How to submit an Interlibrary Loan Request
Via the Library Databases:
Via the online form:
ILL Guidelines for borrowers
Eligibility
All currently registered Langara students, faculty and staff can request interlibrary loans. Langara alumni, community borrowers and visitors are not elegible.
Types of materials
Included: books, journal articles and videos. Excluded: course textbooks, materials already owned by Langara Library, and materials limited by copyright or licensing agreements. The library borrows ILL materials from BC academic libraries and other libraries that Langara has ILL agreements with.
Cost is free
ILL is free for students and employees. However, the library has to pay a fee for each ILL item we receive, which is why there are limits on the number of requests.
Limits
For students, the ILL limit is 5 items (books and/or articles) per assignment. Due to budgetary limitations, the number of interlibrary loan requests processed for any one user may be restricted.
For teaching and learning
ILL is intended to support academic activities rather than for personal or recreational use.
Delivery times
Usually 1-5 working days for journal articles and book chapters, and up to 15 working days for books. We strive to make the interlibrary loan process as fast as possible. Working days are from Monday to Friday.
Notification
We will email you when your ILL has arrived, or even sooner if there are any issues with your request.
Online article delivery
You will receive a TitanFile email with a link to download a PDF of the article. The download is yours to keep. See below for more information about TitanFile.
Book and video pickup in the library
Present your library card at the Check Out Desk on the first floor of the library to pick up your request.
Loan periods and renewals
Unfortunately you can not always renew ILL books or videos, since some lending libraries do not allow it. To request an ILL renewal, contact the Interlibrary Loans office at ill@rstdev3.zyns.com or 604-323-5458.
Returns
Please return all ILL books and videos to Langara College Library, NOT to the lending library (i.e. the library it came from).
How do I check the status of my Interlibrary loan request?
Contact us. Please make sure to include in your message your full name and student number (i.e. if you are a student).
How do I cancel my Interlibrary loan request?
You can cancel your Interlibrary loan request at any time. To do so, you can contact us. Please make sure to include in your message your full name and student number (i.e. if you are a student).
If we have notified you that an Interlibrary loan book has arrived, but you don't need it anymore, you can email or call. We don't mind.
What happens if I lose or damage ILL material?
If you lose or damage material acquired via interlibrary loan, you will be responsible for paying any replacement charges and processing fees levied by the lending library.
About TitanFile online delivery
Langara offers online ILL article delivery via TitanFile, a Canadian company specializing in secure document delivery. No need to come to campus for pick up - simply place your request online and within a few days you'll receive an email with a link to a downloadable PDF version of the article.
Troubleshooting tips
No email? - check your Junk folder
Some email providers may send TitanFile email to the "Junk" folder. If you haven't received your article in 5 business days, check there first. You can add TitanFile to your address book to prevent it from happening again.
Can't download? - check your browser
TitanFile works with Firefox, Chrome, Safari and Internet Explorer. If you can't open your PDF article with one browser, try opening it in a different browser. Also check that your browser is current, as TitanFile may not work with an old version of a browser.
Downloading to a mobile device
Most TitanFile functions are identical on a computer and a mobile device. You can download and access your files from all mobile devices.
File size matters
Some PDF articles are large files (for example over 1 MB) and may take longer to download. Wireless downloading may also take longer, depending on the network speed. With larger files, look for a browser message indicating the progress of your download.
Article links have expiry dates
TitanFile download links are set to expire two weeks after they are sent. If your link expires before you can access your article, contact the Interlibrary Loans office.
Once you have downloaded an article, the file itself does not expire and the PDF is yours to keep.
If you need further help with accessing your article, please contact the Interlibrary Loans office.
ILL Guidelines for external libraries
Materials not available for lending
Langara does not interlibrary loan reserve materials, reference books, or entire issues of periodicals. Media items are only loaned out to academic libraries, and not public libraries. For academic libraries, please see the “Placing requests” section further below for how to request a media item from us.
Note: High demand items or items acquired within the last year may also not be eligible. Contact the Interlibrary Loans office if you have questions about a specific request.
Loan periods
Books and media are due two weeks from the date of receipt at the borrowing library. Two renewals are allowed, providing there are no outstanding holds on the item.
Charges
Requests from outside BC: $15 per request
Replacement charges: $50+ (varies by title)
We do not charge late fees to libraries who borrow ILL materials from us.
Placing requests
Langara does not use an ILL management system. Please provide your LAC or other library code with any request. We accept requests via Illume or via email: ill [at] rstdev3.zyns.com (ill[at]langara[dot]ca).
Note: Media requests from BC academic libraries that are not submitted via email, must be submitted via the “Blank Request Form” in Illume.
Shipping
We ship books and media by Canada Post. We will supply articles by email.
Contact the Interlibrary Loans office:
ILL main contact: Richard Birkenes
Phone: 604-323-5458
E-mail: ill [at] rstdev3.zyns.com (ill[at]langara[dot]ca)
Alternate way to deliver ILL articles to us: Langara's TitanFile Deposit Box
