Interlibrary Loan

About Our Interlibrary Loan (ILL) Services

Interlibrary Loan (ILL) is a free service for current US-based Northeastern faculty, staff, and students. If you need an item that is unavailable at Northeastern Libraries, we will attempt to borrow it for you from another library.

Before Ordering  

What you need may already be at Northeastern! Make sure to… 

 Ordering Options 

  • Register for (or access your current) ILLiad account to submit Interlibrary Loan requests. NOTE: if you are a US-based patron outside of Boston, please register as a “Distance” patron
  • Access your Library account to see all items currently checked out to you. 

Policies

  • Lending periods and renewal options may vary, depending on the library that loans the item.
  • If the book, chapter, or article you need is available at Northeastern, including electronically, we will direct you to that resource.
  • If print copies of titles owned as e-books are preferred, please indicate so in your request’s notes field.
  • We do not process requests for textbooks. Please consider asking your instructor to place a copy on reserve.

Lost or Damaged Interlibrary Loan Items

  • Please return all Interlibrary Loan materials by the due date listed on the book band. Our ability to request and borrow materials in the future depends on maintaining good relationships with our network of lending libraries, which means returning their materials on time and in good condition. If you need an item for longer, please request a renewal through your ILLiad account or by contacting the Interlibrary Loan office at [email protected] or (617) 373-8276. 
  • Overdue ILLs will be fined $0.25 per day. ILLiad accounts will be blocked for items that are one month overdue and billed for items that are two months overdue. The fee consists of a minimum replacement cost of $55.00 and a processing fee of $25.00. Borrowers will also be responsible for any overdue fines accrued on the item. The $80 replacement fee will be credited to the borrower’s library account if the interlibrary loan is returned within three months of the due date, but overdue fees will remain. Items that are more than three months past their due date will not be reimbursed. Damaged items will be billed at the discretion of the library that loaned the item.
  • Please contact the Interlibrary Loan staff as soon as possible if you have lost or damaged an ILL loan. 

Contact Us

Resource Sharing/Interlibrary Loan
260 Snell Library
360 Huntington Avenue
Northeastern University
Boston, MA 02115
(617) 373-8276
[email protected]