Interlibrary Loan and Document Delivery Services

REQUEST AN ITEM THROUGH INTERLIBRARY LOAN

Interlibrary Loan expands the range of available research materials. Materials not owned by the Binghamton University Libraries may be obtained from other libraries through Interlibrary Loan. Materials held by the Libraries can be delivered to your preferred library location through Document Delivery. You can request an item through Document Delivery Services via Find It!

Required textbooks for Binghamton University Courses cannot be borrowed through Interlibrary Loan. Instead, visit the Libraries' Course Reserves tool to see if your textbook is available. 

We cannot obtain full eBooks through Interlibrary Loan, due to licensing restrictions.

If you plan on requesting more than 25 items in one week's time, please contact the Interlibrary Loan Department and/or your subject librarian.

Who May Borrow

Binghamton University faculty, students, staff, and research associates are eligible. If you are not affiliated with Binghamton University, and would like to borrow materials, please contact your local public library to submit a formal ILL request. 

You must have a valid Binghamton University ID and a University email account (@binghamton.edu) in order to log in.

Delivery

Physical ILL materials typically take one to two weeks to arrive; electronic materials may take a week to arrive. Special formats or unique titles may take longer. Document Delivery materials typically arrive within 2 business days.

You will receive an email when your materials are available to be picked up. ILL and Document Delivery materials cannot be shipped to residences or offices.

  • ILL materials not picked up by their due date will be returned to the lending institution.
  • Document Delivery requests not picked up 10 business days after notification will be returned to the shelf. 
  • PDF's delivered to your ILLiad account will be available for 30 days. 

Loan Periods and Renewals

The lending library determines loan lengths and restrictions on the use of materials. For example, if the material has a "Library Use Only" condition, it may only be viewed in the library. 

You may request a renewal in-person or online via your library account, unless a non-renewal is indicated. Renewals are at the discretion of the lending library: if a renewal is denied, you will receive an email.

Limitations

The following cannot be borrowed through Interlibrary Loan: 

  • eBooks 
  • Textbooks required for a Binghamton University course

We may have difficulties or be unable to borrow the following materials: 

  • Textbooks (not required for a Binghamton University course) 
  • New materials
  • Test preparation materials
  • Software
  • Reference books or whole journal issues
  • Audio/Visual (including DVD's and CD's)
  • Rare books and dissertations

The Libraries must comply with U.S. Copyright Law and publisher licenses. After more than five articles from a journal published within the last five years are requested, additional copyright fees may apply.

Fees and Fines 

Costs may be assessed by the lending library or through copyright royalties. The Libraries will pay up to $30.00 per request. Requestors will be contacted if the fee exceeds this amount. If the requester agrees to pay a fee, it will be added to their QuikPay account once the material is available.

ILL and Document Delivery materials are subject to overdue and damage fines. Lost charges for ILL materials will be determined by the lending library. You may be billed for lost ILLs as soon as 30 days overdue. Once you are billed for a lost ILL, you may not return the material for a credit. At the discretion of the Libraries, access to your Interlibrary Loan accounts may be limited or blocked for lack of compliance with due dates and prompt return of material upon the expressed request of the Libraries. 

Borrowing Libraries / External Borrowers

The Binghamton University Libraries lends materials to other libraries. Please submit all requests through OCLC.

If your ILL office doesn't participate in ILL through OCLC,  please email us at mainill@binghamton.edu so we may create an account for you.  Please include the following: 

  • Library name
  • Shipping/billing address
  • Odyssey address (if applicable)
  • Name, phone number, and email for your contact person.

Non-OCLC Libraries may log into their account here

Individuals interested in borrowing materials from our collection must place a formal request through their college/university library, or, through their local public library.