Answers to Questions about ILLiad--the Interlibrary Services System and Interlibrary Loan (ILS)
- How do I request an interlibrary loan?
- Why do I need to log in to make a request?
- What if I forget my K-State eID and/or password?
- How long does it take to receive a requested item?
- Does ILS have a rush service?
- Can ILS guarantee that a request will be delivered by an exact date?
- How do I renew an interlibrary loan?
- What if I receive an incomplete or unreadable copy?
- Can non-university user use ILS borrowing services?
- Can students place requests for their professors?
- How much does an ILS borrowing request cost?
- Can I request a K-State Libraries' book that's checked out?
- Can I request a textbook?
- Can I borrow or purchase a copy of a dissertation?
- What if I can't see my old requests under "Completed Requests?"
- How can I tell if an article I want is not in English?
- Is security a problem if I use a public workstation?
- Why does my browser say that you're sending a cookie? What's in it?
- Who do I contact if I have problems with or questions about Interlibrary Services?
How do I request an interlibrary loan?
Log on to the Interlibrary Services system with your K-State eID and password. First-time users will need to complete a one-time registration form.
- Choose the type of material you are requesting under "Submit Request" on the left column.
- Complete the request form with as much information as possible regarding your desired material. Fields with a red star are required to process your request.
- Click submit at the bottom of the form.
You will be notified via email when your interlibrary loan arrives or if we have questions about your request. You may check the status of your request in your Interlibrary Services account.
Why do I need to log in to make a request?
Your log on verifies you are eligible to use interlibrary loan services, and it provides security for your account. Additionally, we handle all interlibrary loan requests electronically, which allows us to serve you more rapidly and accurately.
What if I forget my K-State eID and/or password?
Contact the IT Help Desk. Various contact methods are available at the IT Help Desk website including calling 785-532-7722.
How long does it take to receive a requested item?
Article requests usually take 2-5 days and book requests 3-10 days to arrive at Hale Library.
Does ILS have a rush service?
While ILS does not offer rush service, we can usually expedite the delivery of a request that is urgently needed. Please notify ILS via phone or email immediately after submitting an urgent request.
Can ILS guarantee that a request will be delivered by an exact date?
No, ILS cannot guarantee an exact delivery date for your request. Many variable affect the delivery of your request, including the length of time the lending library takes to process the request.
How do I renew an interlibrary loan?
- Log in to your Interlibrary Services account.
- Find the loan you want to renew in the "Checked Out Items" table on the Main Menu. Make sure it says "yes" in the "Renewal Allowed?" column; otherwise the system won't allow you to request a renewal.
- For renewable loans, you may ask for renewals beginning four days before the due date until two days past due.
- When you ask for a renewal, you'll receive a tentative two week renewal. The lending library may give you a longer or shorter renewal, or occasionally they won't renew a loan. We'll e-mail you to let you know the lending library's response.
- To submit the renewal request, click on the Transaction Number of the item you want to request.
- Then click on "Renew Request," which is near the top of the screen. (If "Renew Request" is not on the screen, either the loan is not renewable or you are blocked due to overdue items.)
- After you've requested the renewal, notice the message at the top of the screen. It will give you the tentative new due date or let you know you're asking to renew at the wrong time.
What if I receive an incomplete or unreadable copy?
If the pages are unreadable, some are missing, or you receive the wrong article:
- Be sure to save or print what you received (unless the whole PDF is totally unreadable or the wrong article.) Your original PDF file will be gone once we request a re-send.
- To request a new copy, contact Interlibrary Services at (785) 532-7440 or send an e-mail to ill@k-state.edu. Tell us the Transaction Number of the request and which page(s) was omitted or unreadable.
Can non-university user use ILS borrowing services?
No. Please contact your local public library for this service.
Can students place requests for their professors?
No. Each account holder should log into his or her account to place requests. Passwords should never be shared with students.
How much does an ILS borrowing request cost?
K-State Libraries subsidizes the cost of most items; however, some items, including photocopies, may involve patron charges. Users are always notified of all costs prior to ordering requested items.
Can I request a textbook?
NO. ILS does not borrow textbooks from other libraries. Textbooks should be purchased from a bookstore.
Interlibrary loan is intended to be a short-term transaction to aid patrons in obtaining material not available locally. For this reason, it is our policy not to process requests for textbooks.
Some professors may place a copy or two of a textbook on Reserve in Hale Library, but don't expect all professors to do this.
Grants for purchasing textbooks are available. Contact the Office of Student Financial Assistance for more information. Phone 877-817-2287 or email: ksufa@k-state.edu.
Can I borrow or purchase a copy of a dissertation?
Interlibrary Services can try to borrow dissertations and theses from other libraries, but sometimes we are unable to do so. When this happens, or if you simply prefer to purchase a copy, you may be able to purchase a copy from University Microfilms International. To determine availability search Dissertations and Theses - Full Text. Citations with the "Full Text - PDF" link are available for download at no cost to K-State students, faculty, and staff. Those with the "Order a copy" link are available for purchase.
Your options for purchase are as follows:
- Have Interlibrary Services order a UNBOUND paper copy. Bring a check made payable to K-State Libraries for $33.00 or provide VISA or Master Card number and expiration date. Copies usually arrive within 3-4 working days of receipt of the order.
- Place an order yourself by clicking on the "Order a copy" link in Dissertations and Theses - Full Text to have materials delivered directly to you.
- Unbound paper copy is $39.00
- Softcover paper copy is $54.00
- Hardcover paper copy is $70.00
- Microfilm copy is $46.00
- Microfiche copy (for titles published from 1976 forward) is $51.00
What if I can't see my old requests under "Completed Requests?"
Contact Interlibrary Services at 785 532-7440 or e-mail to ill@k-state.edu. We can usually fix this problem.
How can I tell if an article I want is not in English?
Most of the databases on K-State Libraries' website have a "language" field. You'll need to click on the article title (or la link such as "detailed," "view record," etc.) to see the complete information about the article.
Often the databases will translate the article title to English for convenience, but since this can be confusing, be sure to check the complete information to see if the article is in a language you can use.
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 Services system only from your personal computer or an otherwise secure workstation.
- When using a public access workstation:
- Delete pages that contain your personal information from the history file.
- Exit from the Web browser before you leave the workstation to prevent the Back button from accessing the pages you were using.
Why does my browser say that you're sending a cookie? What's in it?
The technology that we use sends a Session ID to be stored on your machine. You can refuse this cookie and still be able to use the system without any problems.
Who do I contact if I have problems with or questions about Interlibrary Services?
Contact the Interlibrary Services Office with interlibrary loan questions or questions about your account. Call us at (785) 532-7440 or send an e-mail to ill@k-state.edu.