Interlibrary Loan (ILL)

Directions on how to search the Library's WorldCat Discovery to locate and request articles and books not owned by the library.

The simplest way to make an interlibrary loan request is to go through our WorldCat catalog. Follow these steps to find and request material for interlibrary loan.

Step 1: Search the catalog. Go to https://guides.kirkwood.edu and enter your search terms into the search box as seen here:

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Was your item found? 

• If the item you want appears in the results, then it is available from the Kirkwood Library! Click on the title to see where it's located. If you need the item delivered to one of the county/regional centers, follow the instructions found HERE. 
• If the item you want does not appear, you can expand your search beyond Kirkwood Library holdings. Check the "Libraries Worldwide" box on the upper left hand side of the screen as seen here:

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Step 2: Request the item. Locate the item you want in the results list and click on the title. Find the button "Request This" and click to open up the interlibrary loan request form:

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If you're searching from off-campus: After clicking the "Request This" button, a window will pop up saying "Select a service to sign into." Select the first option, "Kirkwood Community College Libraries LDAP", then log in with your k number and password.
 

Step 3: Fill out the Interlibrary Loan Request Form. Next, an Interlibrary Loan Request form will appear. It should be pre-filled with information about the item you want to request. Scroll down to fill in your name and contact information. Click Submit at the bottom of the window.

That's it, your request has been submitted!

Interlibrary loan requests can also be made while searching an article database. Follow these steps:

Step 1: Find full text. If an article in a database doesn't have the "full text" or whole article available, look for a button or link that says "find full text" or something similar:

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Step 2: Investigate whether Kirkwood Library has access. The "find full text" link will open a window that shows whether Kirkwood Library might hold the material in another database. Sometimes it will list that the item is held in the database. If so, look at the "Coverage" line to see if the database has the date you need. If we don't have access, click the "Request This Item" button toward the bottom of the window:

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Don't see a "Request this" button? You can still get the item you need, it will just take an extra step. Below is an example of an article that does not display the "Request This Item" button. 

• Copy the item title and paste it into the library catalog search box on our homepage and click "Search".
• Select "Libraries Worldwide" from the filter in the upper left corner of the screen, or in the dropdown on a mobile device.
• Locate the article in the list of results, and click the "Request this" button. 
• Proceed with the remaining steps below.

If you're searching from off-campus: After clicking "Request this" you will have to log in with your k number and password before proceeding with the next step.

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Step 3: Fill out the Interlibrary Loan Request Form. Once you click the "Request This Item" from the window above or from the library catalog, the Interlibrary Loan Form will appear. Fill out the form, making sure that you enter all required information:

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That's all there is to it! Let us know if you have any questions.