InterLibrary Loaning A Resource

     The Murray State University libraries have a massive collection of books, articles, journals, and visual materials.  Many resources, excluding reference books and materials from Pogue Library, are available to be checked-out.  However, if you cannot find the material you need, you can request an Interlibrary Loan.  An Interlibrary Loan is a service accessible throughout almost every library that allows libraries to borrow material (books, CD's, DVD's, etc.) from one another.
     In order to apply for an Interlibrary Loan, you must first create an ILLIAD account.  To do this, you must first go to the Murray State Library website, click the "Quicklinks" tab, and then click the IILIAD link.  Once are on, click the "First Time User" link and fill in the required information.  After submitting your information, type in the word "cash" into the box provided to complete the registration.  There is no charge to create an Interlibrary Loan account or to request/receive an Interlibrary Loan resource, most of the time.  However, you will be charged if you receive an Interlibrary Loan and do not return it within the proper time period.
     To request an Interlibrary Loan, log onto the MSU library website, click Quicklinks, and the click the WorldCat database link.  Once you are on the WorldCat database page, type in the search terms in the boxes provided.  For example, if you are looking for a book about the Dave Matthews Band, enter "Dave Matthews Band" (notice the quotation marks) into the first search box as a keyword.  If you want Dave Matthews Band in the title of the book, change "keyword" to "title."  Since the Dave Matthews Band also relates to CD's and DVD's, check the "Books" box in the "Limit Type To" section located at the bottom of the search box.  After submitting your search, a list of books will appear.  If there is a green Murray State University text along with book/material information, this means that the material is available within the MSU libraries.  If it is not available through Murray State, click on the "Find it @ MSU" link or the Interlibrary Loan link and log into your ILLIAD account.
     After clicking one of the two previous links, the ILLIAD request form is automatically filled out for you including the title, author, and ISBN number.  However, to help the other library locate your material faster, enter the type of resource you need into the "Notes" box of the request form.  Since you are looking for a book about the Dave Matthews Band, enter "Book" into the "Notes" section.  This will help avoid any confusion because the Dave Matthews Band also relates to CD's and DVD's.  
     Once you have submitted your request form, the MSU library will search for the material starting with the library that owns the material in the closest proximity to MSU.  However, libraries that own the material may not have it available due to someone else checking the material out, or sometimes materials can be lost or stolen.  Along with the previous issues and the process of "snail mail", Interlibrary Loan materials can take up to ten days to receive.
     Whenever the Waterfield Library receives your Interlibrary Loan, you will be notified via the e-mail address you provided in the ILLIAD registration.  To pick up your Interlibrary Loan material, visit the Interlibrary Loan office located on the main level of Waterfield Library, in room 216.  If there is a resource you would like to be able to obtain through the MSU libraries and do not need quickly for a paper or project, you can suggest an item for purchase by going to the MSU libraries website and clicking on the link in the bottom left hand corner.