Use IUCAT to request materials from another library

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Overview

If you're affiliated with Indiana University, you may place requests through IUCAT for delivery of materials from most IU libraries to another IU library, and may also request materials not available at any IU library through interlibrary loan. If you're not affiliated with IU, you may only place online requests for materials held in off-site storage in the Bloomington Auxiliary Library Facility (ALF).

Note:
To place a request using the Lilly Library Request System, see About the Lilly Library Request System.

Request delivery of items in another IU library

IU-affiliated customers may place requests online for delivery of materials to another IU library. Requests for delivery usually take four to seven working days to arrive. Request Delivery is not available if you're not affiliated with IU.

To request delivery:

  1. Locate the book or other item you need in IUCAT, and go to the bibliographic record description screen for the title (that is, where you also find the call number, library, and shelf location for the item).
  2. On the right side of the screen, next to the item's title, click Request This.
    Note:
    If the record does not have a Request This button, the title cannot be requested for delivery.
  3. If the item is available in both the ALF and other IU libraries, you'll be asked to choose Request Delivery or ALF Request. Bloomington customers should almost always request the ALF item for fastest service; see below. (If the book is not available in the ALF collection, you will immediately be asked to log in.)
  4. For most campuses, log into your account using your University account. (As of December 17, 2017, Fort Wayne customers are no longer eligible for IUCAT Request Delivery services. For more, contact the Helmke Library.)
  5. From the drop-down menu, select the library where you'd like to pick up your requested materials.
  6. If you have more than one library account (for example, a regular student account and a proxy account, or a regular faculty account and a delivery account), you will be asked to select the account from which the request will be made.
  7. Click Request Delivery.

    Your request will be confirmed or denied. If the request is denied, check with the reference desk at your local library for other options. In many cases, you may be able to request the item through the Interlibrary Loan service on your campus.

Items not eligible for Request Delivery include: electronic books; materials checked out to another customer, on reserve, or in the reference section; and journal bound volumes. Some libraries' and special collections' materials cannot be requested because they do not circulate or because the loan period is too short; these include:

  • Bloomington Archives of Traditional Music Library
  • Bloomington Core Collection in the Wells Library
  • Bloomington Kinsey Library
  • Bloomington Lilly Library (rare books, manuscripts and special collections); to request Lilly Library materials, use the Lilly Library Request System.
  • Bloomington Residence Halls Libraries
  • Children's books in the Bloomington Education Library
  • Most video items

ALF (Bloomington off-site storage) requests

Materials located at the Auxiliary Library Facility (B-ALF), an off-site Bloomington Library storage facility, can be delivered upon request to a library of your choice. ALF delivery is available whether or not you are affiliated with IU. To request ALF delivery:

  1. Locate the book or other item you need in IUCAT, and go to the bibliographic record description screen for the title (that is, where you also find the call number, library, and shelf location for the item).
  2. On the right side of the screen, next to the item's title, click Request This.
    Note:
    If the record does not have a Request This button, the title cannot be requested for delivery.
  3. If the item is available in both the ALF and other IU libraries, you'll be asked to choose Request Delivery or ALF Request. (If the book is only available in the ALF collection, you will immediately be asked to log in; skip to the next step.)
    • Bloomington customers should almost always request the ALF item for fastest service.
    • Non-IU customers may request only the ALF copy.
  4. When asked to log in:
    • For most campuses, use your University account. (As of December 17, 2017, Fort Wayne customers are no longer eligible for IUCAT Request Delivery services. For more, contact the Helmke Library.)
    • If you're not affiliated with IU and have a library borrower's card, log in using the 14-digit barcode number from the card.
    • If you're not affiliated with IU and do not have a borrower's card, log in with your name and email address.
  5. From the drop-down menu, select the library where you'd like to pick up your requested materials. Materials delivered to libraries outside Bloomington will take four to seven days to arrive. If you choose a library that is closed, the item will be delivered to that library the next time it is open.
    Note:
    Some ALF materials are restricted and can only be delivered to a secure location. In those cases, the only delivery option offered is the secure location. Restricted materials cannot be delivered to libraries off the Bloomington campus.

Interlibrary Loan for materials not available for delivery from the IU libraries

IU-affiliated customers engaged in research may place online Interlibrary Loan requests. All campus library systems, and some individual libraries on a campus, have Interlibrary Loan services. If an item is not available at your campus or is unavailable for delivery, you may wish to use this service. Interlibrary Loan is not available to those not affiliated with IU. To review or request renewal of materials received via Interlibrary Loan:

  1. In the footer of any IUCAT page, click ILL/Recall.
  2. Click the link for the Interlibrary Loan Document Delivery Service you used to request the loan. Follow that service's on-screen instructions for logging in and managing Interlibrary Loan materials.

Interlibrary Loan services are also available from your local library website.

This is document bdua in the Knowledge Base.
Last modified on 2021-09-21 15:58:40.