This article will be of most interest to frequent users of the Library’s Interlibrary Loan service. The Library has released major changes to its My Account tool that will significantly improve the process for requesting and managing Interlibrary Loan requests.
In case it’s helpful: Interlibrary Loan is a service provided by the Library that allows all students, faculty, and staff to request and checkout materials from other libraries, free of charge. Essentially, if our library doesn’t have what you need, we can help you get it from another library elsewhere in the nation. Historically, making an Interlibrary Loan request required the often confusing and laborious process of logging into and using a completely separate interface from the main Library website. However, those days are over. Read on!
The most important thing
The most important thing for Interlibrary Loan users to know is that these changes represent a complete integration of the Interlibrary Loan process into My Account. In other words, the new My Account replaces the old Interlibrary Loan website. This means that within a few days to a week, the previous Interlibrary Loan site and forms will no longer be accessible and My Account will become the only way to make Interlibrary Loan requests.
Never fear! We’ve got you covered.
Now, if this sounds scary, don’t worry. The new My Account seamlessly weaves into all the features you need to make, track, and manage your Interlibrary Loan requests. You’ll now have one convenient place to go to see and manage both your BYU and Interlibray Loan requests!
Logging in
The previous Interlibrary Loan interface required all users to sign in through an unfamiliar interface. Going forward, all you have to do is login to My Account through the library home page, just like always you’ve done to see and manage your BYU materials.
Making requests
The process of making an Interlibrary Loan request is similar to the old way, just simpler. Log in to the new My Account and click the “Request an item” button to reveal a familiar request form. This form serves the exact same function as the previous Interlibrary Loan forms, but with a few key changes:
- The options have been simplified and streamlined, decreasing the number of required fields.
- Start by selecting the type of item you want to request and the form will adapt to show just the fields needed for that item type.
- The Book Chapter form has been replaced by an option on the Book form that reads, “I need a specific chapter(s) or included page(s) only”. In other words, by specifying a book chapter or inclusive pages, you’re effectively making a request for a book chapter, which will be delivered digitally in PDF format.
- Similar to book chapters, newspaper articles are requested through the Newspaper form and delivered digitally for download. Just click “I need a specific article only” and provide the article name and title.
That’s it! We think you’ll find the process easier than ever before.
What about WorldCat?
We know it’s common for faculty, staff, and some students to use third-party databases such as WorldCat to search for books and then to click the “Get it from BYU” or “Get it through Interlibrary Loan” button to request the item through our traditional Interlibrary Loan interface. If this is a common workflow for you, please know that this ability will not go away. In fact, it will work smoother than ever.
Following “Get it from BYU” or “Get through Interlibrary Loan” will take you to the new My Account where you will see a simple summary of what you’re requesting. From there, simply hit Submit Request, and you’re done! You’ll also have the option to add a note or edit your request before submitting, if you wish.
Tracking the status of your requests, including shipping status
After an Interlibrary Loan request is submitted, you’ll be able to track its progress in the new My Account right alongside any requests for items from the BYU Library. You’ll even be able to see when items are in route from the lending library so you can better gauge when your item will arrive.
Managing checkouts
Once an Interlibrary Loan item is checked out to you, the item will again appear alongside your BYU checked out items. This means that you won’t have to think about which items are Interlibrary Loan and which are not. Just go to the new My Account to see and renew any items currently checked out to you, regardless of where they came from.
This new approach will also allow you to renew multiple Interlibrary Loan and BYU items simultaneously, saving you time.
One thing to know is that renewals of Interlibrary Loan items are actually renewal requests and are dependent on an answer from the lending library. The new My Account will make it clear which items are pending a renewal decision, and what that answer is once it’s received.
Try it today!
These new features are available today. We are excited to see your productivity increase through these changes.
Please send us your feedback! At any point, we encourage you use the “Feedback” link the main library navigation to share your thoughts, questions, and concerns.
Happy requesting!
See also: The new My Account