Frequently Asked Questions about Interlibrary Loan
What can I request?
The following types of materials are available through interlibrary loan: Books, Dissertations, Photocopies of Journal Articles and Newspapers on Microfilm (5 reels per request)
Bobst Library Interlibrary loan staff has the authority to determine, on a case by case basis, items which are not suitable for interlibrary loan. These decisions are generally based on an item's physical condition. Bobst does not loan complete periodical issues, reference books, rare items, audio-visual material and some current year imprints on interlibrary loan. Exceptions to this policy are made for participants in the RLG SHARES program.
How much does it cost?
For North American libraries and non-profit institutions, Bobst charges $15 per transaction if billed through OCLC's IFM system, $25 per transaction for items requiring an invoice. Transactions for international libraries and non-profits are $30 per transaction, payable in U.S. funds. Charges may be waived for requests from international libraries without the ability to pay. Loans to for-profit institutions, both domestic and international, are $50 for standard service or $100 for rush (subject to approval). No copy charge to participants in the "Metro Free" photocopy program.
How will it be delivered?
You will be notified by email when your request is ready. We ship domestically via UPS, and request that our materials are returned by some similar shipping service that offers package tracking. For international shipments we use Priority Mail from the US Postal Service. Articles and other electronic documents will be posted to your Bobst ILL account.