What is an interlibrary loan?
This is a request service that gives you access to materials we don't have in our own stock. The Library service can borrow items and obtain articles from the British Library and other UK libraries.
Interlibrary Loan Requests – Delays to delivery (updated November 2024)
The British Library was subject to a cyber incident last year and most of their systems have been offline since then. This outage includes British Library document delivery and interlibrary loans services. As a result, there may be problems supplying Edinburgh Napier University interlibrary loan requests and there will be delays to delivery. Currently we have no further information about the likely duration of these issues.
How do I request an Inter Library Loan (ILL)
1. Go to LibrarySearch.2. Sign in to make an ILL request and to get full search results.
3. Search for the item you need to check if it is available in Edinburgh Napier University Libraries.
4. Click the 'Interlibrary Loan' tab at the top if you can't find the item.
5. Complete the form, filling in as many fields as possible.
6. Click 'Request'.
Frequently Asked Questions
What kind of material is available?
Academic books, journal articles, conference proceedings and reports are generally available. Market research reports, unpublished reports and papers can be difficult to borrow.
The British Library's thesis service EThOS is currently unavailable due to a cyber attack in 2023. See the Finding Theses page for information on finding theses in Edinburgh Napier University and other institutions.
The British Library's thesis service EThOS is currently unavailable due to a cyber attack in 2023. See the Finding Theses page for information on finding theses in Edinburgh Napier University and other institutions.
Who can use our Inter Library Loan service?
The service is available to all Edinburgh Napier University staff and students within the UK. If you have registered for the Postal Loans service, add 'Postal Loans' to the Comments field of the ILL form. Make sure you return any overdue items and pay any fines and charges before making an ILL request.
How much does it cost?
This service is free for students and staff at Edinburgh Napier University. Please note that this means that the University is paying for the service on your behalf, and only order items that you are sure that you will be able to use/collect (e.g. Borrowed books may expire on the request shelf if you are away on holiday or unable to collect).
How long will my Inter Library Loan request take?
Requests are usually supplied within 3-15 working days but we can't guarantee delivery within a specific time. Allow at least 3 days to receive a journal article and about 15 days for a book request. We also advise that you don't request a book just before going on holiday as it could arrive when you're away.
How are journal articles delivered to me?
Usually, you'll receive an email from the British Library containing a secure web link to your requested article. To access the article, you need to use the British Library's On Demand Service.
The British Library uses a DRM Lite electronic delivery method to:
supply secure encrypted documents.
make sure the item is used only as permitted.
protect the rights of the copyright holder.
If you have any problems downloading your item, check their list of On Demand FAQs.
Journal articles sourced elsewhere will be emailed to you.
The British Library uses a DRM Lite electronic delivery method to:
supply secure encrypted documents.
make sure the item is used only as permitted.
protect the rights of the copyright holder.
If you have any problems downloading your item, check their list of On Demand FAQs.
Journal articles sourced elsewhere will be emailed to you.
How do book loans work?
The normal loan period is 5 weeks from the date the item arrives at the University. We'll send you an email saying the item has arrived and it's ready for you to collect. You need to specify which campus library you'll collect the item from when you complete the request form, but you can return it to any campus library.
Recalls – the external lending library can ask us to return an Interlibrary Loan before its due date. If this happens, we'll send an email to your University email account asking you to return it as soon as possible.
Lost or damaged items - Edinburgh Napier University Library is charged for items that are lost or damaged by our borrowers. We pass on this charge, plus any administrative costs, to the borrower.
Recalls – the external lending library can ask us to return an Interlibrary Loan before its due date. If this happens, we'll send an email to your University email account asking you to return it as soon as possible.
Lost or damaged items - Edinburgh Napier University Library is charged for items that are lost or damaged by our borrowers. We pass on this charge, plus any administrative costs, to the borrower.