Inter Library Loan Help Page

Materials not held in our own library can often be obtained from others. Completing an Inter Library Loan (ILL) request form allows library staff to source the item you require, and provide it for you on loan, or as a retainable photocopy.

What can I order?
This service is available to all staff and students of the college, free of charge. Undergraduate students, however, may only receive three free items a year, after which a charge of €10 per item is incurred.

Inter Library Loans are not available to External Borrowers, External Readers or those carrying out commericial research.
Materials available include academic texts, journals and journal articles, and a wide variety of conference proceedings, standards and theses.

Requestors are asked to ensure the item required is not available in the library, or through any of our Electronic Resources before submitting a request.

How do I request an item?
Inter Library Loan requests forms are available in the library.Please specify the type of item you require (book, article, etc.). If an article you need has been written in a foreign language, please specify whether a translated copy is necessary, and all attempts will be made to obtain this for you.

It is also possible to order certain Inter Library Loan items online. Photocopied items, such as journal articles, or portions of a book, are excluded from this, as we require the requestor’s signature for copyright reasons. It is important to also sign the Copyright Declaration Form printed at the bottom of the form when requesting anything in photocopied format.

A request for any of the other items listed below may, however, be requested electronically.

Please fill in as much bibliographic detail as possible. You will also be asked to submit your staff or student number, and your PIN. Your PIN number is self assigned, and you create it the first time you use the library’s online services. Please remember it for future reference. Simply fill in the inter library loan form online and submit it to the library.

How long does it take?

Articles usually arrive at the library within a week to ten days. Books may take a little longer depending on availability. Please take note of this delay when ordering items, and incorporate it into any time limits you may be working under.

How will I know when my request has arrived?

Patrons are contacted by email when an item arrives in the library for them, so please remember to include your email address on your request form. You will also be contacted via email should any problem arise with your request.

How long is an Inter Library Loan issued to me?

This can differ depending on the lending institution, but books can usually be issued for a period of two weeks. A renewal may sometimes be obtained. Please note that some items will be for use in the library only. Photocopied articles are for your retention.

Do I incur a fine if I return a book after the due date?

Yes. Though the library does not itself charge fines, an item returned late to the lending institution is liable to a large fine, which will fall to the requestor. For example, a book returned late to the British Library will incur a minimum fine of €175 (excluding VAT). Late returns to other Institutions may result in IT Tallaght being barred from borrowing. To ensure this does not happen, you are asked to make a note of the return date issued to you, and to make every effort to return before that date.

Who can I contact with any queries?

A member of staff in the Inter Library Loans Department, can be contacted at 4042142 or by e-mailing the ILL Department.