Policies

Interlibrary loan (ILL) is the process by which the Niagara University community may borrow materials, such as books, journal articles, and book chapters, from another library if those items are not available in our collections. ILL use is limited to current Niagara University faculty, students, and staff only. ILL is free for the Niagara University community.

NU patrons may request up to 25 articles, 25 books and 15 audiovisual materials per semester. If your research requires more materials, please contact Samantha Gust, Head of Collections, at 716-286-8031 or via email.

Alumni, AcademicSHARE, and Courtesy Card users are not eligible for ILL services. You may request items through your local libraries' ILL services.

Niagara University students, faculty, and staff must register for an Interlibrary Loan account to make borrowing requests. You may also request items directly from many of our research databases using the special ILL links.

If you have any questions or comments regarding ILL, please contact Samantha Gust, Head of Collections, at 716-286-8031 or send an email.

We use Tipasa to provide interlibrary loan service. It is a software from OCLC. The interface allows you to place and monitor your requests anywhere from any device. Librarians from other institutions should see our section on Interlibrary Loan Lending to borrow materials from us.

You may request books, journal articles, book chapters, dissertations and theses through Interlibrary Loan. We may be able to obtain audiovisual materials for classroom use or research only.

We do not fill requests for textbooks, items on reserve, entire issues of journals, computer software, or audiovisual materials for recreational use.

Due to Copyright restrictions, we cannot request more than one article from a single journal issue, multiple copies of a journal article, or an article that represents a substantial portion of the issue (for example, a fifty page article in a hundred page journal).

We are committed to processing ILL requests in a timely manner, but cannot control how quickly other libraries will respond to our requests. Journal articles can be delivered within a day or two electronically, though older or obscure journals may take closer to 10 days due to scanning. Book chapters are also delivered electronically and have a similar turnaround time.

Please allow at least 2 weeks for books and audiovisual materials to arrive as they are delivered via USPS mail. Mid-semester and holiday time requests may take longer due to high volume at other institutions or the mail system. You will be contacted if there are unusual problems that delay your request.

You will receive a notification from Tipasa via email address you supplied in your ILL account. Please make sure to update the account if your email changes. Check your spam folder as well in case the message was delivered to it. Books and audiovisual materials will be available for pickup at the Circulation Desk on the main floor of the library during staffed hours. Articles will be sent to your ILL account.

The due date for books and audiovisual materials is determined by the lending library and is often between 2-4 weeks. If you need to renew your loan, please contact the library before the due date so that we can request a renewal.

Books and audiovisual materials must be returned to the Circulation Desk on or before the due date. Patrons will be charged overdue fines of $1.00 per day. Please plan your research accordingly.

This section contains information for libraries and institutions that wish to borrow items from Niagara University Library through Interlibrary Loan (ILL).

Contact Information

Mailing Address:

Interlibrary Loan Department
Niagara University Library
5795 Lewiston Road
Niagara University, NY 14109-2200

ILL Department Phone:
716-286-8012

Fax:
716-286-8030

E-mail:

Send email

OCLC Code:
VVN

Questions or Comments?

If you have any questions or comments regarding interlibrary loan at Niagara University Library, please contact Samantha Gust, Head of Collections.

OCLC is the preferred method of requesting items. Please contact please Samantha Gust, Head of Collections, to make alternate requesting arrangements.

Niagara University Library will lend the following materials:

• Books
• Doctoral dissertations (if we have more than one copy)
• DVDs (educational and research use only)
• Master's theses (if we have more than one copy)
• Microfilm and fiche periodicals
• Microfilm and fiche newspapers
• Scans or electronic copies of journal articles
• Scans or electronic copies of pages/chapters from books and eBooks
• Undergraduate theses (if we have more than one copy)

The average loan period is 6 weeks with a single 2-week renewal allowed.

Our average turnaround time is 1 working day for processing books, scans, and supplying articles electronically. We make every possible effort to process all requests promptly.

We ship Media Mail via the U.S. Postal Service. If another shipping method is desired, the borrowing library must make the arrangements and pay the charges in full. Insurance is not required for all returns but may be required for special items at our discretion.

Flat rate lending charges per item are as follows:

• Non-profit libraries in zip codes beginning with 13 & 14: FREE
• In-state academic libraries: FREE
• WNYLRC Member libraries: FREE
• Other non-profit libraries: $15
• Other academic libraries: $15
• Other medical libraries: $15
• For-profit libraries: $25

We lend to all foreign libraries using the lending charges above. Additional shipping charges will be required.

IFM is the preferred payment method. Please contact please Samantha Gust, Head of Collections, to make alternate payment arrangements.

Copyright Law

The copyright law of the United States (Title 17, U.S. Code) governs the making of photocopies or other reproductions of copyrighted 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 a photocopy or reproduction is not to be "used 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 excess of "fair use," that user may be liable for copyright infringement. This institution reserves the right to refuse to accept an interlibrary loan request if, in its judgment, fulfillment of the order would involve violation of copyright law.