Interlibrary Loan

Please click each question to see the answer. Use Clio to place requests.

What is Interlibrary Loan (ILL)?

Interlibrary Loan (ILL) enables Clark College current students and employees to obtain materials like books and articles that are not available in the Clark College library catalog or through Summit. You can also review the library complete ILL policy for more information.

Who can request through ILL?

Clark College students and employees may request items through ILL. Patrons with blocks on their library record may not check out ILL materials.

How do I request items via ILL?

The first time you log in to Clio (our ILL management service) using your Clark lab account username and password, you will be asked to confirm your information as part of the account creation process. You will not have to reconfirm your personal information during subsequent log ins.

After confirming that the item is not available through our local collection or through Summit, you can log into Clio using your Clark lab account username and password. Under the Request tab, you can choose to request either an article/book chapter or a book/CD/DVD.

Please provide as much citation information as possible on the request form as this will reduce processing time and you will receive your request faster. If you need assistance finding citation information, please contact a reference librarian through our 24x7 chat service.

Each request form also has an optional Notes field if there is any additional information you would like to communicate about your request.

Request an article or a book chapter

Please use the "New Article/Book Chapter Request" button to request an article or a book chapter. You are only required to provide the following citation information to place a request:

  • Journal/Book Title
  • Article/Chapter Title
  • Article/Chapter Author
  • Need By Date

However, providing information about the issue, the volume, the date, the pages, and/or the ISSN as applicable while reduce the processing time and help us get your request filled faster.

Request a book, a CD, or a DVD

Please use the "New Book/CD/DVD Request" button to request a book, a CD, or a DVD. You are only required to provide the following citation information to place a request:

  • Title
  • Author/Artist/Creator
  • Need By Date

However, providing information about the edition, date published, and/or ISBN as applicable while reduce the processing time and help us get your request filled faster.

What are the borrowing limits?

A maximum of 5 requests per person may be submitted per day, and only 5 requests per person will be processed per day. The maximum number of ILL items that may be checked out at one time is 15.

What is the turnaround time for ILL requests?

The average time to fill an ILL request is approximately 7-10 business days. Articles and scans of book chapters generally come sooner than mailed books (often within 3-7 business days). The location and availability of the request, copyright restrictions, type of delivery, and cost limitations can affect the delivery time.

How long can I keep the request?

PDFs of articles or book chapters are generally yours to keep as long as you follow Clark College Libraries' copyright policy

The check out period for book, CD, and DVD loans is set by the lending library. Requesters may not renew items through their library account but can request a renewal by using the Questions tab in Clio or by emailing ill@clark.edu directly.

How will I be notified when the requests are available?

You can check the status of your requests at any time through the History tab in Clio

You will be notified through the email with which they signed up for Clio when your requests are ready for delivery. Please note that your email account may sort emails from Clio regarding your request into your spam or junk mail folders. The library recommends checking these folders and the History tab in Clio to confirm the status of your requests.

Where can I pick up my requests?

Article/chapter requests are generally available as PDFs. Information for accessing these files is included in the email that notifies requesters their request has been filled.

Book, CD, and DVD loans may be picked up from main campus. The library can also mail these items directly, but please be advised that requesters are responsible for returning their loans by their due date. 

Can I renew my ILL requests after I check them out? 

Renewals are at the discretion of the lending library, and must be requested by emailing ill@clark.edu.

Are there any fines or fees with ILL?

Whenever possible, the library will obtain items at no charge to you. However, some libraries do charge to send their materials. If the only available lender charges for the item, library staff will check to see if you would like to pay the fee or cancel the request. Your must pay any outstanding ILL fees before such requests are checked out to you.

A replacement fee of $75.00 will be charged for a lost ILL request. All fines assessed by the lending library, including those more than the $75.00 replacement fee and any damage fees, will be passed on to you. All borrowing privileges at the library will be suspended until all ILL fees have been paid.

What if my question isn't answered here?

Please email ccl@clark.edu or call 360-992-2151.