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Frequently Asked Questions - Interlibrary Loan


For Cornell patrons, information about requesting materials from other non-Cornell collections, or accessing library collections from off campus locations.

ILL General Info

General information about Interlibrary Loan services at Cornell.

  1. What is Interlibrary Loan?
  2. Who is eligible for interlibrary services?
  3. How do I borrow a book that Cornell does not own?
  4. How do I get articles that Cornell does not own or subscribe to?
1. What is Interlibrary Loan?

Interlibrary Loan is a free service for valid Cornell staff, faculty and students. You can request Mann Library to borrow items (books,articles, media, microfiche, etc) from other institutions when none of the Cornell Libraries own the items you need for your research.

2. Who is eligible for interlibrary services?

Any registered student, current faculty or staff with a patron record in Voyager, Cornell Library's database, has interlibrary privileges. If you are part of the Cornell community but away from campus, we may have just the right service for you. Check out Mann@Large services.

3. How do I borrow a book that Cornell does not own?

Books not owned by Cornell may be requested via either Interlibrary Loan or Borrow Direct, both of which are now searchable/available via the Cornell online catalog. After searching for an item and bringing up its record, click the Borrow Direct or WorldCat Libraries button in the Get This Item section. For more info, please see our borrowing faq.

4. How do I get articles that Cornell does not own or subscribe to?

To get an article from a journal or other source that Cornell does not own, you need to use interlibrary loan, a free service to Cornell patrons. To register and find out more information, please see our our borrowing faq.

ILL Borrowing

FAQs for Cornell patrons requesting ILL materials from other institutions.

  1. What is Interlibrary Loan?
  2. Who is eligible for interlibrary services?
  3. How do I request an interlibrary loan?
  4. I am working for a professor. How do I make requests on somebody else's behalf?
  5. What are the restrictions on ILL loans?
  6. How do I track my requests?
  7. How do I get a list of all items currently charged out, and their due dates?
  8. How do I request a renewal on ILL loans?
  9. What are the possible fines for late return of ILL materials?
  10. What should I do if I forget my username and/or password?
1. What is Interlibrary Loan?

Interlibrary Loan is a free service for valid Cornell staff, faculty and students. You can request Mann Library to borrow items (books,articles, media, microfiche, etc) from other institutions when none of the Cornell Libraries own the items you need for your research.

2. Who is eligible for interlibrary services?

Any registered student, current faculty or staff with a patron record in Voyager, Cornell Library's database, has interlibrary privileges. If you are part of the Cornell community but away from campus, we may have just the right service for you. Check out Mann@Large services.

3. How do I request an interlibrary loan?

If you have not already registered for Interlibrary Loan services at Cornell, go the Interlibrary Loan website. Please choose Mann Library as your ILL Processing Unit while registering. Requests can be submitted from the same site.

Patrons can now also request interlibrary loans from within the Cornell Library catalog. After searching for an item and finding it unavailable at Cornell, click the Borrow Direct or Worldcat Libraries button in the Get This Item section of the item record.

4. I am working for a professor. How do I make requests on somebody else's behalf?

This is a two step process:

  1. Ask your supervisor to set you up as a proxy.Only staff or faculty can authorize a proxy.
  2. Create an ILL account at the Interlibrary Loan site with the project name or supervisor's name and NOT your personal name. We assume that you will have access to the password in order to make requests on somebody else's behalf.
5. What are the restrictions on ILL loans?

Loans obtained through ILL do not belong to Cornell and run the risk of getting misplaced. In order to avoid such situations, ILL requires the following:

  1. ILL items must be picked up and dropped off at the Circulation Desk of your ILL unit.
  2. Do not return in the drop box.
  3. No more than two renewals are permitted on ILL loans.
  4. Do not take ILL books out-of-town.
  5. When you pick up the book, read the book band carefully for instructions.
6. How do I track my requests?

All requests can be tracked online on the same site used to make requests.

  1. Logon to Interlibrary Loan. 
  2. Click on "Review All Requests" and choose among various options.

If you have any questions about the status of your requests, please email mann_ill@cornell.edu.

7. How do I get a list of all items currently charged out, and their due dates?

To see a list of all items currently charged (Cornell, Borrow Direct, and Interlibrary Loan) and their due dates:

A list of charged Interlibrary loan items can be found from the ILLIAD Account page by clicking on the Checked Out Items link in left side bar menu.

 

8. How do I request a renewal on ILL loans?

Renewals are not guaranteed but we will try our best to obtain a renewal for ILL items.

  1. To request a renewal on an interlibrary loan item, go to the ILL webpage and logon.
  2. Choose the "Review All Requests" button at the top of the page.
  3. Select "View/Renew Checked Out Items" and submit the item that you want renewed.
9. What are the possible fines for late return of ILL materials?

Patrons receive three overdue notices over a period of 10 days from the due date. After 10 days, your ILLiad account is blocked which means you can no longer submit requests. Within 5 business days your circulation account will show a fine of $100.00.

$75.00 is for replacement cost and $25.00 is a late fine. If the item is returned in the future and remains in good condition, the $75.00 fine is waived. The $25.00 late fine is non-negotiable and needs to be paid at the Mann Circulation Desk.

10. What should I do if I forget my username and/or password?

If you have registered with Mann ILS and have forgotten your password, please send an e-mail to mann_ill@cornell.edu. If you have registered with some other ILL unit on campus, check here for contact information.

ILL Cooperative Extension

Mann Library ILL and other Document Delivery services offered to NYS Cooperative Extension staff,

  1. What kind of material can Mann Library provide to NYS Cooperative Extension agents?
  2. Who is eligible for Cooperative Extension interlibrary services?
  3. What is Mann Library's Cooperative Extension document delivery service?
  4. How do I request an interlibrary loan?
  5. I am working for a professor. How do I make requests on somebody else's behalf?
  6. How do I track my requests?
  7. How do I request a renewal on ILL loans?
  8. What are the possible fines for late return of ILL materials?
  9. What should I do if I forget my username and/or password?
1. What kind of material can Mann Library provide to NYS Cooperative Extension agents?

Mann ILS can provide the following materials to NYS Cooperative Extension agents completely FREE of cost through your Interlibrary & Document Delivery account.

  1. Loans from the Cornell collection, shipped via UPS to your office. 
  2. If Cornell does not own the item you need, we will borrow it through
    ILL from other institutions and ship it via UPS to your office.
  3. Electronic delivery of journal articles and book chapters from the Cornell collection through MyDocumentDelivery.
  4. Electronic delivery of articles and book chapters that Cornell does not own.

NOTE: Due to copyright restrictions, Mann Library will NOT provide articles that can be accessed as a networked resource through the library catalog. With netid authentication, access to networked resource is possible simply with your netid and password. If you are facing any problem accessing electronic resources, please contact your head office for assistance. If you are unable to access an electronic title from the catalog, please contact Mann Reference at mann-ref@cornell.edu.

2. Who is eligible for Cooperative Extension interlibrary services?

Any Cooperative Extension Educator or CCE employee not based on the Ithaca campus, is eligible for this service.

3. What is Mann Library's Cooperative Extension document delivery service?

Mann's Cooperative Extension document delivery service is a FREE service designed to
provide New York State Cooperative Extension offices and agents not
based on the Cornell campus, the use of material for the purpose of
program support or professional development. Mann Interlibrary Loan
Service mails loans to your work address and delivers articles
electronically to your ILL & Document Delivery account.

4. How do I request an interlibrary loan?

If you have not already registered for Interlibrary Loan services at Cornell, go the Interlibrary Loan website. Please choose Mann Library as your ILL Processing Unit while registering. Requests can be submitted from the same site.

Patrons can now also request interlibrary loans from within the Cornell Library catalog. After searching for an item and finding it unavailable at Cornell, click the Borrow Direct or Worldcat Libraries button in the Get This Item section of the item record.

5. I am working for a professor. How do I make requests on somebody else's behalf?

This is a two step process:

  1. Ask your supervisor to set you up as a proxy.Only staff or faculty can authorize a proxy.
  2. Create an ILL account at the Interlibrary Loan site with the project name or supervisor's name and NOT your personal name. We assume that you will have access to the password in order to make requests on somebody else's behalf.
6. How do I track my requests?

All requests can be tracked online on the same site used to make requests.

  1. Logon to Interlibrary Loan. 
  2. Click on "Review All Requests" and choose among various options.

If you have any questions about the status of your requests, please email mann_ill@cornell.edu.

7. How do I request a renewal on ILL loans?

Renewals are not guaranteed but we will try our best to obtain a renewal for ILL items.

  1. To request a renewal on an interlibrary loan item, go to the ILL webpage and logon.
  2. Choose the "Review All Requests" button at the top of the page.
  3. Select "View/Renew Checked Out Items" and submit the item that you want renewed.
8. What are the possible fines for late return of ILL materials?

Patrons receive three overdue notices over a period of 10 days from the due date. After 10 days, your ILLiad account is blocked which means you can no longer submit requests. Within 5 business days your circulation account will show a fine of $100.00.

$75.00 is for replacement cost and $25.00 is a late fine. If the item is returned in the future and remains in good condition, the $75.00 fine is waived. The $25.00 late fine is non-negotiable and needs to be paid at the Mann Circulation Desk.

9. What should I do if I forget my username and/or password?

If you have registered with Mann ILS and have forgotten your password, please send an e-mail to mann_ill@cornell.edu. If you have registered with some other ILL unit on campus, check here for contact information.

ILL Mann@Large

Mann@Large ILL services for Cornell patrons away from campus.

  1. What is Mann Library's Mann@Large Service?
  2. Who is eligible for Mann@Large interlibrary services?
  3. What kind of material does Mann Library provide to Mann@Large patrons?
  4. How do I request an interlibrary loan?
  5. I am working for a professor. How do I make requests on somebody else's behalf?
  6. How do I track my requests?
  7. How do I request a renewal on ILL loans?
  8. What are the possible fines for late return of ILL materials?
  9. What should I do if I forget my username and/or password?
1. What is Mann Library's Mann@Large Service?

Mann@Large is especially designed to make it easier for Cornell patrons to access library materials when they are away in the field or work in a distant location.

2. Who is eligible for Mann@Large interlibrary services?

The following patrons are eligible for the service if they have an
active patron record in Voyager, Cornell's online circulation system:

  • Cornell employees working at a Cornell facility away from the Ithaca campus.
  • Current faculty, staff and REGISTERED students engaged in
    research outside Tompkins County. This includes patrons only from the
    CALS, Human Ecology, Nutritional Sciences and Biological Sciences
    colleges. Note: In absentia status may qualify you to receive services
    but "on-leave" status does not. Please contact our office to find out
    if you are eligible. See contact information.
3. What kind of material does Mann Library provide to Mann@Large patrons?

Mann ILS can provide the following materials to Mann@Large patrons completely FREE of cost through your Interlibrary & Document Delivery account.

  1. Loans from the Cornell collection, shipped via UPS to your office. 
  2. Electronic delivery of journal articles and book chapters from the Cornell collection through MyDocumentDelivery.
  3. Electronic delivery of articles and book chapters that Cornell does not own.

Patrons needing access to physical copies of books or other materials not owned by Cornell will need to request these items using the Interlibrary Loan services of their local public library.

NOTE: Due to copyright restrictions, Mann Library will NOT provide articles that can be accessed as a networked resource through the library catalog. With netid authentication, access to networked resource is possible simply with your netid and password. If you are facing any problem accessing electronic resources, please contact your head office for assistance. If you are unable to access an electronic title from the catalog, please contact Mann Reference at mann_ref@cornell.edu.

4. How do I request an interlibrary loan?

If you have not already registered for Interlibrary Loan services at Cornell, go the Interlibrary Loan website. Please choose Mann Library as your ILL Processing Unit while registering. Requests can be submitted from the same site.

Patrons can now also request interlibrary loans from within the Cornell Library catalog. After searching for an item and finding it unavailable at Cornell, click the Borrow Direct or Worldcat Libraries button in the Get This Item section of the item record.

5. I am working for a professor. How do I make requests on somebody else's behalf?

This is a two step process:

  1. Ask your supervisor to set you up as a proxy.Only staff or faculty can authorize a proxy.
  2. Create an ILL account at the Interlibrary Loan site with the project name or supervisor's name and NOT your personal name. We assume that you will have access to the password in order to make requests on somebody else's behalf.
6. How do I track my requests?

All requests can be tracked online on the same site used to make requests.

  1. Logon to Interlibrary Loan. 
  2. Click on "Review All Requests" and choose among various options.

If you have any questions about the status of your requests, please email mann_ill@cornell.edu.

7. How do I request a renewal on ILL loans?

Renewals are not guaranteed but we will try our best to obtain a renewal for ILL items.

  1. To request a renewal on an interlibrary loan item, go to the ILL webpage and logon.
  2. Choose the "Review All Requests" button at the top of the page.
  3. Select "View/Renew Checked Out Items" and submit the item that you want renewed.
8. What are the possible fines for late return of ILL materials?

Patrons receive three overdue notices over a period of 10 days from the due date. After 10 days, your ILLiad account is blocked which means you can no longer submit requests. Within 5 business days your circulation account will show a fine of $100.00.

$75.00 is for replacement cost and $25.00 is a late fine. If the item is returned in the future and remains in good condition, the $75.00 fine is waived. The $25.00 late fine is non-negotiable and needs to be paid at the Mann Circulation Desk.

9. What should I do if I forget my username and/or password?

If you have registered with Mann ILS and have forgotten your password, please send an e-mail to mann_ill@cornell.edu. If you have registered with some other ILL unit on campus, check here for contact information.