Interlibrary Loan

Interlibrary loan is a free service offered to MWCC students, staff, and faculty. If the information you need is not available from local sources, we can place requests from more distant libraries.

NOTICE: WARNING CONCERNING COPYRIGHT RESTRICTIONS

The copyright law of the United States (Title 17, United States Code) governs the making of Photocopies or other reproductions of copyrighted material. Under certain conditions specified in the law, libraries and archives are authorized to furnish a photocopy or other reproduction. One of these specified conditions is that the photocopy reproduction is not to be "used for any purpose other than private study, scholarship, or research." If a user makes a request for, or later uses, a photocopy or reproduction for purposes in excess of "fair use," that user may be liable for copyright infringement. This institution reserves the right to refuse to accept a copying order if, in its judgement, fufillment of the order would involve violation of copyright law.

Contact the library:

• Email:  illmwcc@mwcc.mass.edu
• Or talk with a librarian in person.

Information we need:

• As much information as you have about the item you are requesting
• A citation for the item is best (see below for more information).

Citation Examples:

O'Brien, J. A. (Ed.). (2006). The production of reality: Essays and readings on social interaction (4th ed.). Thousand Oaks, CA: Pine Forge Press.

Carlson, C. J., Dougherty, E. R., & Getz, W. (2016). An ecological assessment of the pandemic threat of Zika virus. Plos Neglected Tropical Diseases, 10(8), 1-18. doi:10.1371/journal.pntd.0004968

How long does it take?

Typically, it takes one to two weeks, but it may take longer.

Is there a cost?

Interlibrary loan is almost always free, but sometimes a lending library imposes a fee. In that case, the person requesting the item will be asked in advance to be responsible for the fee.

How long may I keep the material?

The loan period is established by the lending library, and may vary from 2-4 weeks. When a periodical article is requested, the lending library sends a copy (print or electronic) which the borrower may keep.

May I renew an item?

The library that owns the item makes decisions about renewals. We can request a renewal, but it will not automatically be granted.

How will I know when my request is fulfilled?

You will receive an email when your material arrives. Books and print articles will be available for pick up at the Circulation Desk. Articles in electronic format will be emailed to you.

I still have a question...can someone help me?

Please send an email to illmwcc@mwcc.mass.edu if you have any further questions.