Interlibrary Loans

Looking for an existing interlibrary loan request? During our transition to a new system, some requests may still be managed in the old system. If you cannot find your request in your library account, check Relais. Access Relais here

We can help you access materials for your study or research through our network of local and international libraries and commercial suppliers.

Who can use this service?

This service is available to University of Melbourne:

  • Staff
  • All students

Members of the public, including library members, are not eligible to use this service.

How do I place requests?

If the item you need is not available in the library collection, you can request it through Interlibrary Loan.

Request from Library Search:

  1. Search for the item in Library Search.
  2. Select Expand your search if no suitable results are found.
  3. Click Request via Interlibrary Loan.
  4. Sign in to your account.
  5. Choose a request option (loan, article, or chapter).
  6. Review the details and select Send Request.

Create a request from scratch:

  1. Fill in the blank ILL Request form
  2. Use this option when:
    • You already know the item details, or
    • The item cannot be found in the search results.
  3. Complete the request form and provide as much information as possible.
  4. Select Send Request to submit the request.

For more detailed information, see the FAQ "How do I submit a request".

Looking for an existing interlibrary loan request? During our transition to a new system, some requests may still be managed in the old system. If you cannot find your request in your library account, check Relais. Access Relais here

  • If the item you need is not available in the library collection, you can request it through Interlibrary Loan.

    Request from Library Search:

    1. Search for the item in Library Search.
    2. Select Expand your search if no suitable results are found.

      Expand your search link
    3. Click Request via Interlibrary Loan.

      Request via interlibrary loan link
    4. Sign in to your account.
    5. Choose a request option (loan, article, or chapter).

      Interlibrary loan options link
    6. Review the details and select Send Request.

    Create a request from scratch:

    1. Fill in the blank ILL Request form
    2. Use this option when:
      • You already know the item details, or
      • The item cannot be found in the search results.
    3. Complete the request form and provide as much information as possible.
    4. Select Send Request to submit the request.

  • You can view the status of your requests by signing in to Library Search and clicking My library activity.

    Click on Requests to view your interlibrary loan requests.

  • Yes. Australian copyright law applies to all interlibrary loan requests.

    This means there are limits on how much of a work can be supplied and how the material can be used. For example, requests for articles, chapters, and extracts must comply with copyright provisions, and copies are provided for research or study purposes only.

    The Library manages copyright compliance on your behalf, so you don’t need to navigate the rules yourself. If a request cannot be supplied due to copyright restrictions, we will let you know and, where possible, suggest alternative options.

    For more information, see our Copyright information page.

  • Most interlibrary loan requests are supplied at no cost to you.

    In some cases, a supplying library may charge a fee. If the cost exceeds our preset limit, we will contact you to confirm whether you are willing to proceed before any charges are incurred.

    There is no obligation to continue with the request if you do not wish to pay.

  • If you need an item urgently, submit your request as usual and then email us as soon as possible to let us know.

    While we can’t guarantee faster supply, letting us know your timeframe allows us to prioritise your request where possible and explore the quickest available options.

  • Digital Copies:

    We supply copies electronically. You will receive an email with a link to download the document.

    Physical Loans:

    When your item is ready, we will notify you, and you can collect it from your nominated branch library.

    Some items are for use in the library only. If this applies to your request, we will let you know when the item arrives.

  • If you need to renew your interlibrary loan, please email the team a few days before the due date to request a renewal.

    Renewals are subject to approval by the supplying library, so we cannot guarantee that all requests can be extended. We will let you know the outcome as soon as we receive a response.

  • If you no longer need an item, you can cancel the request from the Requests section of your library account.

    Sign in to Library Search and click My library activity.

    Click on Requests to view your interlibrary loan requests. From here, you can click Cancel.

    Please note that no record of cancelled requests is stored in the system.

  • The interlibrary loan service is available to all current University of Melbourne staff and students.

    Members of the public, including those with a University of Melbourne Library membership, are not eligible to use this service.

  • The time to fill your request can vary. It depends on factors such as:

    • staffing availability in the Resource Sharing team and at supplying libraries
    • how readily available the item is
    • whether the item is held locally, interstate, or overseas

    Providing as much detail as possible in your request—especially an ISBN or ISSN—can help expedite processing.

    Digital Copies:

    Many copies are supplied quickly, sometimes within 24 hours. Others may take longer depending on availability and any access or copyright conditions.

    Physical Loans:

    Loans take longer as items must be processed and shipped. Requests from overseas libraries will take significantly longer.

  • During the transition to our new Interlibrary Loan system, some requests are still being managed in our previous system (Relais). As a result, your requests may appear in either system.

    If you cannot find a request in your library account, please check Relais:  Log in to Relais using your University of Melbourne library barcode.

    If you cannot find your request in either system, please email the team for assistance.

Looking for an existing interlibrary loan request? During our transition to a new system, some requests may still be managed in the old system. If you cannot find your request in your library account, check Relais. Access Relais here

In addition to Interlibrary Loans, there are other ways to access material, including borrowing in person from partner libraries through reciprocal borrowing schemes or registering with public access libraries that offer free online resources.

Depending on your needs, the options below may be helpful.

CAVAL Reciprocal Borrowing Scheme

Borrow in person from participating Victorian libraries. This is useful if you need an item urgently or if it cannot be supplied through Interlibrary Loans but is available at another library.

Find out more about the CAVAL Reciprocal Borrowing Scheme.

University of Divinity Library Network

We have a reciprocal arrangement with the University of Divinity Library Network, which specialises in theology and religious studies. Its collections have strong coverage of biblical studies, church history, doctrine, ethics and spirituality, as well as distinctive denominational and special collections.

Find out more about borrowing from the University of Divinity Library Network.

ULANZ Borrowing Scheme

Borrow in person from participating university libraries across Australia and New Zealand. This is particularly useful if you live near another university or are travelling.

Find out more about the ULANZ Borrowing Scheme.

International universities

If you are studying or working overseas, we can request borrowing privileges for you at international universities. This can be helpful if you need access to local collections while away.

Find out more about borrowing at international universities.

State, national and public libraries

You can also register directly with the State Library of Victoria, the National Library of Australia, and public libraries. These libraries offer extensive print and electronic collections, and can be a good option for accessing material quickly or finding resources not available through the University Library.

Find out more about registering with the State Library of Victoria, the National Library of Australia, and public libraries.

Looking for an existing interlibrary loan request? During our transition to a new system, some requests may still be managed in the old system. If you cannot find your request in your library account, check Relais. Access Relais here

Email address

ill-library@unimelb.edu.au

Feedback

Complete our customer satisfaction survey

Postal address

Resource Sharing Office
Baillieu Library
University of Melbourne
Victoria 3010, Australia

Campus entry: Gate 11, Royal Parade

Temporary pause to Interlibrary Loan supply

The University of Melbourne Library will temporarily pause supplying items from our collections via Interlibrary Loan while we transition to a new library system.

Pause period: 6 May to 19 July.

During this time, we will not be able to supply loans or copies from our collections to other libraries. Interlibrary Loan registration will also be temporarily unavailable.

We expect to resume Interlibrary Loan supply from 20 July.

We appreciate your understanding during this transition.

  • Who can request

    We accept requests from libraries, government, and commercial organisations in Australia and overseas.

    Most items from the University of Melbourne Library can be borrowed. If an item is marked “not for loan,” we can often provide a copy instead.

    How to request

    You can send requests through:

    1. TPRS ReShare
    2. OCLC WorldShare Interlibrary Loan
    3. University of Melbourne direct request form (for registered libraries not using ReShare or OCLC WorldShare).

    First-time user of our direct request form

    Register here [Form currently not available due to service pause]

    Copyright

    All requests must follow the Australian Copyright Act 1968.

  • Accessing Theses

    We do not supply theses through inter-library loan. But you can often access them in other ways.

    • Open-access theses are available online.
    • Hard copy theses can be digitised on request.

    How to find a thesis

    Search our online catalogue. When you find a title, click the ‘Access via University of Melbourne Minerva Access’ link in the record.

    Access levels

    Each thesis has an Access Status set by the author:

    • Open access – the full text is available online.
    • Only available to University of Melbourne staff and students – full text is limited to University users.
    • No attached file available – the thesis can only be viewed in the Baillieu Reading Room on a supervised device.

    If you wish to view a thesis in the Baillieu Reading Room, click the yellow icon on the right-hand side of the catalogue record to submit a request.

    Requesting a copy

    If no public version is available, you can ask for a free digitised copy.

  •    Core 
    (processed within 4 days)    		 Rush 
    (processed within 24 hours)    		 Express 
    (processed within 2 hours)
    Copy Up to 25 pages  $22.50 $44.50 $67.00
    An additional 25 pages or part thereof  $5.20  $5.20 $5.20
    Loan Book or microform $34.40 $62.80 $85.00

    Supply of Items

    We supply items in accordance with the Australian Inter-Library Resource Sharing (ILRS) Code.

    • Express service – available only for items from the Baillieu and Biomedical libraries. You must arrange and pay for a courier to collect the item.
    • Rush service – available from the Dookie Library, but please note this library is not open every day.

  • OCLC WS ILL prices (USD)

       Core 
    (processed within 4 days)    		 Rush 
    (processed within 24 hours)    		 Express 
    (processed within 2 hours)
    Copy Up to 50 pages  USD 18.00USD 35.00 USD 49.00
    Additional 50 pages or part thereof  USD 4.00         USD 4.00  USD 4.00
    Loan Book or microform USD 35.00 USD 52.00 USD 66.00

    Direct registration  prices  (AUD)

    Core 
    (processed within 4 days)    		 Rush 
    (processed within 24 hours)    		 Express 
    (processed within 2 hours)
    Copy Up to 50 pages  $26.60

    $51.70

    		$72.40
    Additional 50 pages or part thereof  $5.90    $5.90 $5.90
    Loan Book or microform $51.70$76.80 $97.50

    Supply of Items

    We supply items to overseas libraries in accordance with IFLA’s guidelines for resource sharing and document delivery.

    Please allow 2–4 weeks for delivery of your book.