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Interlibrary Loan

Interlibrary Loan (ILL) Office borrows materials from and lends materials to other libraries in the United States and many other countries.

What We Do

The Interlibrary Loan (ILL) Office borrows materials from and lends materials to other libraries in the United States and many other countries.

ILL handles requests for:

  • copies of articles and book chapters
  • requests for books not available at UMSL or via MERLIN/MOBIUS.

All current UMSL faculty, staff, and students are welcome to use ILL services.  If you have any questions, please contact us at (314) 516-5066.

We try to fill requests as quickly as possible.  Due to COVID-19 measures, some lending libraries may have delayed response times.

Click here to Log-in / Request Materials Via ILL

  • If you opt out of communication, you will NOT receive notices when your items are available.
  • Rush?  Use "ASAP" in the Notes field.  Avoid the "Need By" date (request deleted after that date).
  • Delivery times vary.  Estimated turnaround times:
    • Articles & Book chapters: 3-5 days
    • Books: 7-14 days. Allow for shipping time. Use MERLIN and MOBIUS where possible.

Important Notes

  1. Interlibrary Loan items are borrowed according to the terms and conditions of the lending library (the library that loans UMSL the item).  There is no standard loan period.
  2. Limit requests to ten or fewer per week so we can process all requests in a timely manner.
  3. Renewals are solely at the discretion of the lending library.
  4. Replacement terms and costs for lost items vary according to the lending library and the item borrowed.
  5. ILL items are seldom recalled, but if they are, please return the item as soon as possible.
  6. Please return items on-time and in good condition. Late and lost items can jeopardize our ability to borrow from other libraries.

Having problems with Interlibrary Loan requests?

  • Take a look at the Interlibrary Loan FAQs.
  • If you're not getting notices, check your profile in the ILL system.  Did you opt out of communication?  If you did, that includes notices that your requests are ready for you to pick up.
  • Try clearing your browser's cache, and restart your browser.
  • Use a different browser.
  • If Summon or another database is not properly filling out the ILL form, edit the request, or manually create a request.
  • Check to see if there is a known problem: UMSL's Library Systems Status
  • Still having issues?  Please contact Mary Zettwoch zettwoch@umsl.edu, (314) 516-5082.
Subjects: Faculty Topics