Inter Library Loans (ILLs)
If NUA Library doesn’t have the book or journal article that you need, we can often borrow it from another library (e.g. the British Library) on your behalf.
This service is free of charge to all NUA students and staff, although there is a cost to the Library for borrowing and renewing ILLs.
If you want to request an item please use our item request form. We try to acquire all items requested from us, sometimes by buying them, and other times by borrowing them from other libraries. We will get back to you as quickly as possible to let you know how we will fulfill your request. If we are going to provide you with access to the item by inter-library loan we will let you know.
Frequently asked questions relating to inter-library loans are below. You can also find out more about the specific material we hold by emailing us.
How do I apply for an ILL?
Please complete the item request form.
How long does it take to receive an ILL?
We aim to fulfil ILL requests within 7 days, but some may take longer so please bear this in mind. (Some items take a lot of hunting down, and we also have to allow time for postage).
We will email your student email account as soon as your item is ready to collect.
Where do I collect my ILL from?
Please collect your ILL from the Library Help Desk on the 1st floor. Journal articles are printed off for you, we just need you to sign a copyright declaration form before handing you the article, which you can then keep.
Books are a little more complicated, please see below!
How long will I be able to borrow the book?
Most ILL books are loaned for approx. 3 to 4 weeks, but we cannot guarantee this as the return date is set by the institution we have borrowed from.
The loan period starts from the day we receive the item so please collect it as soon as possible – we will email your student email account once it is ready to collect.
ILLs have strict return dates, if a book becomes overdue we can lose the right to borrow from that particular library, so please be prompt with returns.
Can I renew an ILL book?
This will be up to the institution that we have borrowed the book from, so please give us plenty of notice to ask for permission on your behalf. We cannot renew the book without their permission.