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Banner: Interlibrary Loans (ILL) at Library and Archives Canada

ILL Request Form on the Web

How to Register
How to use the Request Form
Registration Form
ILL Web Request Form

Who can use this form?

This web-based request form is available to libraries who have registered for Interlibrary Loan services with the National Library of Canada. In order to use this form, you will need a valid library symbol as well as a user name and password.

This form is not available to individuals. Before approaching the National Library, individuals are encouraged to explore the resources of appropriate local public, academic or special libraries. In many cases, these libraries are better equipped to serve basic, leisure, or non-Canadian information needs.

New Users : How to Register

REGISTRATION FORM

To register as a user of the ILL web request form, please complete the registration form. The one-time registration process is done by electronic mail only.

For Canadian libraries, the information that you provide on this form will be updated in the directory: Symbols and Interlibrary Loan Policies in Canada = Sigles et politiques de prêt entre bibliothèques au Canada. This directory is published annually and is available as a searchable directory on the Web.

You should expect to receive a reply within two working days. Once your registration is accepted, you will receive an email confirmation from the Interlibrary Loan Division providing you with a user name and password to access the web request form. You can then start using the ILL web form to send ILL requests to the National Library.

How to use the ILL Request Form

ILL WEB REQUEST FORM

1. The user name and password are case sensitive. Please type the user name and password in lower case only.

2. Please try to provide information which is as complete and accurate as possible. The provision of adequate bibliographic information can make a major difference in the success of a search.

3. Type of service:

Choose the form that reflects the service required. Please specify whether you would like a loan of the item requested, if it is available from the National Library's collections; whether you want a photocopy, or whether you would only want a list of locations of where the item is held.

4. Mandatory fields:

  • Your Library Symbol - must be included on all interlibrary loan requests.
  • Your Request Number - Our automated system requires a new request number for each request from your institution.
  • Title of the publication.
  • Article Information if requesting a serial.
  • Additional Information if requesting a photocopy of a monograph.

5. Levels of service:

The National Library provides two levels of service:

  • Basic Search: 48 hour turnaround time. AMICUS, the manual Canadian Union Catalogues and the A-G Canada database are searched at this level.
  • In-Depth Search: 2 week turnaround time. Choose this level of service if the items are expected to be difficult to locate or require further verification.

6. Delivery Service and delivery service numbers:

Please provide any special delivery instructions that are different from your library's regular delivery instructions, e.g. send by courier, send by fax. If you choose Ariel or Fax, you are required to enter the Ariel address or Fax no. in the Delivery Service Number field.

7. Control numbers:

Please supply all the numbers you have which identify the item requested, i.e. AMICUS Number (formerly DOBIS document number), ISBN, ISSN, LCCN, OCLC, RSN. If these numbers are provided, an AMICUS automatic search will be triggered which will speed the turnaround time.