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Request Interlibrary Loan Service Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)

Use Request to ask for items that are not available at your campus library. If you are eligible for your campus document delivery service (DDS), you may also use Request to ask for items available at your campus library. Request is available from Melvyl® and also from many UC-licensed databases (via UC-eLinks).

Requested items will be processed as an Interlibrary Loan unless you specifically choose to use your campus document delivery service.

Who may use Request?

University of California faculty, staff, and students may use Request. UC alumni and users from other institutions wishing to obtain UC materials via Interlibrary Loan must initiate Interlibrary Loan requests from their local public library, their corporate library, or for those currently enrolled/employed at another academic institution, their current campus library.

How do I use Request?

Single Items

The Request button is available from the Item Details (full record) display of a Melvyl record. Click on the Request button to ask for items not available at your home campus or to ask for document delivery of items owned by your home campus if your library offers a document delivery service.

You can also click on the “Request It” link on a UC-eLinks menu.

Multiple Items

If you are accessing PubMed from a UC library’s link, PubMed’s “Order” feature allows you to save multiple records and then submits the entire list to UC’s Request service for processing. On PubMed, check the boxes next to the items you wish to request. Click the Send to: link, select the Order radio button, and then click the Order Articles button. A Citation List of the selected items displays. If an item is available electronically, you will see a hyperlink to the online version of the article. See below.

Screenshot of Request link on PubMed

Re-check the boxes next to any items that are not available electronically and then click the Request button to begin the request process.

Alternatively, you can save your citations to the Clipboard first before ordering. After doing your search and selecting the citation(s), click on the “Send to” link, select the Clipboard radio button, and then click the “Add to Clipboard button. Continue until you have all the items you want to order. There will be a clipboard icon and link in the upper right corner indicating how many items you have saved. Click on the Clipboard numbered item link. From here, click the “Send to” link and then select “Order” radio button, and then click the “Order Articles” button. Then proceed from the Citation List as described above.

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How many items may I Request?

There is no limit to the number of items UC faculty, staff and students may request.

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Why is my library card/account number rejected?

The Request service checks the number you enter against the patron database used at your campus library. If you have recently activated your library card or recently cleared a block on your patron record, your library card/account number may not yet be available to Request.

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What is my PIN?

At this time, only UC Santa Barbara (UCSB) uses a PIN. If you are not at UCSB, you should skip this section.

UCSB users: Your PIN (password) is your library/access card barcode (beginning with 21205) unless you changed it while signed on to “Your Account”. (See How to Sign-in to Your Account .)

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Can I save my patron information between sessions?

No. However, you can use your web browser’s Autofill feature to automatically fill in your Library Card/Account Number & email address. The Request service auto-detects your IP address and displays the appropriate Home campus form.

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Can I designate a pickup location not on my home campus?

If you have a valid library card from another UC campus and your privileges at that campus include Request, and you want to pick up items at the second campus rather than your home campus, you must use the Request form for the second campus in order to indicate a pickup location on the campus that issued that card. You can change to a different campus form by clicking on the Change Campus… link.

For example: You are a UCSF faculty member who also has a UCD library card with Request privileges. To pick up items at the UCD campus, switch to the UCD Request form, and use your UCD library card (not your UCSF card) to request items and select a UCD pickup location.

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Why don’t I go directly to the Request form when I click the Request button?

When you click the “Request” button, the system opens a Request session and then passes information on the item you are requesting to the Request service. If the Request form does not display, check to make sure that popup blocking software is not restricting this.

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What happens after I click the “Continue” button?

When you click the “Continue” button, the system presents you with a review page that lists the item in your current Request.

If you want to cancel your Request, click on the Cancel my Request button. If you want to complete your Request, initiate processing by clicking on the I accept the above terms. Process my Request now. button. After you click this button the item you have selected will be sent directly to the appropriate campus ILL unit for processing.

If the item you have requested is not be eligible for Request, the system will explain why you cannot request the item, and ask you if you wish to cancel your Request.

Once your Request has been processed, the system will then display a Request confirmation page showing the pickup location you selected, suggestions for following up on the status of your Request, such as printing the page or emailing it to yourself for future reference, and the item you have requested.

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How do I use Campus Document Delivery Service?

Most campuses require that you register for DDS. Click on your campus library link below to get details about using DDS at your home campus.

There are two ways to obtain items available at your home campus:

  1. Choose an item or create a list of items (in PubMed) held by your home campus, then click on Request. Select your campus DDS from the list on the Request form.
  2. Request one or more items (in PubMed) without checking holdings. If you are eligible for DDS service, when the item available at your home campus is processed by Request the system will ask you if you wish to use DDS for this item. You can choose to use DDS at this point.

Note: Items in your Request that are not available on your home campus will be supplied via Interlibrary Loan at all campuses except UCB. UCB Baker service processes all items as DDS.

The DDS you choose must be from the campus that issued your library card. For example: If your library card was issued by UCLA, you must use a UCLA-based DDS.

If you have a valid library card from another UC campus and your privileges at that campus include Request eligibility for DDS, and you want to pick up items at the second campus rather than your home campus, you must use the Request form for the second campus and choose the DDS option. You can change to a different campus form by clicking on the Change Campus… link.

For example: A UCI faculty member also has a UCLA library card with Request DDS privileges. To pick up items at the UCLA campus use the Request form for the UCLA campus, and your UCLA library card (not your UCI card) to request items and indicate that you wish to use the UCLA DDS service for your Request.

Each campus has different rules for document delivery. Specific information about each DDS is available below.

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