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Resource Sharing

Interlibrary Loan

If there is a book, chapter, or article that you need but it is not in Pratt's collection, we can still supply it for you. Interlibrary loan is a free service for patrons to borrow physical books and receive scans of chapters and articles from hundreds of participating lending libraries across the US. You can utilize this service if we do not have the item you are looking for, or if the library has a copy but it is currently checked out. Our goal is to get everyone the resources they are seeking! If you have any questions about interlibrary loan, staff at the reference desk are here to help you out.

Frequently Asked Questions

Pratt students, faculty, and staff in good standing may use Interlibrary Loan. Patrons with more than $10 in fines or with a pattern of overdue/lost items may not use Interlibrary Loan.

Books, journal articles, and book chapters that are not available at the Pratt Libraries can be requested through ILL.

E-books, textbooks and entire volumes or issues of periodicals can not be requested.

Theses, dissertations, microfilms, and films (DVDs, VHS) are difficult, but not impossible, to obtain. Speak to an ILL staff person should you need one of these formats.

Book requests typically take at least two weeks to arrive because they are sent through USPS. Copy requests for journal articles and book chapters typically take 3-5 business days. If you need an item sooner, please visit the Reference Desk to find out which local libraries carry the item.

You may submit 20 ILL requests per week.

Books are mailed to the library branch where pick-up was requested. Patrons will be notified via e-mail when a book arrives. Articles are delivered via email.

Loan periods vary but are typically 2-6 weeks. All loan periods and due dates are set by the lending libraries. Loan periods for ILL items must be followed and respected. Be aware that all borrowed ILL material is subject to recall.

ILL renewals are made at the discretion of the lending library. If you’d like to renew your ILL item, you must do so prior to the item’s due date. Please email illbklyn@pratt.edu at least one week before the due date.

Please note that ILL renewals are not guaranteed and if your renewal request is denied you must return your book by it's due date.

Copyright Notice

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 specified in the law, libraries and archives are authorized to furnish a photocopy or other reproduction. One of these specified conditions is that the 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 a copying order if, in its judgment, fulfillment of the order would involve violation of copyright law.


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