The USF Libraries Interlibrary loan will lend books and articles, within licensing agreements, to U.S. and International libraries with a goal turnaround time of one business day. We make every attempt to lend any format that we will borrow for our patrons, including media, government documents, microfilm and theses. All book delivery and returns are sent either by statewide courier or with tracking via commercial courier.
Interlibrary lending services during winter break will be restricted to articles only.
Please feel free to contact the Interlibrary Loan office if your questions about ILL services to other libraries are not answered in our FAQs below:
- Do you accept ALA or email requests?
- May libraries outside of the United States use your services?
- How do you deliver requested articles?
- Do you consider requests for items from your Special Collections?
- Under what circumstances would my library be charged for borrowing or duplication of materials?
- What kinds of materials are not available for loan or cannot be duplicated?
- How much do you charge for your services?
- How long will it take to receive materials from USF?
- Are rush services available?
- How do you bill for lost or damaged items?
Do you accept ALA or email requests?
You can send us an ALA request by any of the contact methods on the Contact Us page »
May libraries outside of the United States use your services?
Non-US libraries may place requests and receive materials from any of the USF libraries. Requests should be submitted using OCLC, fax, email, or US mail. Please include your maxcost and copyright compliance (if required) on all requests. If you elect to fax or mail us a request, we ask that you use the IFLA request form. International loans may be subject to additional restrictions and/or loan periods. Please contact the library in question for further information.
How do you deliver requested articles?
Most of the USF libraries have the ability to deliver materials to you via Odyssey, and OCLC Article Exchange. The best method of delivery will be selected during processing. Should electronic delivery fail, articles will send via fax, mail, or email where licensing permits. Please contact the potential lender for further information.
Do you consider requests for items from your Special Collections?
We consider requests for items from Special Collections on a case-by-case basis. Borrowing libraries will be asked to verify researcher need for direct access to special collections materials, restrict material use to supervised reading rooms, adhere to treatment and packaging instructions that come with the loan, and note the condition of the item before return. In return, USF Special Collections will make every effort to fill interlibrary loan requests.
The USF project for interlibrary lending Special Collections materials is done in accordance with the ACRL/RBMS Guidelines for Interlibrary and Exhibition Loan of Special Collections Materials “to enhance access, support research, and promote awareness” of USF’s unique collections.
Each interlibrary loan request for special collections’ material is initially evaluated for on demand digitization. The requested item(s) are delivered to USF Tampa Library’s Digital Services department for reformatting and addition to the library’s permanent digital collection. Permanent addition to the digital collection will seize of the opportunity to make requested items publicly discoverable and will lessen the stress on items that may be re-requested. Borrowing libraries are asked to:
- verify their researcher need for direct access to special collections materials,
- restrict material use to supervised reading rooms,
- adhere to treatment and packaging instructions that come with the loan, and
- note the condition of the item before return.
In return, USF Special collections will make every effort to fill interlibrary loan requests for materials from libraries within the contiguous United States with the exception of oversized items, mass market items for which there are many circulating copies, items on loan to but not owned by USF, and fragile items that would not survive the loan.
Under what circumstances would my library be charged for borrowing or duplication of materials?
The USF Libraries belong to organizations whose members receive loans and copies of articles free of charge. The USF libraries also maintains reciprocal borrowing agreements with many individual libraries; we welcome new mutually beneficial agreements. For further information on reciprocal agreements, please contact us.
What kinds of materials are not available for loan or cannot be duplicated?
In general USF does not lend any of the following materials.
- Serials
- Reference materials
- Some media formats (ex. albums, kits, audiobooks)
- Psychological tests
- Non-circulating copies of theses and dissertations
Items from Special Collections will be considered for loan on a case by case basis. These items will only go to institutions with a Special Collections department for in library use. Special Collections items are also available for digital reproduction on a case by case basis.
Please contact the ILL unit at the library in question for more information.How much do you charge for your services?
Please use the following information as a general guide and direct specific questions to the ILL unit at the library that houses the material you need.
Service Charges
| Library | Loan Charge | Loan Period | Renew? | Duplication Charge | Rush Charge |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| USF Tampa campus library | Loan Charge $15 / Rush Charge N/A | 60 days | Yes | $15 | N/A |
| USF St. Petersburg campus library | Loan Charge $15 / Rush Charge N/A | 60 days | Yes | $15 | N/A |
| Shimberg Health Sciences library | $15 | 45 days | Yes | $15 | $6 |
How long will it take to receive materials from USF?
In general, we process requests within 24 hours of receipt and send materials back out within 72 hours. Loans are mailed out via UPS or USPS for international libraries.
Most articles are sent electronically via Odyssey, or OCLC Article Exchange. When articles are mailed, they will be sent out as First Class mail.
Are rush services available?
Rush services are available in most cases, dependent on staff/material availability. Please see the charges outlined above for information about additional costs. We strongly recommend that you contact the library before submitting rush requests to ensure that we can process your request in a timely fashion.
How do you bill for lost or damaged items?
Materials that are sent through interlibrary loan and are lost or damaged will be billed to the borrowing library. Replacement costs for lost materials will be billed to the borrowing library. Damaged materials will be evaluated to determine whether replacement of the material is necessary. Replacement costs for materials damaged beyond further use will also be billed to the borrowing library.
Bills for lost materials must still be honored in the event the materials are returned after the bill has been processed and sent.
Interlibrary loan services will be suspended for any library that has outstanding unpaid charges.