If a current student, faculty, or staff can't find an item through Viterbo's resources, we can likely borrow it from another library.

This Interlibrary Loan Tutorial walks you through the two ways of creating a request:

1. Manual request where you manually enter citation information into the request form.
2. Automatic request where you find a record with citation information in a database or the catalog. Then, you click "Request through Interlibrary Loan" and the citation information is automatically inserted into the request form.

Ask Us for help.

The following are times that items typically arrive. Time may vary depending on item availability and library location.

• Articles and Book Chapters: Around 1 day

• Books: 6-10 days

• Dissertations: These require more time to obtain than books or articles if they are only owned by the original publisher. If the dissertation is not available for loan from the original publisher, you may purchase it from UMI Dissertation Express.

• Conference Papers: These can be difficult or impossible to obtain. These papers are usually maintained by the author rather than a library. Sometimes, if you contact the author, he or she will share the conference paper with you.  Please ask if you need help locating the author.

• Videos, Music, Musical Scores, and Reference Items: Many libraries don't lend these, so it can take us longer to find them than it does to find books or articles.

• Microfilm and Microfiche: We can usually borrow these, but they must be viewed in the library due to their expense.

We'll email you.

• Articles and Book Chapters: You'll receive a link and password to access it.
• Physical Items:
  • On-campus Patrons: You may pick it up at the circulation desk or ask that it be delivered via interdepartmental mail. For delivery, include your building and room number in the comments field on the request form. 
  • Off-campus Patrons: If you wish to have the item delivered by postal mail, leave your full address in the comments field on the request form.

Loan periods for items are determined by the lending library, not Viterbo. Loan periods vary, but are typically around 4 weeks. We will attach a label with the due date to the cover of the item.

It is common for lending libraries to grant one renewal, but no more. To renew, email library2@viterbo.edu.

Overdue materials cannot be renewed. If you still need the item, email library2@viterbo.edu and we will request another copy. We ask that you return overdue items immediately so we stay on good terms with our lenders.

The following are options for seeing past requests:

• In My Library Account, you can only see past requests if you've first enabled Borrowing History. You can enable Borrowing History under Profile. Once enabled, you'll be able to see returned books from that point forward under Borrowing History. Borrowing history is retained for 5 years.
• If you've saved past email notifications, try searching "Interlibrary Loan" in your email.
• Email library2@viterbo.edu and let us know what time range you're interested in. We can email information about past requests.

The library does not promote the borrowing or lending of textbooks and will decline an interlibrary loan borrowing request when it is done in lieu of purchasing a textbook for a course. The process of borrowing a textbook can take up a few weeks, leaving the student without a textbook for that time. Also, Interlibrary loan items generally must be returned within four weeks, leaving a student without a textbook for the remainder of the semester.

See Ask Us.