Inter-Library Loans / Document Delivery Services
Introduction:
Inter-Library Loans/Document Delivery Services, so called ILL/DDS, are one of the several alternative research services offered by the Lebanese American University Libraries. This service aims to obtain materials such as books, photocopies of periodical articles, theses and dissertations, conference papers and audiovisual materials, which are not available at the Libraries but are required by faculty, staff, and students for their research or teaching purposes.
Borrowers:
LAU faculty, staff and students who are in good standing, and hold a valid ID are eligible to use the service. Those borrowers with overdue library or interlibrary loan items or whose records are otherwise blocked won’t be eligible until their records are cleared.
The number of requests that one borrower with good standing status can order, are related to his/her category as follows:
- Undergraduate Students: 10 items per year.
- Graduate Students: 25 items per year.
- Staff: 25 items per year.
- Full-Time Faculty: 50 items per year.
- Part-Time Faculty: 20 items per year.
Limitations:
While ILL/DDS are designed to be used for serious research projects, the Library reserves the right to refuse any request if it is deemed to fall beyond the reasons the service was designed for.
Note: This service is NOT available to Alumni or guests.
Eligible Materials:
Books: May be requested for loan from both local and overseas libraries.
Periodicals: Copies of articles may be requested. However, entire journal volumes are not available for loan.
Theses & Dissertations: Some theses and dissertations are available for loan, while others are available for purchase.
Audiovisual & Microfiche: May or may not be available for loan.
Note: Highly demanded, rare, fragile, valuable, archival, and non-circulating materials are not available for loan.
Submitting Requests:
LAU faculty, staff and students are required to submit their requests online only. NO ILL/DDS requests will be accepted by telephone.
- Before filling out a request, please check the Library Catalog, the Find it database, the online databases, and ZPortal to ensure that LAU Libraries do not already hold the item(s).
- A separate request form is necessary for each item required.
- Providing as much and accurate information as possible about the required item(s) is necessary in order to reduce processing time. If unsure of the information please contact the ILL/DDS staff for help.
Choose the appropriate form:
Charges:
This service is offered free of charge to faculty, staff and students. However, keep in mind that there is a charge made to each document provider, so requests should not be made indiscriminately.
Notification and Pick-up:
You will be notified by email or by phone upon the receipt of the requested item(s).
The materials will be held for pickup at the Circulation Desk for 10 days after notification or until they are scheduled to be returned to the owning library. It is important to include an email or contact address in every ILL/DDS request form for contact purposes.
ILL items are checked out using your current ID.
Time Needed/Renewals:
Items usually arrive within 3–5 days (if ordered from a local library) and 2–3 weeks (if ordered from an overseas library). However, this can vary greatly if the item(s) is on loan or the request has to be sent to more than one library.
Renewals are sometimes possible but should be requested before the due date through the ILL/DDS Department during working hours. Only one renewal is granted at the discretion of the lending library. Lending libraries have the right to recall ILL materials before the due date.
Returning Borrowed Materials:
ILL materials must be returned to the Circulation Desk during regular library hours. You are responsible for all costs associated with lost or damaged items. The lending library assesses the charges for lost/damaged items accordingly. If the items are lost in transit or after they have been returned to LAU Libraries, the ILL/DDS Department will reimburse the lending library.
Note:Photocopies become the borrower’s property.
Copyright Restrictions:
LAU Libraries observe copyright laws and regulations in terms of furnishing photocopies or other reproductions. If a user makes a photocopy or reproduction to be "used for the purpose OTHER than private study, scholarship or research" (otherwise called "FAIR USE"), he/she may be liable for copyright infringement. Therefore, noncompliance with copyright laws and regulations may result in the suspension of ILL/DDS privileges.
Contact Information:
For assistance , please contact:
- Ms. Sawsan Habre, ILL/DDS Librarian, ext. 1345, e-mail: swhabre@lau.edu.lb
- Ms. Katia Nohra, Library Assistant, ext. 1382, e-mail: katia.nohra@lau.edu.lb