LIBRARY

It is important that you realize the lending library determines whether or not to loan an item. Most libraries do not lend rare books, journals, reference books, microfiche, books in poor condition, titles published during the last year, or popular books in demand by their own patrons. We do not request textbooks or any other book required by a University class.

Master Theses and Doctoral Dissertations are loaned only at the discretion of the lending library, but be sure to check the Proquest Digital Dissertations database before requesting a title. Many titles are readily available to you in full text online.

To request materials, you must use the ILLiad form on the Library’s website.

You must supply ALL the basic bibliographic information about the book or journal article you are requesting supplied by your citation. You must give the full title of the journal, not an abbreviation. Incomplete forms will be returned to the patron. This is essential for more efficient service.  First time users will need to register with ILLiad. The form will take you step by step through the process.

How Much Does It Cost?

• Books – Normally, books are free. However, some prestigious or medical libraries will charge for the privilege of borrowing from their collection due to the large number of requests they receive. This may cost between $10.00 and $25.00. Before this fee is passed on to you, you are notified to get your approval. Whenever payment is required, the payment should be given in the form of a check and is due upon receiptof material. No exceptions.
• Photocopies – They are free if the request is filled by another Louisiana state university or an out-of-state library with whom we have a reciprocal agreement. The charges from any other library vary from $10.00 to $25.00. We request from the least expensive libraries first, but you will be notified if there is a fee. Whenever payment is required, the payment should be given in the form of a check and is due upon receipt of material. No exceptions.
• Fees – There is a place on the request form to state the maximum cost you are willing to pay. It is your responsibility to fill out this amount. $20.00 is generally the maximum cost and is usually attached to an extremely long article. The length of the article requested is limited to 50 pages because of system rules. Additionally, the cost amount should be typed in the notes field of the ILLiad form.
• Department Charge Code – The request form has a space for your Department Charge Code, so the cost can be charged to your department. Due to some recent policy updates in InterLibrary Services, written permission must be obtained by the student and verified before charges will be sent to the department. If there is no charge code listed and payment is required, a check is due upon receipt of material; no exceptions.

Current faculty, staff, graduate students, and seniors do not have a request limit. However, undergraduateshave the following request limitations per quarter:

• Juniors can request a total of 20 items (articles and/or books, but no more than 10 books).
• Sophomores can request a total of 10 items (books and/or articles).
• Freshmen can request a total of 3 items (books and/or articles) with the approval of a Reference Librarian.

With new services such as ARIEL, and the state-wide courier service, we may be able to obtain the material within 24 to 48 hours. Highly technical or medical subjects in some journals could take longer to arrive. The time also varies according to the speed of mail and the speed with which the lending library fulfills the request. There is no such thing as a guaranteed rush request, so please plan ahead and always specify a date after which you will no longer need the material.

Simply place your email address in the space provided, and you will be notified via email.

You must bring your valid Tech I.D. when picking up Interlibrary Loan materials. ILS is staffed from 7:30 a.m. — 4:00 p.m. Monday through Friday; material may be picked up at his time. Material may also be picked up after hours or on weekends by simply asking the graduate assistant at the circulation desk. A checkout card slip will be inserted into each book. There will be a $5.00 service fee if these materials do not return with the book. There is a new Checkout Authorization Form available for Tech Faculty who wish to have a student assistant checkout Interlibrary Loan books and/or pick up articles. If you have additional questions or need to speak with an ILS staff member, contact us at 318.257.3555 or send an email to Regina Foster at reginaf@latech.edu or Laura Ogden at laura@latech.edu.

The lending period for books is for three weeks with no renewals and no re-ordering within three months. Any other lending restrictions are set by the lending library, not Prescott Memorial Library, and we are obligated to honor their directions. Photocopies of journal articles are sent instead of the the actual journal, so the photocopies are yours to keep.

The copyright law of the United States (Title 17, United States Code) governs the making of photocopies or other reproductions of copyrighted materials. Under certain conditions specified in the law, libraries and archives are authorized to furnish a photocopy or other reproduction. One of these specified conditions is that the photocopy or reproduction is not to be “used for any purpose other than private study, scholarship, or research”. If a user makes a request for, or later uses, a photocopy or reproduction for purposes in excess of “fair use”, that user may be liable for copyright infringement. This institution reserves the right to refuse to accept a copying order if, in its judgment, fulfillment of the order would involve violation of copyright law. For more information consult The Campus Guide to Copyright Compliance.

Materials must be returned to InterLibrary Loan Services when due. Simply give the item to a staff member at the Circulation Desk and indicate that the material is an InterLibrary Loan item.

Late returns impact the entire university community. Prompt returns are therefore imperative. Failure to return the book by the due date can cause Prescott Memorial Library to be denied borrowing privileges from the lending library. Each late return incurs a late fee of $1.00 per day. The fine will increase on the third day to $5.00 per day and continue to rise until the book is returned. All faculty, staff, and students shall be held responsible for payment of fines incurred. No exceptions.

If you have additional questions or need to speak with an ILS staff member, contact us at 318.257.3555 or send an email to Regina Foster at reginaf@latech.edu.