Interlibrary loans

Giving you access to material that is not available in our Library.

About interlibrary loans

The InterLibrary Loan service is available for all University of Surrey students and academic staff.

If you need a book, journal article or other material for your research, that is not available in this Library, then you may request an interlibrary loan copy.

First check whether the item is available in the Library via Surrey Search.
Please remember to sign in (top right hand corner of the screen) and use the “Expand Your Search” option to see the Rapido interlibrary loan offering

You could also check open access resources:

There is a cost to the Library for interlibrary loans which we do not pass on to you, but we do ask you to pay any renewal charges.

 

The words Interlibrary Loan Request on a background of coloured ribbons over a gradient

Interlibrary Loan Requests

How many interlibrary loans can I have?

There will be limits on the number of interlibrary loans we can supply to you each academic year.

Group Location Maximum number of requests Interlibrary loan - print Interlibrary loan - journals/ebooks
Academic staff UK based Maximum of 10 requests at any one time Yes Yes
Academic staff Not UK based Maximum of 10 requests at any one time No Yes
Postgraduate Research student UK based Maximum 50 requests each academic year Yes Yes
Postgraduate Research student Not UK based Maximum 50 requests each academic year No Yes
Postgraduate Taught student UK based Maximum 25 requests each academic year Yes Yes
Postgraduate Taught student  - Surrey Online Learning (SOL) Online learning Maximum 25 requests each academic year No Yes
Undergraduate student UK Based Maximum 20 requests each academic year Yes Yes
Undergraduate (SII DUFE or other overseas partnerships) Online learning Maximum 20 requests each academic year No Yes
Alumni   N/A No No
Visitors   N/A No No
How long will it take for my interlibrary loan to arrive?

Digital Requests:
Chapters from books or journal articles requested in digital format typically arrive within a few hours.

Physical Book Requests:
Please allow at least 10 working days for delivery of physical books.

Delivery Times:
While we aim to fulfil requests promptly, delivery times may vary as we rely on external partners.

How will my interlibrary loan article/chapter be delivered?

Many interlibrary loan journal articles and book chapters are delivered electronically to you by email.

How can I collect my interlibrary loan book?

You will be notified by email when the item arrives. All items need to be collected and returned in person to Level 1 of the Library during staffed hours. Please do not return them using the self-service machines. Most items can be taken out of the Library, but the lending library may make the item reference only.

How long can I borrow my interlibrary loan book for?

This will vary depending on where the book has been borrowed from. Loan periods can range from two weeks to two months. If you wish to renew an item, please email the library who will check with the lending library to see if it is possible. We require users to pay the British Library renewal charge.

What if I lose my interlibrary loan?

Please take care of your interlibrary loans. If an item is not returned or is lost, you will be invoiced for the cost of a replacement. The British Library’s minimum replacement charge is over £200.

How do I request a thesis from another university?

Many UK universities have made their doctoral theses available via their institutional repository. These can be identified by using EThOS, a British Library collection that includes theses from UK participating institutions. Some theses can be immediately downloaded, or you can order a scanned version which may incur a cost.

Theses from around the world are available via ProQuest Dissertations and Theses: Global (PQDTGlobal) and Networked Digital Library of Theses and Dissertations.

How do I find a Surrey doctoral thesis?

Go to the University of Surrey open research repository and select doctoral theses where you can search by keywords or browse by research unit. This collection includes theses from 1972 to date. Some theses are restricted due to their confidential nature.

How can I get help?

Interlibrary loan staff are here to help you Monday to Friday during office hours. You can also search MySurrey Help for further information and advice.#

The Academic Skills and Development team (for taught students) and the Faculty Librarian team (for academic staff and Postgraduate research students) offer support with accessing open resources or locating alternative sources of information.

MySurrey Help

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