Eligible Users

Current MSU students, staff, faculty, emeritus faculty, and affiliate users are allowed to request items through ILLiad & CatSearch from other TRAILS libraries.

If you use Yahoo, Gmail, Hotmail, or any such email providers for MSU services and communication, please be sure to add BozemanILL@montana.edu to your safe sender lists and add us as a contact. Thanks!

If you do not fit into one of these statuses, your local community public library can help you through their ILL services.

Cost

Interlibrary loan services are free, with the following exceptions:

  1. The item was lost or damaged while in your possession. See Borrowing Policies - Overdues section below for more details.
  2. Your MSU Library account may be charged $2.00 per item returned without the paper strap.
  3. On rare occasion, if the cost for us to borrow from another library exceeds $35, you may have to pay the difference.  If there is a chance you will be charged, we will always ask you before approving the request from the lending library.

Requestable Items

  • Physical items include books, videos, audio recordings, government documents, theses/dissertations, conference proceedings, patents, microfilm, and video games. 
  • Electronic items include book chapters, journal articles, newpaper articles, some government documents, and patents.
  • Complete electronic books cannot be borrowed due to copyright law. If an entire eBook is requested, the ILL office will reach out to you regarding alternative request options.
  • The library does not borrow required traditional textbooks via Interlibrary Loan or TRAILS libraries in CatSearch.
    • What is a traditional textbook? Traditional textbooks are:
      • texts written specifically for students in an area of study;
      • designed to be used by students at different levels of study (e.g., introductory);
      • include study aids at the end of chapters (e.g. discussion questions, problems); and
      • may be updated regularly with new editions. 
  • The library's collections and services provide supplementary materials to augment your required materials. The MSU Library provides in-depth research assistance and information for your class, lab, studio, and field work. 

More on Requesting Textbooks:

  • Most of our partner libraries do not lend textbooks. 
  • Most libraries do not purchase textbooks. 
  • The very few libraries that do have textbook collections reserve them for their campus use only.  
  • Interlibrary loans are typically not for an entire term. 
  • Failure to return items when due will result in fines, suspension of borrowing privileges, blocked registration, and may jeopardize future borrowing by the MSU library from that lending library for any MSU student. 

As a general policy, MSU Library does not purchase traditional textbooks for the collection. The Library may acquire textbooks selectively for the collection if they have long-term research, study, or archival value.

Copyright Declaration - Book Chapters & Articles

The copyright law of the United States (Title 17, United States Code) governs the making of photocopies or other reproductions of copyright material. Under certain conditions specified in the law, libraries and archives are authorized to furnish a photocopy or other reproduction. One of these specified conditions is that the photocopy or reproduction is not to be "for any purpose other than private study, scholarship, or research". If a user makes a request for, or later uses, a photocopy or reproduction for purposes in violation of copyright, that user may be liable for copyright infringement.

Borrowing Policies - Loan Periods

Electronic Articles & Book Chapters

These will be available for 30 days after we notify you that it's available for download.

Physical Items

All items borrowed through the interlibrary loan office will have a paper strap attached. This strap shows you the due date and whether or not the item is eligible for renewal. It is important that you do not remove the strap from the item, as it helps us credit your account for its return, in a timely manner. Your MSU Library account may be charged $2.00 per item returned without the paper strap.

Through ILLiad

Time periods are determined by the library that owns the item (lending library). These periods vary as do the ability to renew an item. So, please pay attention to the paper strap attached to your item. Please do not remove these straps. 

Through CatSearch (TRAILS)

Items will be checked out to you for a total of 90 days (no renewals), including the days it takes to arrive at MSU Library from the lending library. There is no limit on the number of items you can request through CatSearch. The due dates are clearly indicated on the the paper strap attached to the item. Please do not remove these straps.

Borrowing Policies - Overdues

Failure to return items when due can result in fines, suspension of borrowing privileges, blocked registration, and may jeopardize future borrowing by the MSU library from that lending library.

MSU Library will not charge MSU users fines for late ILL items unless the lending library charges MSU Library ILL. 

If an item that you borrow is not returned on time, you will be sent emails as follows:

Days Overdue

Notice

Consequences

Associated Fines/Fees
2 days Notice 1
  • Renewal of item is no longer available.
  • None
7 days Notice 2
  • Explanation of Notice 3 consequences.
  • None
21 days Notice 3
  • Suspension of all MSU Library borrowing privileges until the item is returned.
  • If item is returned before it is 30 days overdue, the $100 charge will be replaced with a $25 processing fee for the additional work involved with having to track down and item that should have already been returned.
  • $100 temporary charge onto library account
30 days Assumed Lost
  • We assume the item is lost.
  • We will seek replacement cost and processing fees from lending library.
  • Suspension of MSU Library borrowing privilages remain in effect until all ILL fines/fees are paid. 
  • Replacement cost and processing fees TBD by lending library.

 

The Interlibrary Loan office reserves the right to suspend your privileges indefinitely if your record shows a blatent disregard for due dates and policies.