Interlibrary Loan FAQ

Interlibrary Loan (ILL) is a way to order books, articles and sometimes other items from libraries throughout the US and also other countries.

Materials, such as books, can be loaned in the original. Articles in journals or on microfilm may be photocopied. ILL activity is regulated by international, national, regional, and local agreements made by the participating libraries.

The ILL Office, located in the front lobby of Penrose Memorial Library, handles all requests for Whitman faculty, staff and students at no charge.

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Materials Most Readily Obtainable

Monographs published after 1800
Journal articles are acquired as photocopies. (Entire issues or volumes of journals cannot be borrowed.)
Newspapers on microfilm.

Materials in the Penrose Library Catalog
Material available in Summit.
Books with imprint dates before 1800.
Manuscripts and some scores.
Reference materials.
Newspapers and journals in original format.
Masters theses and doctoral dissertations

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Use of Borrowed Materials

Conditions for use of borrowed materials are set by the lending library and must be observed by the borrower. Possible restrictions include:

Length of loan period
Library use only
Photocopying not allowed
No renewals

Requests will be processed only in accordance with current copyright laws and guidelines. Users must comply with copyright restrictions when using materials. Copyright restrictions may make some materials unavailable.

Before submitting requests, verify that the material is not owned by Whitman College by checking the Penrose Library Catalog.

Citations must be accurate and complete and should include the following information:

Reference to the source in which the requested item was cited.
Complete personal information, including date needed
Books: author's name in full, title, place of publication, publisher, date, series note (if any).
Journal articles: journal title in full, volume number, date, author and title of article, inclusive pages of article.

Books and journals can be ordered online from through the ILL Order Forms.
Click on the "ILL" link in a database or index such as, WorldCat, a catalog of libraries throughout the world.

All guidelines that apply to written requests will apply to electronic requests.

Use one sheet per item.
If desired, staple a print-out of the citation to the request form and fill out personal information
Submit items:
- In the ILL box at the Reference Desk
- Give directly to the ILL office staff

ILL requests may take two to six weeks to fill. Materials which are difficult to locate or which are inaccurately or incompletely cited will usually require more time. It is recommended that you request materials well in advance of the d ate you need them. Requesters should discuss their time constraints with the ILL assistant.

Average time allowed for material use is three weeks. Renewal requests are made in advance of due date through the Penrose Library Catalog, or by contacting the ILL office.