loan
E-mail: gasu@hamilton.edu
Telephone: (315) 859-4482

Margaret D'Aprix, Interlibrary Loan Assistant
E-mail: mdaprix@hamilton.edu
Telephone: (315) 859-4484

Joan Wolek, Interlibrary Loan Assistant
E-mail: jwolek@hamilton.edu
Telephone: (315) 859-4484

(Reviewed February 12, 2008)