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FAQs
OF INTERLIBRARY LOAN
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What
is Interlibrary Loan?
Interlibrary
Loan (ILL) is a service that allows the MJC Library to locate
and obtain materials for you that are not available at our library.
ILL is based on a network of cooperative agreements that provide
access to books and periodicals in the collections of over 13,000
libraries in the U.S., Canada, Puerto Rico, Mexico, and Europe.
When
Should I Use Interlibrary Loan?
You
may request ILL service when the book or journal article you need
is not available from the MJC or Columbia College libraries. Before
requesting an ILL, please check OPUS
(the MJC Library Catalog) for your item then discuss your information
needs with the librarian at the Reference Desk in person or by
calling (209) 575-6230. The MJC or Columbia College libraries
collections may contain other resources that would satisfy
you.
Can
I Use ILL to Get My Textbook?
No.
We do not request textbooks currently used in classes through
Interlibrary Loan.
Who
Can Use ILL?
ILL
services are available only to currently-enrolled MJC students
and currently-employed faculty and staff, friends of the library,
and MJC retirees. MJC library users who are not among these categories
cannot use the MJC Interlibrary Loan services. These individuals
may want to check with their local public library.
How
Do I Get Started?
First,
you need to choose specific items you need that are not available
at the MJC or Columbia College libraries. If you're not sure which
particular books, journal articles, or other materials you need,
ask a librarian at the Reference Desk in person or by calling
(209) 575-6230.
Once
you have a specific book, journal, or other citation, you must
fill out the appropriate ILL request form. You can use our ILL
request Web forms (Book Form or
Periodical Form) or use the
paper request forms available from the Reference Desk. You can
turn in your completed paper forms to the librarian on duty at
the Reference Desk.
Limitations
of ILL
There
are two basic limitations to the ILL service. First, it can take
several weeks for us to get materials for you from other libraries.
If the lending libraries are out of California or the item you
request is already checked out from the lending library, it can
take even longer. Also, if the item you request is in a format
other than book or periodical article, it can take longer to get
and cost more.
In most cases ILL is a free service, and it is always a
free service to faculty, staff, friends of the library, and retirees.
Sometimes, however, the lending library charges the MJC Library
for the service; when this occurs on a student's ILL request,
we have to pass that charge on to the student. The charge can
be anywhere from $3 to $15 per item, but $5 is average.
What
If I Want More Information?
Contact
us! You can speak with a Reference Librarian by calling 209-575-6230
or stop by the library on east campus.
