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Inter-library loan and document delivery

Inter-library loan and document delivery services, are managed by the single libraries. Service conditions and fees are listed in the libraries regulations. In Italy there are several online tools that allow libraries to easily share bibliographic data to enhance inter-library loan and document delivery services.

The ICCU has developed the ILL SBN service, which is completely free-of-charge for the partner libraries. Readers and librarians can access the online platform from the OPAC SBN. If a  bibliographic record describes a resource preserved by an ILL SBN partner library, it is possibile to send a request for a loan. This information is shown by a tab at the bottom of the bibliographic record, which shows all the partner libraries that own the resource. Before activating an inter-library loan or a document delivery, we recommend getting in touch with the library, in order to verify availability and costs of the operation.

The folloqing screenshot shows the ILL SBN tab in a bibliographic record. By clicking on “Richiedi prestito” (request loan ), bibliographic data are sent to the ILL SBN online platform. Readers will then be asked to signal their own library, which will receive the selected materials from another institution. It is not possibile to activate a loan on ILL SBN without indicating the library the material will be sent to. ILL SBN is not a direct lending service.

For further information, see the  ILL SBN website.