What is interlibrary loan?
The Bemidji State University Library provides an interlibrary
loan service for obtaining materials from other libraries for use by
BSU students, faculty, and staff. The interlibrary loan staff are committed
to the efficient processing of your requests in order to obtain the
items you need within a useful time frame.
Who may use BSU's interlibrary loan service?
All currently affiliated BSU students, faculty, and staff are
eligible to use the service provided you have a valid BSU user identification
card which has an active user barcode number. Local patrons or special
borrowers are not eligible to use interlibrary loan services through the
BSU library, but should contact their home institution or local public
library for interlibrary loan service.
Delivery Service is available for distance learners, identified as any registered BSU student or BSU faculty member who either lives beyond 30 miles from campus, or needs delivery because of permanent or tempoary disability. Distance learners are allowed to request BSU-owned as well as non-BSU owned materials, and receive home delivery. Distance learners, for their part, take responsibility for the safe return of items back to the A. C. Clark Library. To apply for this service, see Service for Distance Learners.
How much will I have to pay?
There is no charge for undergraduate and graduate students.
For all others, there may be a charge for the very limited number of requests
which must be referred beyond the MINITEX/MnPALS service. Charges are
set by the lending library and may range from $5.00 - $25.00 per request.
Since you, as the patron requesting the material, will pay these charges,
we always ask your acceptance of charges before we initiate requests outside
the MINITEX/MnPALS system. All payments are then made in the Interlibrary
Loan Office by personal or cashier's check.
What types of material can interlibrary loan provide?
Books - You may request books that are not owned by
the Bemidji State University Library. Books that are currently checked
out, or listed as missing or lost on the BSU Library Catalog may also
be requested, as well as items in Special Collections to which access
has been denied.
Dissertations and theses - It is usually possible to borrow
dissertations and theses from institutions that belong to the MINITEX/MnPALS
System; other libraries will sometimes lend dissertations and master's
theses. The interlibrary loan staff
can provide information on the probability of obtaining an item.
Articles - You may request copies of articles from periodicals
not owned by the BSU Library. You may also request copies from periodicals
listed on the BSU Library Catalog
as missing or at the bindery, and from periodicals with missing pages.
Articles are provided in paper or electronic
format.
Government documents - These requests are usually filled by
lending you the document, or supplying a microfiche copy or photocopy
of the item. Before requesting, check for a URL in the record on the
BSU Library Catalog; you might be able to access the document electronically,
rather than ordering a copy through interlibrary loan.
Audiovisual materials - We have agreements with a number of
libraries willing to lend their audiovisual materials. The interlibrary loan staff
can provide information on the likelihood of obtaining specific items.
What cannot be obtained through interlibrary loan?
Materials in BSU Library collections - We cannot accept
requests for any items owned by the BSU Library which are currently available
(not checked out by another patron). This includes items on course reserve,
or in the Reference Collection. However, materials which are currently
checked out to another patron, or which are missing, lost, or at the bindery
may be requested, as well as items in Special Collections to which access
has been denied.
High-demand materials - New releases, best sellers, and books
on which movies or television shows are based cannot be requested. Also,
feature films in either video or DVD format, as well as music CDs, released
within the past year cannot be requested. A list of
Items in Constant Demand is available for consultation to help you
determine if an item can be requested.
How do I submit an interlibrary loan request?
Options for submitting requests include:
BSU Library Catalog. When searching the
combined catalog of all the MnPALS libraries or the University of Minnesota
library through the BSU Library Catalog,
determine whether the item is available in the BSU library. If not available,
click on the "ILL REQUEST" button on the gold bar near the
middle of the screen to submit a request for that item. You will be
prompted to identify yourself by your barcode (the number on your BSU
identification card which begins with 20105) and your password (your
last name.) After filling in this information, click on "GO."
Once your identity has been verified, your request will display. If
your request does not display, click on the "ILL REQUEST"
button one more time. To complete your request, fill in your "Not
Needed After" date (either by typing in the date or clicking on
the calendar, or accepting the default date provided) and check the
copyright box if you are requesting copies. If you would like electronic
delivery, choose "Copy (Electronic)" from the drop-down
box for "Preferred Format." Electronic
delivery may be requested for articles, book chapters, government
documents, or reports, but not for entire books. Finally, click"GO"
to submit your request.
Interlibrary Loan Link in Library's Databases.
Interlibrary loan request forms are now linked to a number of the Library's
databases. When linking to the interlibrary loan forms, you will first
need to identify yourself by your barcode (the number on your BSU identification
card which begins with 20105) and your password (your last name.) The
citation will then be automatically transferred to an interlibrary form;
you will need only to add your "Not needed after" date, and
click the copyright compliance box before submitting the form.
Academic Search Premier, Bibliography of Native North Americans,
Business Source Premier, CINAHL Plus with Full Text, MasterFILE Premier,
and Music Index have an "Interlibrary Loan and/or Request"
link. When viewing a citation in these databases, click on "Interlibrary
Loan and/or Request" to automatically transfer the citation to
the interlibrary loan form. Remember to first use the "Search
BSU" and "Search for Full Text Availability" links
to see if the BSU Library owns the item or has electronic access to
it, before using the interlibrary loan link to request the item.
ERIC, GeoREF, Physical Education Index, PsycINFO, Social Services
Abstracts, Sociological Abstracts have an "Interlibrary
Loan" link. When viewing a citation in these databases, click
on "Interlibrary Loan" to automatically transfer the citation
to the interlibrary loan form. Remember to first use the "Check
Your Library" link to see if the BSU Library owns the item or
has electronic access to it, before using the interlibrary loan link
to request the item.
Education Full Text has an "Interlibrary Loan"
link. When viewing a citation in this database, click on "Interlibrary
Loan" to automatically transfer the citation to the interlibrary
loan form. Remember to first use the "Library Owns" and
"WilsonLink" links to determine if the BSU Library owns
the item or has electronic access to it, before using the interlibrary
loan link to request the item.
Blank Electronic Request Forms. Blank interlibrary
loan forms are available via the BSU Library Catalog for requesting
items found in a source (e. g. bibliography, database, website) other
than the BSU Library Catalog, or the databases mentioned above. Before
requesting an item, please check both the
BSU Library Catalog (to determine if the material is available in
the BSU Library) and the list of Electronic
Periodicals Available via BSU (to determine if you can access the
full text of an article online.) If the item is not found in either
of these, then you may request it using the blank interlibrary loan
forms. To access the forms, go to the
BSU Library Catalog, click on "Your Borrowing Record"
on the top blue bar and fill in your User ID/Barcode (the number on
your BSU identification card which begins with 20105), your password
(your last name), and click "Log On." Once logged in, click
on the "Interlibrary Loan" button on the gold bar: note that
you initially are given access to the book form (which you may use for
books, videos, and any returnable item), and will need to click on "Journal"
to access the form for requesting journal articles. To complete the
blank interlibrary loan forms, please provide full and accurate citations,
noting especially the required fields marked by asterisks; if we are
unable to identify the item you need, there will be a delay in receiving
your item until we obtain additional information or clarification from
you. If you would like electronic
delivery of your item (chapters of books, government documents,
articles only, not entire books), choose "Copy (Electronic)"
from the "Preferred Format" drop-down list near the bottom
of the Book form. The blank interlibrary loan form for Journals is already
set for "Copy (Electronic)" so you would only change this
if you do not want electronic
delivery. To view a demonstration of a journal article request,
click on this DEMO. (For Flash Player
7 or higher) 
MnLINK. When viewing a record on MnLINK,
use the "Get It" button to order any materials not owned by
Bemidji State University. You will be prompted to log in with your barcode
and your password. Once logged in, your request will display. Click
on "Request via Interlibrary Loan," then enter your need-by
date, and "Submit" your request to complete the process.
How long will it take for my materials to come in?
When we are able to obtain materials within the regional MINITEX/MnPALS
interlibrary loan system, materials usually arrive within 2 to 7 working
days, unless it is a busy time or the materials are not widely available.
Articles provided electronically are often delivered within 1-2 days.
On the rare occasion when we must borrow beyond the MINITEX/MnPALS system,
materials may take 2 to 3 weeks to arrive. Actual shipping times may occasionally
vary from these averages, so please plan ahead when ordering, and if an
item does not arrive when you expect it, please check with the interlibrary loan staff.
Will I be notified when my materials are in?
E-mail notices are sent when books or loaned materials arrive.
If you have requested electronic
delivery of your articles, you will receive an e-mail notice which
includes directions for retrieving your article. If you currently have
a junk mail filter on your e-mail account, please examine the values
currently set to determine whether this incoming mail will be deliverable
to you. The article itself will not be delivered via e-mail (it will
be delivered to a website to which you will be directed), however the
e-mail notification with directions for accessing, as well as your PIN
number, will be e-mailed to you. It is important that this mail is deliverable
to you, as it is the key to your access.
How do I check on the status of my requests?
You can check the status of your requests online anytime by logging
in to "Your Borrowing Record" and checking "ILL Active
Requests" or "ILL Total Requests." You can also ask at
the BSU Library Circulation Desk (or call 218-755-3345) to see if your
materials have arrived.
Where do I pick up my interlibrary loan materials?
You may pick up your materials at the BSU Library circulation desk
during any hours
the library is open. Bring your valid BSU user identification card to
check out these materials. For BSU faculty, staff, and graduate assistants,
photocopies will be mailed directly to your on-campus offices via campus
mail. If you have requested electronic
delivery for articles, you will be notified by e-mail when your
materials are available for pickup, which will include detailed directions
for retrieving your article.
How long can I keep my interlibrary loan materials?
Any photocopies you receive are yours to keep. For returnable materials
(books, videos, etc.), the loan period you are given will vary because
it is set by the lending library. Materials are due on or before the
dates listed on the blue or lavender bookmark attached to your item.
On average, the loan period is 3-4 weeks for books, and 1-2 weeks for
non-book materials.
Can I renew my interlibrary loans if I need them longer?
A maximum of ONE RENEWAL ONLY per item may be possible, if requested
BEFORE the item is overdue. In the
BSU Library Catalog, log in to "Your Borrowing Record"
to request a renewal. Check in the category "ILL Active Requests,"
choose the item you would like to renew by clicking on the number on
the left, then click on the "Renew" button at the bottom of
the screen to place a renewal request. Be advised, however, that requesting
a renewal does not mean that your item is automatically renewed. The
library lending you the item reserves the right to grant or deny renewals,
so check back in a few days on the status of your renewal request to
see if you have been given a new due date.
What if the library is closed when my materials are due?
If the library will be closed, either for semester
break or between sessions, when your materials are due, you must either
request a renewal for your materials before their due date (see directions
above) or return them by the date specified. When the library is closed,
you can return your interlibrary loan materials via the outside book
return on the south wall of the library near the entrance doors.
Will I be charged overdue fines?
When your item is one week overdue, you will be blocked from any future
BSU Library transactions until your item is returned. An $80.00 charge
for each item will automatically be added to your account when your
item reaches fifteen days overdue. This may be refundable when the item
is returned. A non-refundable processing fee of $50.00 may be levied
for items overdue for 4 or more weeks. All charges are billed against
your university account, and payment is made in the Cashiers Office
in Deputy Hall. Please return your interlibrary loan materials on time,
or request a renewal before the item is due, to avoid unnecessary consequences.
Can I cancel a request for an item I no longer need?
If, for any reason, you decide you no longer need the item(s) you
requested, please use the "cancel" feature available in the
BSU Library Catalog via "Your Borrowing Record." Log in
to "Your Borrowing Record", and click on "ILL Active
Requests." Select an individual request by clicking on the highlighted
number for the request, then look to the bottom of the screen for the
"Cancel Request" button. If you have any difficulty in canceling
a request, you may contact the interlibrary loan
staff for assistance.
Who can answer my questions about interlibrary loan?
The librarians at the reference desk can provide basic interlibrary
loan information, such as average delivery times, and can assist you
in placing interlibrary loan requests, and checking the status of your
interlibrary loans through the BSU
Library Catalog. For detailed information on the status of your
requests, contact the interlibrary loan
staff. Please ask at the reference desk or the circulation desk,
if you would like to speak with interlibrary loan staff in person.
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