Interlibrary Loans

What is Interlibrary Loan?

Interlibrary Loan allows library customers to borrow materials from libraries around the country. You can borrow books or obtain photocopies of magazine articles.

What is ILLiad?

ILLiad is the system used to request an item through Interlibrary Loan. The name ILLiad can be thought of as an acronym for InterLibrary Loan internet accessible database.

Who can use Interlibrary Loan?

Anyone with a permanent Siouxland Libraries card in good standing can request books and articles through Interlibrary Loan. Students must have a Siouxland Libraries card or submit their requests through their school/college library.

How do I place a request?

You can go directly to WorldCat (www.worldcat.org) to search for a title.

Items can also be requested by clicking on the Book and Article link under New Requests within your ILLiad account.

How do I submit Interlibrary Loan requests from WorldCat?

WorldCat has an “Interlibrary Loan This Title” link that displays in each record. If you would like to request that item through Interlibrary Loan, click ‘Interlibrary Loan This Title”. This will take you to the ILLIad login screen. After you enter your Siouxland Libraries card number and PIN, you will see a request form with all the information filled out from the record in WorldCat. All you have to do is click on the “Submit” button.

When you are logged on to ILLiad account, you will also find a link to WorldCat on the ILLiad Main Menu page.

Is there a limit to the number of Interlibrary Loan requests I can submit?

Customers may have up to 5 active requests including items currently checked out.

How long will it take to get my book?

It can take one to three weeks, depending on whether the book is in high demand. Titles that are not widely owned may take extra time to locate. You can get information about the status of your request through your ILLiad account at any time without having to call the Library.

How do I Interlibrary Loan magazines?

Interlibrary Loan allows library customers to obtain photocopies or scanned images (PDF files) of journal or magazine articles. Customers may have up to 5 active requests including items currently checked out.

How can I check the status of my Interlibrary Loan request?

You can check the status of your Interlibrary Loan requests at any time on the Siouxland Libraries website (www.siouxlandlib.org) or any place you have internet access. Click on Interlibrary Loan under the Quick Links heading on the Library website home page. Log into your ILLiad account using your Siouxland Libraries card number and PIN. Select “Outstanding Requests” under View from the ILLiad Main Menu screen.

Are there some items I cannot get through Interlibrary Loan?

We do not accept requests for new books (books with a publication date of less than six months), textbooks, DVDs, videos, tapes, music CDs, books on CD, or books owned or on order at Siouxland Libraries. Reference items are seldom sent on loan, but occasionally lending libraries will make exceptions.

What does it cost to obtain books and articles from other libraries?

Siouxland Libraries does not charge for Interlibrary Loan service. However, certain libraries do charge fees. If the book or article is only available from a library that charges fees, we will contact you to get your approval. Any costs will be passed on to you.

What about genealogy books or other family history materials?

Genealogy books are difficult to borrow. Most genealogy books are in non-circulating collections and are irreplaceable if lost. If loaned, they may be restricted to in-library use. Many libraries are willing to photocopy pages at no charge. If you have a family name or citation, use the article request form to request a photocopy.

Newspapers may be available from state historical societies. Generally there is a fee, and often it needs to be prepaid. Visit with a staff member if you want to borrow microfilm.

The Sioux Valley Genealogical Society has their collection housed on the second level of the Siouxland Heritage Museum.

Also available through Siouxland Libraries are Ancestry Library and Heritage Quest. These databases are located on our website www.siouxlandlib.org/research. However, Ancestry Library is only accessible at library computers.

What if I forget my password?

In the event that you forget your password, please contact Interlibrary Loan at 367-8720. We can reset your password allowing you access to ILLiad. Please change your password once you logon to ILLiad. You can also change your password by clicking on the “Forgot Password?” from the ILLiad login screen.

What Web browser should I use?

You need a Web browser that can handle forms, tables, and preferable Cascading Style Sheets (CSS). We recommend the current versions of either Microsoft Internet Explorer or Mozilla Firefox.