I. Patron Requests and Item Delivery

Who can use Interlibrary Loan services

The following people may borrow items through Benedictine Library’s Interlibrary Loan Department:

• Any registered student of Benedictine University
• Faculty, administration and staff
• Monks of Saint Procopius Abbey and Sisters of Sacred Heart Convent

Requesting books and articles

Requests are taken from approved borrowers via email, fax (630-960-9451), Web forms, online databases and in person.  Requests will not be taken via telephone.

How long will it take?

In general it takes two to four weeks, or 10-20 business days, for items to arrive at the Benedictine Library, regardless of item format. 

How do I know when my materials have arrived?

Patrons will be phoned when items are available to be picked up at the Benedictine Library Circulation Desk.

Off-campus cohort & PhD policies

All items requested through interlibrary loan will be automatically mailed through UPS to PhD students and off-campus cohorts.  Off-campus cohort and PhD students may also request in-house items, which will also be automatically mailed.  Students will be billed directly for photocopies at 10 cents per page.  A student in these programs may request that items be held at the Benedictine Library in lieu of being mailed. 

Loan periods & overdues

Interlibrary Loan items are lent to patrons under the home institutions' borrowing policies.  Most items need to be returned within four weeks.  All borrowed materials are marked with a due date. Overdue notices are issued as a courtesy. Failure to receive an overdue notice does not release patrons from the responsibility for returning or renewing materials or from paying overdue fines.

II. Borrowing Guidelines

Direct Borrowing

Patrons holding current, valid Benedictine University I.D. cards may directly borrow circulating materials from participating I-SHARE and LIBRAS institutions by presenting their University I.D. at those libraries.  Before traveling to one of these libraries, the patron should first verify that they are currently entered on the Voyager patron database.  This can be done at the Circulation Desk at the Benedictine Library in person, or over the telephone.

Books

Books may be borrowed through the Benedictine University Library for the patrons defined above from other libraries via VOYAGER (I-SHARE), LIBRAS, the METROPOLITAN LIBRARY SYSTEM, OCLC, or according to the terms determined by the AMERICAN LIBRARY ASSOCIATION from institutions not participating in the above cooperative agreements.  VOYAGER books are held for the patron upon receipt of the book, and are charged to the patron on pickup.  The lending library determines the loan period, as well as the cost for fines and/or replacement charges.  The patron is responsible for any fines incurred. The lending library also determines renewals and other restrictions.  All items are held for two weeks before being returned to their home institution.

Periodicals

Photocopies of periodical articles may be requested from other libraries for the patrons defined above.  When received, these photocopies become the property of the patron. All copies are held for two weeks.

Audio·Visual Materials

Currently are not borrowed or loaned.  This includes all videos, CDs, DVDs, floppy disks, cassettes and phonograph records. 

Curriculum Collections and Instructional Videos: Borrowing of this type of material is very limited and only done by special request.

III.  Lending Policies

Direct Lending

Benedictine University Library will honor current, valid I.D. cards from students of I-SHARE and LIBRAS institutions, valid Metropolitan Library System cards, and DuPage Library System cards that have been validated by Lisle Public Library for patrons who wish to borrow materials directly from our library.

Interlibrary Lending

Requests from libraries will be taken via OCLC, Fax, Ariel, or email.  Requests will not be taken via telephone.  Benedictine Library does not charge a fee for lending items, and is a member of I-SHARE, LIBRAS, SILO, and LVIS.  Photocopy charges are listed below.

Books

Benedictine University Library honors all requests for loans of books in our circulating collection from I-SHARE and LIBRAS libraries, libraries belonging to the Metropolitan Library System, and OCLC, as well as requests submitted to us on American Library Association forms. Books are sent via ILDS or UPS.

Books loaned to I-SHARE schools via VOYAGER are given loan periods that correspond to our loan policies.  All undergraduates are given a 28-day loan and 3 renewals.  Graduate students, faculty and staff at all I-SHARE schools are given a 16-week loan.  Public libraries, OCLC and ALA requested books are given a four-week (28 day) loan period with one renewal.

Photocopies

Periodicals (bound, unbound, microfilm, and microfiche) do not circulate. Photocopies will be sent via ILDS, fax, Ariel, or US mail to fill interlibrary loan requests for this material.

Audio-Visual Materials

Audio·visual materials (CDs, DVDs, floppy disks, cassettes and phonograph records) do not circulate on interlibrary loan.

IMC Collection All IMC (Instructional Materials Collection) materials labeled PTC or KIT do not circulate.  IMC or J books circulate only under special conditions.