Answers to Frequently Asked Questions about ILLiad

What is interlibrary loan and ILLiad?

If there is a journal article or book that you need but Welder Library does not own, our interlibrary loan service can help. ILLiad allows UMary faculty and students to request items from other libraries around the country. Article requests are sent electronically while book requests are mailed to Welder Library. Please ensure that the item you need is not already available in our catalog or online databases. It is always a good idea to give yourself plenty of time to acquire the research materials you need. Further, it is always good practice to request a variety sources so as not to rely on a single item. Since we specifically do not own requested items, we cannot guarantee that we will be able to fulfill all requests. However, as long as you provide the correct citation information and a library in the US owns the item, we should be able to get it to you.

When will I receive my requested article/book?

The average turnaround time is 3 days for articles and 7 days for books. Turnaround times depend on a variety of factors. We send out our requests to other libraries every day so it is up to the lending library to fulfill your request. The best way to ensure you receive what you need in time is to request it as soon as you think you will need it and to request a variety of sources.

How will I know when my request is fulfilled?

An automated email will be sent to you once your request is fulfilled by another library. For articles, there will be instructions in the automated email for how to download the PDF. We recommend downloading articles right away as they will be deleted from your ILLiad account after 30 days. Books will be available for pickup at the front desk of Welder Library.

Why was my request cancelled?

Anytime a request is cancelled, a reason will be given in the email that notified you. The most frequent reason for cancellation is that the item is not available for free in a library in the US. Even if a library owns an electronic version, they may not be licensed to send it to us. Obscure items such as dissertations, conference proceedings, older newspapers, and foreign journals are very difficult to fulfill via ILL since very few libraries own those items. We highly recommend securing as many research materials as may be reasonably helpful for you. In other words, it is always a good idea to ensure that you have multiple sources to rely on instead of just one.

I never picked up my ILL book but I received an overdue notice.

ILL books are considered checked out upon arrival to Welder Library. Please notify our ILL office when you know you will not need the book and we will mail it back to the lending library.

My UMary email and password do not work, how can login?

If you have never used ILLiad before, you will have to make an account by clicking “First Time User”. You will choose your own username and password which will be used to login.

I have an overdue ILL book, are there any fees I need to pay?

There are typically no fees for overdue ILL books unless the lending library sends us an invoice for a lost book. Books will typically be considered lost after being overdue for a month. If we are billed for a lost book, the following consequences will be in place: your ILLiad account will be blocked and you will no longer be able to make requests, a hold will be placed on your student account which will prevent access to transcripts and course registration until fees are paid to the ILL office.

Who do I contact if I have problems with or questions about interlibrary loan?

For any other questions, email ill@umary.edu or call 701-355-8180.