Interlibrary Loan FAQ
Do you need research materials (books, articles, conferences, theses, dissertations... And more!) that we don't have in the Cal Poly Pomona Library?
Use one of our Interlibrary Loan services!
Interlibrary Loan/CSU+
- What is Interlibrary Loan?
- Who can use Interlibrary Loan services?
- What is the difference between CSU+ and Interlibrary Loan (ILLiad)?
- Which service is right for me?
- Does it cost anything?
- What if I lose or damage the materials?
- Is there a limit of requests I can make?
- How long do the services take?
- How will I be notified?
- What is the duration of the loans?
- Can I renew my requests?
- How do I check the status of my request?
- What does the status of my request mean?
- What else should I know about Interlibrary Loan?
- How do I return materials?
- Is security a problem if I use a public workstation?
- Why don't I see all my older Interlibrary Loan requests when I look at my request history?
- What is Electronic Delivery?
- Who can assist me with further questions?
What is Interlibrary Loan?
Interlibrary Loan is a process by which a library borrows material from or supplies material to another library. The CPP University Library offers two services: CSU+ and Interlibrary Loan (ILLiad).
Who can use Interlibrary Loan services?
Interlibrary Loan services are available to all currently enrolled Cal Poly Pomona students, staff, and faculty. Interlibrary Loan requests will not be processed for patrons with a delinquent status with the library.
What is the difference between CSU+ and Interlibrary Loan?
CSU+ is an interlibrary loan consortium program that allows all 23 CSU libraries, as well as libraries outside the CSU, to exchange library resources. The patron uses OneSearch to request physical and digital copies.
Interlibrary Loan is a service that allows the patron to obtain library material not available in the CPP collection or CSU+. This service will automatically search for availability in other public and academic libraries located within the United States or internationally. The user is allowed to request books, articles, material in microform format, dissertations, theses, book chapters, etc. using the databases, OneSearch, or submitting a request manually through ILLiad.
Which service is right for me?
Since CSU+ typically responds to requests more quickly, we advise using it first. Interlibrary Loan (ILLiad) requests should be used as a backup for the items that cannot be supplied through CSU+.
Does it cost anything?
Interlibrary Loan services are funded by the library and therefore are free to faculty, staff, and students.
What if I lose or damage the materials?
If the item(s) you borrow becomes lost or damaged, the replacement cost for CSU+ items is $90.00. If you lose or damage an item borrowed through Interlibrary Loan, the replacement cost is determined by the lending library.
Is there a limit of requests I can make?
Cal Poly Pomona faculty, staff, and students are encouraged to be judicious in making requests via interlibrary loan.
Patrons are limited in the number of "active" requests that they may have at any one time. An "active" request—whether physical or digital—includes any request that has a status of: Request sent, Customer notified via e-mail, Checked out to customer, In transit, and/or Delivered to web. Your 'active' requests can be seen through your ILLiad account. The limits on active requests at any one time are as follows:
| Service | Request Limits |
|---|---|
| CSU+ | 5 items per checkout |
| Interlibrary Loan (ILLiad) |
|
Additional requests will be considered on a case-by-case basis, dependent on funding. Please contact the Interlibrary Loan office if you have questions about your pre-set active limit.
How long do the services take?
Requests are typically processed within 24 hours of receipt, Monday through Friday, excluding holidays; however, lending libraries may respond at different rates.
| Service | Material Types | Turnaround Times |
|---|---|---|
| CSU+ |
Books, and audio/visual material Digital chapters and articles |
3 days - 2 weeks 24 hours M-F |
| Interlibrary Loan (ILLiad) |
Any material Digital chapters and articles |
3 days - 2 weeks 24 hours - 3 days |
How will I be notified?
When your items are ready to be picked up at the Circulation Desk you will receive an email notification. Your Bronco ID is required at check out, and for all library services.
What is the duration of the loans?
| Service | Loan Period |
|---|---|
| CSU+ | 112 day (16 weeks) |
| Interlibrary Loan (ILLiad) | Check-out period is determined by Lending Library |
Can I renew my requests?
| Service | Loan Period |
|---|---|
| CSU+ | No Renewals |
| Interlibrary Loan (ILLiad) | Renewal is determined by Lending Library |
CSU+ loans cannot be renewed. When CSU+ loans are reaching their due dates, it is suggested that a new request is submitted for that title.
Interlibrary Loan (ILLiad) renewals are granted at the discretion of the lending library. Renewals should be requested 1-2 days before the due date. Renewals cannot be requested once the book is overdue. Only 1 renewal per request may be granted. If the lending library doesn't agree to your request, Interlibrary Loan will notify you by e-mail to return the item. To ensure your research continues with minimal disruption, Interlibrary Loan can submit another request from a different lender. You can renew requests by calling us at (909)869-3111, or by following the instructions on the attached book strap, which are listed below.
- Logon to the Interlibrary Loan system. The link will prompt you to Cal Poly Pomona's single-sign-on.
- Select "View/Renew Check-Out Request."
- Select an item to renew.
- Click the Request Renewal button. If you can renew the item, the new due date will be indicated. Note that some libraries loan materials with the condition of no renewals.
- Once the item is renewed on your account, an Interlibrary Loan Staff will adjust the new due date on your Circulation record.
How do I check the status of my request(s)?
CSU+ requests can be checked on My Library Account. The link will prompt you to sign in with Cal Poly's single-sign-on. CSU+ requests will be found under the Requests tab.
Interlibrary Loan request can be checked by following the following steps:
- Log on to the Interlibrary Loan system. The link will prompt you to Cal Poly Pomona's single-sign-on.
- Press the "View/Modify Outstanding Requests" button to view all the requests still in process on Interlibrary Loan System.
- Select the appropriate transactions number button for the request you wish to check the status for. You will then see detailed information.
- Scroll down to see the tracking on your request. The status "Request Sent" means we have requested the item from another library and we are waiting to hear back if they can provide the item.
- When you are finished using Interlibrary Loan system, please exit by pressing the button labeled "Exit Interlibrary Loan" at the top of the Main Menu.
What does the status of my request mean?
| ILL Status | Status |
|---|---|
| Awaiting Request Processing | Request is waiting to be processed by ILL staff. |
| Request Sent | Request sent to Lending Libraries. |
| In Transit to Pickup Location | Your request has arrived and is in transit to the Circulation Service Desk. |
| Checked Out | Request has been checked out to you. |
| Recalled | lending library needs the book back asap. Please return. |
| Delivered to Web | PDF Received (please print or save within 30 days). |
| Request Finished | The item has been returned to the lending library and the request is completed. |
| Awaiting Unfilled Processing | Request was unable to be filled. |
What else should I know about Interlibrary Loan?
- PLAN AHEAD! Identify books and articles you need for your papers and projects as soon as possible so that you will have enough time to submit your request and wait for their arrival.
- Fill out your requests with the most complete and accurate information you have. Incomplete requests will be returned to you unprocessed.
- Articles received electronically will be delivered to your Interlibrary Loan account and can be viewed under "Electronically Received Articles."
- You can pick up and return your books at the Circulation Desk on the second floor of the library.
How do I return materials?
Please do not remove the identification strap from the book cover. You may return items inside the library at the 2nd Floor Circulation Desk during Library Open Hours. There are two book drops on campus where you are welcome to return library materials while the library is closed. Please note, it takes longer to retrieve and process items in the book drops. If your item is close to the due date, we recommend returning it at the 2nd Floor Circulation Desk.
Library returns may also be mailed back to the Interlibrary Loan department at the user’s expense to this address:
Cal Poly Pomona University Library - ILL
3801 W. Temple Ave, Building 15-2533
Pomona, CA 91768
Return items on or before the due date. To maintain good relationships with other libraries, it is very important that materials borrowed from other libraries be returned on time. Library privileges will be suspended for users with overdue items.
Is security a problem if I use a public workstation?
Yes. Web browsers cache information and create a history file on the local workstation. This allows a subsequent user of the workstation to access the system under your name using the browser's Back button to recall a page from the cache, or by finding a page with your personal information in the browser's history file. If you are concerned about the security of your Interlibrary Loan requests, you can take the following steps:
- Access the Interlibrary Loan System only from your personal computer or an otherwise secure workstation.
- When using a public workstation:
- Delete from the history file those pages that contain your personal information.
- Exit from the Web browser before you leave the workstation. This prevents the Back button from accessing the pages you were using.
Why don't I see all my older Interlibrary Loan requests when I look at my request history?
Older records are purged from the Interlibrary Loan system to comply with the record-keeping requirements of copyright law.
What is Electronic Delivery?
Many libraries ship photocopies of articles to us in electronic format. In the past, we printed these articles before delivering them to you. Now, through the Interlibrary Loan System, we are able to offer you the option of electronic delivery of these articles in PDF format (Adobe's Portable Document Format). You can read more about electronic delivery on the Electronic Delivery Information page.
Who can assist me with further questions?
For further assistance, please contact us at libldrs@cpp.edu, or (909)869-3111, between 8:00AM - 5:00PM, M-F. Alternatively, you can visit us at the University Library's Circulation Desk during the library's hours of operation. If you need further assistance with your research, please contact a Subject Librarian.