How Do I Locate an Item?

You will need a current library account to order materials through the library catalog, LINK+ and Interlibrary Loans.  To check out items ordered at your home library or “pick up anywhere” location you will need an Alliant ID card with the 14-digit barcode.

Four steps for locating items both online and at your home library and/or other affiliated libraries.

1. Check to see if item(s) is available at your Alliant home library 

2. Check to see if item(s) is available at other Alliant libraries

3. Check to see if item(s) is available on the LINK+ web site

4. Fill out Interlibrary Loan request form

Purchase Suggestions:

You can make purchase suggestions for recently published, non-textbook titles that you think your home library should own.  Titles should support the curriculum. Submit your request through “My Library Account”.  Purchase suggestions can take 2-6 weeks to arrive in the library so plan ahead.  Journal suggestions are only processed one a year during the summer journal package renewal.

Library Locations

Library Hours

3-2012  md/hp/kb | updated 10-2014 es

Books

Before submitting an interlibrary loan request for a book please check the following three areas. Once you have exhausted these resources then you should fill out an ILL request form.

1. Items available at your home library (http://library.alliant.edu)

Search the catalog (Encore or Classic) by author, title or keywords.  If available at your home library you can put a hold on item (using the "Request it" button).  Depending on staffing levels, you may have to retrieve the book from the library stacks if it isn’t on the hold shelves at the Circulation Desk.

• You can put a hold on your home library’s copy even if it is checked out but you should also check to see if the item is available at one of the other main Alliant libraries or from LINK+.
• Course reserve items, reference materials, and assessment materials are not requestable even if the status is “AVAILABLE.”
• Do not use the “Request” function for journal articles.  See Journals tab for information on requesting journal articles.
• If item is available as an “e-book” you can read it online.
  

2. Items available at other Alliant libraries:

If an item is checked out or not available at your home library but is available at one of the other Alliant campus libraries, you can have it sent your home library.  After locating the item in the Library Catalog click on the “Request it” button. Items usually arrive in 3-5 business days and are held for 10 days. Books check out for 28-days with two 28-day renewals and media usually checks out for 7-days with one 7-day renewal.  If an item has additional holds it cannot be renewed. [Note: course reserve items, reference materials, and assessment materials are not requestable even if the status is “available.” Contact a librarian at your campus library for more information on these items.]

3. Items available on the LINK+ web site:

Items not available in the Alliant Library catalog may be available through LINK+,  a consortium of over 60 academic and public libraries in California and Nevada. Items usually arrive in 4-7 business days and are held for 10 days. The loan period is 21 days with one 21-day renewal (if no other holds are placed on the item).  All items must be returned after 6 weeks (3 week original checkout and 3 week renewal).  No further extensions are possible.  If there is another copy of the item available you can try requesting it about a week before the due date. There is no charge for items requested but overdue fines are $1.00 per day per item.  Replacement cost for a lost or damaged item is $115.00.  Do not remove the band or label from any loaned book.

• Visiting Patron: Most of the LINK+ libraries allow “visiting patrons”.  With your Alliant ID card, you can go directly to the loaning library to check out items.  Items can be returned to the loaning library or to your home library.   If you have overdue fines or late books you may not be able to check out items.
• Pickup Elsewhere: LINK+ books can be sent to the nearest participating LINK+ library instead of your home library.  Alliant owned books will only be available for pickup from an Alliant Library unless ordered through the LINK+ catalog.
• Pick up items promptly (within 10 days) or they will be sent back to the loaning library.
• Verify personal information: Please make sure the library has your correct email address and that you allow library notices through any kind of spam blocker you might have on your email program.  You can also set up SMS Alerts (standard message rates apply). Hold pick notices are a courtesy and items not picked up by the date indicated will be sent back to the loaning library.  If you no longer need an item please contact your home library so item can be sent back.

4. Interlibrary Loans:

After you have checked the Library and LINK+ catalogs and the item is not available you can try requesting it through interlibrary loans.  From the Alliant Library home page select “Interlibrary Loan”.  On the Interlibrary Loan Request page select the appropriate tab (Book or Chapter).  Don’t forget to search the library catalog first for the book title (not the chapter title).  Typical interlibrary loans are free, but special requests may have a charge.

Requested items usually take 7-28 days to arrive depending on the location of the loaning university and the number of libraries the request is sent.  Typically the request is sent to five libraries and each library has up to 8 days to process the loan or cancel it and sent it off to the next library.  This is why a request could take up to 2 months to be filled.  The borrower is responsible for returning materials on time and paying for damaged or lost materials, and any overdue fines.