Interlibrary Loan

Materials Offered

Books, theses and dissertations, and other resources reproduced in print or microform can be borrowed (depending on the lending library's policies). Photocopies of non-circulating materials, primarily periodical articles, can be requested in accordance with copyright laws.

Materials Not Offered

Periodical issues in their entirety; very newly-published books (many libraries have a waiting period for off-site circulation); rare, valuable, or fragile materials; most reference books and classroom texts; various unpublished working papers and conference papers; most questionnaires/instruments/measurement tools; and most audio-visual materials (videotapes, CDs, and audiotapes).

Cost

The Virginia Campus Library pays for most interlibrary loan costs for eligible patrons, except in extraordinary circumstances. Patrons are notified of any costs before the library completes the ordering process.

Overdue items are fined $.25 per day. Replacement fees are charged as necessary.

How Interlibrary Loan Works

The library staff checks all item requests for local holdings (GWU and Consortium schools) first. If the item is not available locally, the staff will automatically search other academic and public libraries, starting in locations closest to the DC Metro area. Requests for items not held by libraries in North America are generally cancelled.

Books received by our library may be held for pickup or mailed to the patron's work or home address via USPS 1st Class or Priority Mail (overnight shipping is not available). Articles may be held for library pickup, mailed, or emailed (PDF format, file size permitting). Patrons should indicate delivery preference when submitting a request and must include their full name, contact information, and complete bibliographic citations.

Turnaround Time

It is important to plan ahead, as most interlibrary loans take 1-2 weeks to arrive at our library. Materials coming from out-of-state may take longer. Many library departments are short-staffed or closed over weekends, holidays, and academic breaks--these factors affect the service we receive from other schools. Please be aware that the time taken for material to arrive depends upon the relative popularity of the material and number of libraries owning it, the geographical distance between our library and the lender, the lender's response time, and the method of delivery.

Our library initiates interlibrary loan requests as soon as possible after receipt from our students; typically within 24 hours. Once the order leaves our hands, however, many factors are beyond our control; due to the volume of requests our lenders receive from schools around the world, it is generally not possible for us to ask the lenders to expedite items or give our requests preferential treatment. We cannot guarantee delivery by a certain date, but we do encourage our library patrons to contact us if they have questions about the status of their items, or if they need suggestions for alternative resources.

Loan Period

Due dates are set by the lending library and usually range between two and six weeks. Patrons may renew books online through myALADIN for a period of two weeks, unless otherwise noted. Some lenders specify special conditions regarding the use of materials, such as "No Renewals" or "In Library Use Only". Some materials may be extended beyond the two week myAladin renewal; you must contact the library staff prior to the due date to request such an extension (we cannot guarantee the lender will permit a renewal). All circulating materials are subject to recall at any time.

All materials borrowed through interlibrary loan should be returned to the Virginia Campus Library (preferred) or the Gelman Library at the Foggy Bottom Campus. Please leave our pink book bands attached to the material. A book drop is provided outside the library for after-hours returns. Interlibrary borrowing is a privilege, not a right, for our institution. Please help us preserve our quality of service by returning materials on time!