Frequently Asked Questions

What is Interlibrary Loan?

Interlibrary Loan (ILL) is a service provided by Kimbel Library that you can use to request books, journal articles and other materials that the Kimbel Library does not own. Request the materials online by logging in to your ILL account and we will obtain them for you. When your items arrive you can check them out from the Kimbel Library with your CINO Card and return them by the due date determined by the lender. When you request journal articles we will secure an electronic copy of the article for you and post it online to your ILL account.

This service is available to current faculty, staff, and students. The Kimbel Library pays all costs associated with ILL.

Staff may cancel ILL requests for patrons with overdue items and/or fines on their library account.

How do I request items from ILL?

Log in to your ILL account using your Coastal username and password, select the appropriate request form (book, article, etc.), fill in your citation information, and click "Submit."

Journal Articles:
Option 1: The first option automatically fills out the request form for you. Search for the article that you would like using the library website. If the Kimbel Library does not have electronic access, then you will be prompted to "Request this item through interlibrary loan." Click on the link and the item information will be auto-filled into the corresponding citation fields for you.

Option 2: In the event you need any other article, you may still request it by logging in to your ILL account and selecting the "Article" request form. Manually fill out the citation information and click "Submit."

You may check the status of your requests by logging in to your account.

Returnable Items:
Books: Many books are available through PASCAL Delivers, which is a faster service than interlibrary loan and typically has a more generous loan period as well.

1. Search for books using the Kimbel Library catalog.
2. If the book you want is not available please request the book through PASCAL Delivers.
3. If the book is not available through PASCAL Delivers, place an interlibrary loan request through your ILL account.

Good citations produce faster processing times. Please contact Kimbel Library Reference providers through the Ask the Library service for assistance.

What types of materials can I request?

Books, articles, government documents, dissertations, DVDs, CDs, VHS tapes-- just about anything that is owned by another library can be requested through Interlibrary Loan. To see what is owned by other libraries, search the WorldCat Database.

Please note: If your item is a book available through PASCAL Delivers, you will receive an ILL cancellation notice and a PASCAL Delivers request will be placed for you. Your book should arrive in 3-5 business days, which is faster than ILL. You may check the status of your PASCAL Delivers request in your My Library Account page.

Some materials are USUALLY NOT AVAILABLE from other libraries. These include but are not limited to:

• Original copies of old and/or rare books, especially books published before 1900. (Reprints and reproductions are normally available.)
• Microfilm
• Complete issues of printed magazines, journals, newspapers, or other serials
• Original archival materials (manuscripts, photographs, diaries, letters, etc. held by archives or museums)
• Library use only materials (LUO) such as reference books
• Items considered too fragile or too difficult to send through the mail
• E-books

Please contact Kimbel Library ILL Services if you have any questions about the item you need at ill@coastal.edu or 843-349-2400.

What if I forget my MyCoastal Password?

If you ever forget your MyCoastal password, you can look it up online at the Pin Lookup Page, or you can ask for help at the Student Account Desk in Prince 204-A.

What are ISBNs and ISSN numbers?

ISBN: International Standard Book Number. Most books published since 1970 have their own unique ISBN number.

ISSN: International Standard Serial Number. Almost every journal or magazine that is published has its own unique ISSN number.

ISBNs and ISSNs make it easy to identify books and journals. Many indexes will give an ISBN or ISSN number as part of their citations. Searching the online WorldCat Database can be a quick way to find out ISBNs and ISSNs.

Providing the correct ISBN or ISSN with your request speeds the process of filling your request. If you can't find the ISBN or ISSN for your book or journal article please inquire through our Ask the Library service.

How long will it take to get something from interlibrary loan?

The average time for an interlibrary loan request to be filled is between one and eight days. Kimbel Library ILL Services will normally process any request received in less than 24 hours, but the lending institution sometimes takes longer, thus slowing the process.

Please make sure you allow at least two weeks for your materials to arrive. You may check the status of your ILL item by logging in to your ILL account.

One thing that you can do to ensure a faster delivery time for your item is to provide a good citation. For citation help please contact a Reference provider through our Ask the Library service.

How will I know when my book or article arrives?

Kimbel Library ILL Services will send you an automated email when your items arrive. You may check your ILL account at any time to view the status of your ILL items.

The link to your ILL journal articles will be available on your account homepage and will be there for at least 30 days.

All returnable interlibrary loan items can be picked up at the circulation desk of the library with your CINO Card. Materials not checked out are returned after 14 days.

My ILL item is taking forever to arrive! Why is that the case?

It is the policy at the Kimbel Library to process received items in less than 24 hours, but it is not unusual for some of the lenders to take up to two weeks to process a request. Here are a few normal reasons for a delay in the process:

• Most ILL returnable items like books are sent via "Library Rate" mail, which normally takes longer than first-class postage.
• The lending institution is backlogged and does not process ILL items in less than 24 hours like we do. This is common.
• Your item may be an infrequently used item and kept at an off-site storage facility such as a warehouse or repository. This can be the case at larger research institutions that have so many items it becomes necessary to keep them at a remote facility that is only accessed as needed. This can add over a week to normal response times.
• Your citation was missing some important information and had to be verified before processing could begin. Please contact a Reference provider if you have questions about your request before submitting it by stopping by the library or using our Ask the Library service.

Please check your ILL account for the status of your request. If you have further questions about the status of your item please feel free to contact ILL Services at ill@coastal.edu or 843-349-2400.

How are due dates determined for ILL items?

Lending libraries determine the due date for ILL items according to their individual policies. We are unable to alter these due dates. You may request renewals if renewals are allowed for that particular item. Items should be returned to the Kimbel Library by the due date.

Can I renew an interlibrary loan book?

Most ILL items may be renewed. However, each lender has a different policy. Items eligible for renewal will have a "Renew" button beside them.

To request a renewal, log in to your ILL account, locate the item you want renewed, and click the renew button beside the request. You will receive an automated message when your renewal has been granted and the new due date will appear beside the request in your ILL account.

The lender may change the due date after granting it, and you will receive an automated message with this updated information. Unless you receive a "renewal denied" message, you may assume the due date indicated in your ILL account is the new due date.

If the renewal is denied by the lender, you will receive a separate message.

Overdue items may not be renewed.

How many requests can I place at a time?

There is no set limit of ILL items that you can request.

We do not advise requesting more items than you can use at one time. Overdue items prevent you from making more requests. Overdue items also jeopardize our ability to request items for other patrons.

Who can place interlibrary loan requests?

All current students, faculty, and staff members of Coastal Carolina University can place interlibrary loan requests. If you are not a current faculty, staff, or student of CCU then please use the services of your local public library.

Does it cost anything to get materials through ILL?

There is no charge to students, faculty, or staff for interlibrary loan requests. The Kimbel Library pays all interlibrary loan costs. Please see the Overdue items and replacement costs section below for information on overdue Interlibrary Loan materials and fines.

ILL Accommodation Request

You may be eligible to request Kimbel Library's books and videos through the US Postal Service. Only students and faculty who live at a distance (outside Horry, Georgetown or Brunswick counties) or who need other accommodations are eligible.

To borrow a print book or DVD from Kimbel Library, request the item by completing the Accommodation Request Form. Be sure to indicate the reason for this library accommodation request (online or disability).

If the materials are available, they will be retrieved and checked out to you. You will receive a notification e-mail when the books have been mailed.

Kimbel Library will ship the materials at no cost to you. A return mailing label will be enclosed for your convenience, but you will be required to pay the return postage. Items must be returned by the due date. You may renew the items online or by phone. Renew items online if you do not know if they will arrive by the due date.

Is there anything I can do to get materials faster?

If you need a book then check and see if the item you need is available through other PASCAL libraries. Materials requested through PASCAL Delivers are sent via statewide courier service and usually arrive within 3-5 business days.

Providing accurate citation information is the best thing you can do to expedite the ILL process. Ensure all of the information you provide in the request form is correct. If you leave out important information like authors, titles, and page numbers, your request may be slowed down because we must verify the citation information in order to prevent incorrect items from being requested.

If you are requesting a book, providing the International Standard Book Number (ISBN) will speed up your request. If you are requesting a journal article, adding the International Standard Serial Number (ISSN) will ensure the accuracy of your request. If you don't know how to find these numbers, or if you need any other citation help, ask at the Peter C. Bolton Help Desk in the Bryan Information Commons, or use our Ask the Library service.

What does "over copyright" mean?

According to the copyright law of the United States, a library may not request through interlibrary loan any more than five articles from the most recent five years of any journal during a one-year period. If you receive an email telling you that your request is "over copyright" that means that Kimbel Library has already requested five articles from the most recent five years of that journal for the year, and we are not allowed to fill your request at this time. If you have any questions about this please contact ILL Services at ill@coastal.edu or 843-349-2400.

Overdue items and replacement costs

All returnable ILL items have due dates indicated on the attached label or book strap. In addition to the label or book strap, due dates are available for each item in your My Library Account page. If you do not return an item by the due date, then you will be responsible for any overdue fines or replacement costs.

You are responsible for the condition of items checked out to you through ILL and may be billed for damage.

Outstanding fines and fees may prevent your ILL request from being processed.