Interlibrary Loan Service

The Wendell G. Hardway Library participates in resource sharing between libraries as a way to supplement our collection and meet the information needs of the Bluefield State College community.  Interlibrary loan enables library patrons to obtain books or articles when they are not available from the library collection.

Who may use Bluefield State’s Interlibrary Loan Service?

Interlibrary loan (ILL) Services are available to all current faculty, staff, students, and emeriti of Bluefield State College.  Patrons must be registered users of the Bluefield State College library with no outstanding library fines, overdue items, or lost materials on their record.

Community users of the library may request ILL services through their local public library.

Individuals enrolled in academic programs at another college or university must use that institution for their interlibrary loan requests.

What materials can be ordered?

Books, theses, dissertations, and some microforms can be borrowed.  Photocopies of non-circulating materials, such as journal and newspaper articles, will be supplied when the request is in accordance with copyright guidelines. 

What cannot be ordered? 

Textbooks for courses at Bluefield State College
Reference or reserve items
Whole volumes or issues of periodicals
Materials from Archives or literary manuscripts collections
Audiovisual materials
Electronically stored information if restricted by license agreements
Many libraries will not loan items that are less than 12 months old

How do I make an interlibrary loan request?

First check the library catalog and databases to make sure that the library does not own the item you are requesting.  Neglecting this step delays interloan processing for all requests.  Make sure that your citations are complete and submit them to a librarian for approval.  Include your library card number with your request.

How much does it cost?

The cost of ILL transactions varies, depending upon the policies of the lending libraries.  These costs are not passed on to students; the library absorbs them. 

How long does it take?

Something borrowed from a West Virginia library will normally take two to seven days.  Anything from outside the state normally takes about two weeks from the date of processing. 

Requests are processed in the order we receive them.  Patrons with large numbers of requests may be asked to prioritize them so that we can serve the greatest number of researchers. 

The I.L.L. staff realizes the time constraints that students operate under and does everything possible to speed the delivery of items. However, much depends upon the lending library and the U.S. Postal Service, areas over which the Hardway Library has no control.

How will I know when my ILL item has arrived?

You will receive an email when your materials come in, however, student email addresses often bounce back to us.  Please visit or call us at 327-4054 to check on the status of your request.   

ILL materials borrowed for faculty members are delivered to them via campus mail.

Can I renew an interlibrary loan?

Renewals depend completely upon the lending library.  If you are in need of an extension, please contact us and we will make that request on your behalf.  It is not unusual for such requests to be declined, so make the best use of your time with the material.

What happens if my ILL item is overdue?

You are responsible for returning interlibrary loans on or before the due date.  We will notify you when items checked out to you are late.  Please treat ILL materials carefully.  If you damage or do not return your item, the lending library will bill Bluefield State for the material itself as well as additional fees and penalties.  We will then bill you for the total amount; if left unpaid, this amount will be added to your student BANNER account and may affect your standing with the Registrar’s Office.

How do I return my loaned item? 

Please return ILL materials to the circulation desk.