What is interlibrary loan?
- The library's Interlibrary Loan service enables patrons to obtain materials not held by the Van Pelt and Opie Library, including books and other physical materials, as well as electronic copies of journal articles and papers. The library offers two ways to borrow materials: MeLCat (Michigan eLibrary) and our ILL system.
What is the difference between the Interlibrary Loan system and MeLCat?
- Use Interlibrary Loan (ILL) to request PDFs of journal articles, conference papers, and book chapters. Books not available through MeLCat can also be requested. ILL is available for all Michigan Tech faculty, enrolled students, staff, and emeriti. See the Interlibrary Loan library guide for details on the ILL service.
- Use MeLCat (The Michigan eLibrary) to request books and media. MeLCat is recommended for borrowed items due to the shorter delivery time and longer loan periods. Patrons with an active HuskyCard or Courtesy Borrowing Card may use MeLCat. See MelCat Help for details on how to use this service.
How long does it take to receive an article via interlibrary loan?
- Most requests are delivered within 10 hours.