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Cabot Science Library Interlibrary Loan

Cabot Science Library Interlibrary Loan (ILL) allows library users to borrow materials from non-Harvard libraries and it lends materials to non-harvard libraries worldwide.

The borrowing service is available for Harvard undergraduates majoring in the sciences or in core courses and to faculty, staff, and graduate students of the Earth and Planetary Sciences, Mathematics, Physics, and Statistics departments.

Proceed with Interlibrary Loan request

See Cabot Science ILL Information and Policies below for details of the Interlibrary Loan services.

• Borrowing from Non-Harvard Libraries
• Lending to Non-Harvard Libraries

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Borrowing from Non-Harvard Libraries

Cabot Science Library will attempt to acquire monographs, photocopies of journal articles, microforms, dissertations, or audio-visual materials not available at Harvard that are broadly related to the sciences. We provide these services to Harvard undergraduates majoring in the sciences or in core courses and to faculty, staff, and graduate students of the Earth and Planetary Sciences, Mathematics, Physics, and Statistics departments. Other members of the Harvard community should go to their faculty or departmental library.

Common items such as textbooks and study guides are not routinely borrowed. The user pays fees for materials that involve expensive duplication procedures (such as microforms, audio, or videotapes) and will remain in the user's possession. If materials are needed urgently, transmission via fax is an option provided notification has been made when placing the request.

The average time required to obtain material through ILL is about two to three weeks. When materials arrive, notifications are sent via e-mail. Loan restrictions and due dates will be indicated on the notifications. Photocopied materials need not be returned.

Materials requested through Cabot Science Library ILL can be picked up at the Cabot Reference desk.

Please pay close attention to due dates and return items promptly. If a renewal is necessary, you may submit a renewal request through your ILL account. Log in to your ILL account and select the "View/Renew Checked Out Items" menu option. Select the individual item that you want to renew. If renewals are not possible, you will be blocked from renewing the material online. Otherwise, check your account in two to three days to confirm the new due date. If a renewal request is rejected by the lending institution, the ILL office will contact you.

The loan period for materials borrowed from other libraries is set by the lending library and is indicated on a band placed on borrowed items. In the interest of maintaining good working relationships with lending libraries, due dates must be honored. All borrowed items should be returned to Cabot Science Library.

Cabot Science Library is bound by use restrictions imposed by the lending library. Some libraries require that their materials be used in the borrowing library only—these items will be placed on hold in the ILL office and must be used in the Cabot Science Library. Some libraries do not allow photocopying. Microfilm on loan must also be used in the library.

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Lending to Non-Harvard Libraries

Harvard College Library loans or photocopies materials to institutions worldwide. Requests should be sent via OCLC or our ILL Account Request Form. The lending period is four weeks with the possibility of one renewal.

The following items are not available through ILL: computer manuals, materials published within the last two years, serials/periodicals, reference materials, and rare or vulnerable materials.

There is a basic fee of $25 for interlibrary loan or photocopying services. Loans to libraries outside the U.S. are $35 and copies $25. This covers up to four volumes or photocopied material up to 50 pages. Costs may be higher if a large amount of photocopying or special handling is needed. Payment via OCLC ILL Fee Management (IFM) is preferred, or invoices will be forwarded after the ship date. If paid by invoice, payment must be made by check or money order in U.S. dollars.

Please note that each Faculty library at Harvard University has its own Interlibrary Loan office. Requests for materials held by a Harvard library other than Cabot Science Library should be sent directly to that library.

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