ENGL 3892W - Problems in Literature: Mysticism and Literature - Dubilet

Document Delivery & Interlibrary Loan

No Ebook in the catalog?

If there is no ebook available in the catalog, contact Ramona, ramona.romero@vanderbilt.edu, to request that we purchase an ebook copy if there is one available.

For books with no ebook copy available try Document Delivery! 

Due to COVID-19 we are now offering document delivery to all students. Login to the Library Catalog with your VUnet ID and password. 

In the Location Items section of the catalog record, you should see a link to Request chapter / article scan. This will link you out to our interlibrary loan page ( you may need to login again) to submit your scanning request.  Our interlibrary loan staff will scan the requested content and post a PDF to your interlibrary loan account.

Document Delivery also works for journal articles that are only available in print.

**When submitting chapter scanning requests, please specify chapters/ pages needed.  ILL staff will supply you with a Table of Contents upon request.

Screen shot highlighting Request Chapter/ Article Scan link in catalog record

No library can own it all so Interlibrary Loan (ILL) is a great option for getting assess to materials not available at the Vanderbilt Libraries.

All you need is your VUnet ID and password, and the citation information for the resource you are requesting. Just click on the link below and login to the library's Interlibrary Loan Service.

ILL in the age of COVID:

  • You are more likely to be successful with your ILL request if you are requesting book chapters and journal articles which can be delivered as PDFs.
    • If you are working remotely, ILL cannot mail books to you. You must be in the Nashville are to retrieve physical interlibrary loan requests.
  • When submitting requests for multiple chapters from the same book, please submit the request for each chapter individually.
    • If you request more than one chapter in a single request, ILL staff will have to split your request into individual chapters delaying processing of your request.
    • Splitting your multi-chapter request into individual requests allows multiple libraries to respond to the request.
    • ILL will happily supply you with a Table of Contents for books if needed.

Interlibrary Loan FAQ

What is Interlibrary Loan?

Interlibrary Loan or ILL (sometimes also called interloan, document delivery, or document supply etc.) is a service whereby a user of one library can borrow books or receive photocopies of documents that are owned by another library. The user makes a request with their local library (in this case Vanderbilt's Heard Library), which, acting as an intermediary, identifies owners of the desired item, places the request, receives the item, makes it available to the user, and arranges for its return.

Do I need to use ILL?

ILL is an optional service.  Most undergraduates are able to complete their research assignments using the resources available at the Vanderbilt Libraries.  Occasionally the resources you need for a research assignment will not be available.  That's when ILL can come to the rescue.

Who can make an ILL request?

Vanderbilt faculty, staff, and currently enrolled students.

What can I request?

We can usually borrow from other libraries the kinds of materials that would circulate here: books and reprints, scores, proceedings, etc.. Microforms, newspaper back files, dissertations, and government documents often are available, but may need special handling. Periodical volumes, reference books, rare or fragile items, videotapes, and very old or very new imprints cannot normally be borrowed. We can request copies of journal articles and many other items that cannot be borrowed.

How long does it take?

Locating and receiving books and articles usually takes a few weeks or less, but sometimes takes several months or longer. Service may be slower during busy times, and we are limited in the number of items we can process at once for a single patron. You should try to determine your needs early, and time your requests to allow for delays and to avoid receiving more than you can use in the time allowed for loans.   A good rule of thumb:  Budget at least two weeks for receiving an ILL request.

What does it cost?

Absolutely Free!