Interlibrary Loan (ILL) is how we borrow books and articles from other libraries so we can loan them to you. This service is free to use! To log in and begin your request, click on the link below.

Begin your InterLibrary Loan request here

Interlibrary Loan Policy

Interlibrary Loan (ILL) is a service through which Olympic College Libraries may request copies of journal articles and borrow books and other materials for our patrons from other libraries. ILL requests are processed daily and take on average 5 to 10 days to arrive.  Most libraries send ILLs via US Mail. They may therefore take longer to arrive if coming from outside of Washington State. Article requests will be obtained electronically and sent via email whenever possible.

Who can use this service?

ILL services are available to current students and employees of Olympic College and our community patrons. 

Limits on requests

In order to provide free and timely service to all our patrons, we ask you to be judicious. If you are requesting more than five (5) ILLs at a time, please contact a library faculty for assistance.

How do I submit a request?

ILL requests may be submitted using the form on this page. Complete information will help us process your request more quickly.

Materials available through Interlibrary Loan

Books and journal articles not owned by Olympic College are the most common types of requests. We are also able to fill requests for microfilm, audiovisual material, foreign language material, music scores, maps, and manuscripts.

While most ILL requests are filled within 5 to 10 days, some items may take longer to obtain or may not be available at all. We will contact you if that is the case. 

We are unable to fill Interlibrary Loan requests for the following items:

• Textbooks: Required textbooks cannot be borrowed through ILL. Please ask your instructor to place a copy on course reserve.
• High-demand entertainment items such as bestsellers, recent entertainment DVDs, and recent music CDs: Please visit your local public library to request these materials.  These materials often generate wait lists at the library of origin, causing most public libraries to restrict ILL lending.
• Electronic works (E-Books): Depending on the work, we may be able to fill requests for copies of specific chapters or sections. Contractual restrictions prevent us from requesting loans of electronic books in entirety.

Due Dates

Due dates and restrictions on the use of materials (such as in-library use, renewals) are determined by the lending library. If you wish to renew an ILL, please contact us (interlibraryloans@olympic.edu) three to five days before the material is due to ensure that we can contact the lender in a timely manner. Not all ILL items are renewable. If we are unable to obtain a renewal from the lender, the item must be returned by the due date. Once the lender has approved or declined a renewal, we will contact you with a new due date or to request return of the material. 

Overdue, Lost and Damaged Materials

If an item borrowed through ILL is not returned within three weeks after the due date, a replacement charge of $100 will be added to the patron record, pending receipt of invoice from the lender. This fee will result in a suspension of library borrowing privileges. If the replacement cost of the lost ILL as set by the lending library differs from $100, the patron record will be adjusted on receipt of the lender’s invoice to reflect the actual cost incurred. Once Olympic College has paid the lender for the overdue item, this replacement cost cannot be waived or refunded, even if the book is returned. In the event that an ILL is lost or damaged, please contact OC Libraries immediately (interlibraryloans@olympic.edu). We will contact the lender for the replacement cost of the book.

rev. 13 Feb 2023 Jeffrey