If you have any questions about interlibrary loan services, please consult our FAQ below or contact the senior technical services and interlibrary loan librarian by phone at 505-984-6045 or by email at lcooley(at)sjc.edu.
Below are common questions that many library patrons ask in regard to interlibrary loan.
Interlibrary loan involves resource sharing between Meem Library and other libraries. Meem Library borrows materials from other libraries for our patrons; in turn, we lend to other libraries.
The interlibrary loan service is available to St. John’s faculty, students, and staff.
Check our online catalog and the serials holdings list (for journals and magazines) to ensure the Meem Library does not hold your resources. When our library does not have the material you need, or they are currently being used by other patrons, submit an interlibrary loan request. You may submit no more than 10 requests at a time.
Complete an interlibrary loan form at the Circulation Desk, or email Laura Cooley, senior technical services and interlibrary loan librarian, at lcooley(at)sjc.edu. You can also fill out an online request form.
Many requests are filled by New Mexico libraries or libraries in the surrounding states; some might come from farther parts of the U.S.
Receipt of materials most often takes approximately 7–10 working days, though items sometimes take two to three weeks. Rare and audio visual titles take longer to receive as they tend to be shipped from farther away.
We try to first request from those libraries who loan for free. If we anticipate a charge, we will contact you to see if you would be willing to pay the fee. The fee will be collected upon receipt of the item at the Circulation Desk. The typical interlibrary loan fee is $20.
We will send journal articles to you through campus mail or email. Books may be picked up at the Circulation Desk after you are notified that your request has arrived.
Photocopied journal articles are yours to keep. Loan periods for other materials depend on the lending library’s loan policy.
Materials must be returned to the Circulation Desk. Do not drop interlibrary loan items in the book bins.
Libraries may refuse to lend to St. John’s if materials are late. If you return interlibrary loan items late more than once, your interlibrary loan borrowing privileges will be suspended for the remainder of the semester.
The academic libraries in New Mexico have agreed to allow users from other New Mexico academic libraries to visit them and borrow books. To do this, you must first obtain a special passport at your own library. A passport may only be used at one library. Separate passports need to be issued for each library you wish to visit. To obtain a passport, see the public services librarian at Meem Library.
