If the Erwin Library does not own a book you need for your research or an article you need is not available in any of the research databases available from the Erwin Library webpage, you may request the library to order a copy of the book or article from another library. This library-to-library lending is called Interlibrary Loan (ILL).
All ILL transactions for books and copies of articles are absolutely free to any Erwin Library patron who holds a current Erwin library card, with some restrictions, such as in-house use only of ILL materials for community patrons, for all patrons borrowing standard test manuals, or for WCC students should the item cost $100 or more.
It will usually take about two weeks for a book to be mailed to the Erwin Library for you to pick up and use. Copies of articles in PDF, or temporarily accessible links to them in a database, are usually emailed, taking a much shorter time to reach the Erwin Library for you, often no more than a business day. When the book or article is ready, you will be called or emailed by the ILL staff member at the Erwin Library.
You must present your Erwin Library card when picking up an ILL loan, though you may give your library card to a third person to pick up the item. The requestor is always responsible for the return of the materials in good condition.
There are several types of ILL requests:
For books not available in print in the library OPAC (Online Public Access Catalog) or as an ebook in the research databases available from the Erwin Library webpage, fill out an online ILL Book Request form. A Reference Librarian will gladly assist you using this online form from your office or home computer or in the Erwin Library on our computer workstations.
You will be notified by email or telephone when the loaned book you requested has been received in the Erwin Library and is ready for you to pick up after presenting your Erwin Library card.
For journal articles not available in the research databases from the Erwin Library webpage, fill out an online ILL Article Request form. A Reference Librarian will gladly assist you using this online form from your office or home computer or in the Erwin Library on our computer workstations.
Article loans are usually sent to the Erwin Library and then to you as either a link to the article in another library’s database using a temporary login provided in the email notification or as a PDF attachment to the email notification that will be forwarded to you.