Is there a specific resource you want that we don't have? Don't feel stuck! Interlibrary loan is the system for requesting materials not owned by your library and it's free for you!
If you identify a book that is not owned by UMass Dartmouth libraries, you may request a copy through interlibrary loan.
How long interlibrary loan takes depends on the lending library, but requests are usually filled within 1-2 weeks. There is no emergency, over-night interlibrary loan, so it's a good idea to request materials well before the project is due!
*Please note, you need to be able to come to campus and retrieve the book from the library when it has arrived.
Note that textbooks and other material (DVDs, CDs, etc.) required for UMass Dartmouth classes that are available for sale at the campus store may not be requested through Interlibrary Loan.
Some subject-specific databases include little or no full text to articles. You also might run into an interesting citation for an article in the reference list of an article or book.
When this happens, check to see if the article is available in the library collection. Some databases provide a link to check availability; for others, please click the Journals link from the library home page (under the search box). See the video below for more details!
If we don't have access to the article, use the link below to fill out a request for it. While it depends on the lending library, it's likely to arrive between 24-48 hours during the week right to your inbox as a PDF. There is no emergency, over-night service so make requests as soon as you can!
If you identify a DVD that is not owned by UMass Dartmouth libraries, you may request a copy through interlibrary loan.
Just like with books, how long interlibrary loan takes depends on the lending library, but requests are usually filled within 1-2 weeks. Keep in mind with DVDs that many libraries have very specific rules about lending them, which might make the request take longer.
There is no emergency, over-night interlibrary loan, so it's a good idea to request materials well before the project is due!
*Please note, you need to be able to come to campus and retrieve the DVD from the library when it has arrived.
UMass Dartmouth participates in a service called "ComCat" or Commonwealth Catalog. You can search participating MA libraries catalogs and directly request books, DVDs, and music be sent to our library for you to pick up for free. Many public libraries use this service so this is a great way to find more "popular" titles vs. more academic titles like we carry.