Roux Library Interlibrary Loan
Interlibrary loan is a service provided to currently enrolled students, faculty, and staff so that they may obtain materials not available at Roux Library. The library reserves the right to pass along any service charges or borrowing fees assessed by other libraries. Interlibrary loan is not available to alumni, as most public libraries also provide interlibrary loan service.
How do I submit requests?
Requests for interlibrary loans are placed with the Resource Sharing Librarian. Requests may only be placed online and a separate request must be placed for each item. Please make sure the item is not already available at Roux Library by checking the catalog. A request form can be found within most databases and on the main library page.
How long will I wait for materials I have requested?
When obtaining materials from other institutions, the wait can sometimes be up to 3-4 weeks, especially for books from out of state. Articles usually take 24 hours to a few days. Your request is generally processed within 24 hours of receipt. It can take time for the lending libraries to process the requests, over which we have no control.
How am I notified when my material arrives?
When your request arrives and is processed, we send an email or a text, to let you know it is available.
Are there restrictions on what I can borrow?
We do not borrow the following:
- Textbooks used in course work*
- Non-circulating materials, such as reference books, rare books, etc.
- Items that will be placed on reserve
- Periodicals (i.e. entire issues)
- Genealogical materials
- Computer software
- Non-circulating theses and dissertations
Can I do anything to expedite the process?
You can assist in several important areas:
- Do not use abbreviations unless the source of the citation uses them.
- Obtain complete citations from standard bibliographic sources (i.e. indexes, bibliographies, library catalogs, etc.) and make a note of the source in your request.
- Check the library catalog first — the number one reason for unnecessary delay is that Roux Library owns or has access to the material.
How do I obtain my ILL materials and where do I return them?
Articles
Electronic articles will be sent to the email account you have provided.
Loans
Incoming loans are held at the library’s circulation desk under your name. Every lending library has the right to restrict the use of materials to library use only, and they control the due date.
Returns
Materials borrowed must be returned to the circulation desk. Please do not remove the band/label from the item you have borrowed. It is your responsibility to observe and follow these restrictions. Failure to adhere to the lending library’s rules may jeopardize your future borrowing privileges.
Loan Periods
Incoming loans are held at the library’s circulation desk under your name. Every lending library has the right to restrict the use of materials to library use only, and they control the due date.
Articles
Loan periods vary and are assigned by the lending institution. Additionally, materials are subject to recall by the lender at any time. It is your responsibility to be aware of your material’s due dates. Renewals may not be an option.
Loans
Incoming loans are held at the library’s circulation desk under your name. Every lending library has the right to restrict the use of materials to library use only, and they control the due date.
Overdue Material
- Thirty (30) days overdue: you are billed for the item’s replacement cost as determined by the lending library. All replacement costs are non-refundable and interlibrary loan privileges are revoked until fines are paid.
- Repeat offenders: Interlibrary loan service may be suspended to individuals whose borrowing privileges have been blocked more than once. Suspension may remain in effect for a semester.
Is there a cost for the service?
The library reserves the right to pass along any service charges or borrowing fees assessed by other libraries. Fees may be paid at the library by check to "Florida Southern College" or will be billed to a student's account.
Is there a restriction on the number of requests I can submit?
No, but we may limit processing individuals’ requests to 10 per day.
Are there restrictions on what I can borrow?
We do not borrow the following:
- Textbooks used in course work*
- Non-circulating materials, such as reference books, rare books, etc.
- Items that will be placed on reserve
- Periodicals (i.e. entire issues)
- Genealogical materials
- Computer software
- Non-circulating theses and dissertations
Questions?
Please contact Sarah Merrill in the Interlibrary Loan office; text, 863-797-4072; phone, 863-616-6453 or e-mail, ill@flsouthern.edu.
The library does not borrow required textbooks via Interlibrary Loan.
Why are textbooks not available through Interlibrary loan?
Interlibrary loan services are intended to assist students and faculty with the short term borrowing of supplementary materials that they might need for class related research, but which are not owned by Roux library.
Purchasing textbooks is part of usual college expenses, along with paying tuition and residence hall/rental expenses and buying school supplies, a parking pass, and a meal plan.
Some textbooks, lab manuals, and course packs are created especially for and used only by FSC courses, so they are not available anywhere else.
Very few libraries borrow textbooks for their students. Even fewer libraries have the newest editions as soon as they are printed and required for use by professors for classes. Of those libraries that do purchase textbooks, the textbook collections are usually reserved for their campus-use only and are not loaned to other libraries.
Requested books can usually take up to two weeks to arrive, so students are already far behind in their class work and reading by the time the books get here. Students only get to keep a textbook borrowed through ILL for about three weeks. There are no renewals for interlibrary loans.
Because of these factors, occasionally our students have given in to the temptation to keep borrowed materials after their due date in order to have them for classes. This creates a very awkward position for us in the community of libraries with whom we share materials. Roux Library may not be able to borrow from the lending library for any FSC student or staff member if we have been put in this unfortunate position.
Although interlibrary loans do not cost you anything, they often cost the library $50 or more per request. The library does not have the funding to request hundreds of student textbooks, each of which will only be able to be kept for a few weeks.
Options to purchasing new textbooks can include renting the textbook from the FSC bookstore, purchasing used texts from online textbook sites, or sharing with your classmates.