InterLibrary Loan Guidelines

What is ILL?

InterLibrary Loan is an agreement between libraries to lend materials to users of other libraries. The BC library provides this service to BC faculty, students, and staff in order to provide access to materials not accessible through the BC Library.  The BC Library will borrow or obtain a copy of a needed item from another library for use by the BC faculty, student, or staff

What can I borrow and how do I request it?

After checking the Library’s holdings to make sure the item is not available at BC, request your item through the online InterLibrary Loan Request form. Provide as much information on the form as you can so that the item you want can be correctly identified. InterLibrary loan of physical items such as books can take up to three weeks depending on the lending location. Article and chapter requests can take anywhere from one to seven days. Most libraries will lend books and send copies of articles and book chapters. Textbooks, media such as DVDs, CDs, and film are rarely loaned to other libraries and will be difficult or impossible to obtain. Microfilm will not be borrowed because BC does not have a way to read microfilm.  Case by case exceptions may be made. 

How long can I have the material?

InterLibrary loan materials have a three week loan period, unless otherwise authorized by the lending institution, and may be eligible for renewal. The lending library may impose special conditions regarding the use of materials, such as “In Library Use Only,” “No Renewals,” or “No Photocopying.” 

Do I have to pay for this service?

While the library strives to provide free or low-cost lending options, some materials may be subject to fees from the lending institution. In these rare instances, the requestor is responsible for the cost of the fee if over $15.00. BC Library staff will always ask before requesting an item with a fee. For students payments can be made via CTCLink and must be paid prior to the check-out of the loaned material. Faculty & staff should consult with the Library.

Can I keep the item longer than three weeks?

InterLibrary Loan items loaned to the BC Library may have their loan term extended, or renewed, for additional time by permission of the lending library. To request more borrowing time for interLibrary loan materials, contact our InterlibraryLoan specialist.

How do I Return an InterLibrary Loan? 

All materials borrowed through the Bellevue College InterLibrary loan service are to be returned to the Bellevue College Library in D126 or via the book drop box outside of the Library. 

What happens if I lose or damage an item that was borrowed for me? 

Students, faculty, and staff borrowing InterLibrary loan materials are responsible for the replacement of lost and damaged materials. The lending library determines the cost of the lost or damaged item and will send a bill to the BC Library which will be forwarded to the borrower via their account in CTCLink.  Lost and damaged fees must be resolved before checking out any additional interLibrary loan materials. 

Are there laws that apply to InterLibrary Loan? 

The copyright law of the United States (Title 17, United States Code) governs the making of photocopies or other reproductions of copyrighted material. Under certain conditions, libraries and archives can make a photocopy or other reproduction for someone to use. One of these specific conditions is that the copy 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 ILL request if, in its judgment, fulfillment of the order would involve violation of copyright law. 

Guidelines updated December 11, 2025