Can’t find what you need at Preus Library? No problem! We network with thousands of other libraries around the globe to borrow and lend library materials. Interlibrary loan (ILL) can almost always get you what you need, and at no cost to you.
Login to your ILL account with your Norse Key.
View Preus Library’s Interlibrary Loan (ILL) policies for complete information about ILL services.
Contact ILL with questions: [email protected] or 563-387-1726.
How do I request something through ILL?
Who is allowed to use ILL?
What can I borrow through ILL?
Am I allowed to use ILL for non-schoolwork?
How long does it take to receive an ILL item?
How long can I keep my ILL items?
How do I renew ILL items?
Why was my request canceled?
Can I borrow textbooks?
Can I put an ILL item on course reserve?
You have three options:
Provide as much useful information as you can, especially if you need a specific version or format of a resource. Be sure to let us know in the “Notes” field if you’re working on your senior project or research with a professor.
The first time you login to your ILL account with your Norse Key, you’ll be asked to fill out a brief registration form. You’ll only need to do this once.
Interlibrary loan is available for all students, faculty, and staff at Luther College. No special permission is required. If you have an active Norse Key, you can login and create your ILL account.
Most books, journal articles, scanned book chapters, DVDs, and music scores are easily available through interlibrary loan. Dissertations and theses, older media (e.g. CDs, VHS, microforms), and materials owned only by international libraries are less readily available, but can still be obtained in some cases.
The following types of materials are generally not available through interlibrary loan: entire ebooks, new books and films released within the last 6-12 months, encyclopedias or dictionaries, articles or book chapters longer than 50 pages, entire periodical or journal volumes.
If you’re not sure whether something would be available through ILL, please email [email protected] and ask. We’ll investigate it together.
There are no hard limits on how many ILL items you can request.
Yes! You are welcome to request ILL items for extracurricular activities, pleasure reading, or other reasons. Your interlibrary loan privileges are not restricted to academic coursework.
It depends on what you’re asking for. Delivery times can vary widely. We recommend that you plan on 1-2 weeks for physical materials (books, DVDs) and 5 days for electronic articles, but things may arrive much sooner than that.
Electronic articles and scanned book chapters are often very quick. Preus Library participates in OCLC’s Express Delivery program, a network of 1100+ libraries committed to delivering articles and other digital resources within 18 hours or less.
Preus Library is also a member of an Iowa libraries courier network. If a book you need is available somewhere in the Iowa Library Alliance, you could receive it in as few as 2-4 business days.
Uncommon, highly specialized, and esoteric resources often take longer to acquire. If you are requesting something unusual or rare, please be prepared to wait a little longer.
Electronic PDFs of articles and book chapters are yours to keep.
For physical items, ILL due dates are assigned by the libraries who own the material. Loan periods typically range from 4 weeks to 12 weeks. Renewals are often (though not always) available.
We try to prioritize borrowing from libraries who have generous loan periods, but must also balance other factors (availability, cost, estimated delivery time). If you’re concerned about the loan period for a particular item, please contact [email protected].
Some ILL items can be renewed, and some cannot. It depends on which library sent us the material, and how many renewals they allow. Your ILL notification emails for individual items should say “Renewable: Yes” or “Renewable: No”. If you’re not sure, email [email protected] and we’ll look it up for you.
Renew items by logging into your ILL account and selecting “View/Renew Requests” on the side menu. Select the item you’d like to renew, and then click “Renew Request.” This option will only appear for items that are able to be renewed.
Please note: the library who owns the material still needs to approve the renewal. You should receive a follow-up email within a day or two indicating whether or not the lending library has approved the renewal, and if so, what the new due date will be. If you don’t receive an email, please contact [email protected].
We hate saying “no”. The ILL department will do our absolute best to locate what you need, but unfortunately it doesn’t work out sometimes. If a resource is essential for your research, and your ILL request for it was canceled, please contact a librarian for assistance. Librarians have additional powers, and may be able to open some doors for you.
ILL requests can be canceled for a number of reasons. The most common reasons are:
Yes, you can borrow some textbooks using interlibrary loan, but you will need to be savvy and strategic about it. In some cases, you will be better served by purchasing or renting your textbooks. Here are some tips and suggestions:
Interlibrary loan items may not be placed on course reserve, either as physical copies or electronic downloads.
Your interlibrary loan account is private and connected to you alone. No one else may submit ILL requests under your name or access your account. Upon special request, it is possible to authorize another individual (such as a student worker, staff person, or spouse) to pick up and check out physical ILL materials from the Circulation Desk on your behalf. Note: this does not include access to your online ILL account or electronic downloads.
You remain responsible for any materials checked out to your ILL account that are overdue, lost, or damaged, even if you allowed someone else to handle the material.