Interlibrary Loan (ILL) / Document Delivery
Borrowing from other libraries and document suppliersInterlibrary Loan during Winter Break
If you wish to receive your ILL books before the Winter Break (16 December, 2024), please submit your requests by 29 November.
Books borrowed from abroad may take 2-3 weeks to arrive and most partner libraries provide only limited ILL services during the holiday season.
In case you will be out of the country, indicate in the note field on the ILL form when you will be able to pick up the requested item.
Please check Library opening hours before you plan to pick up ILL materials. We are closed between 21 December, 2024 and 1 January, 2025.
Interlibrary Loan and Document Delivery
What is Interlibrary Loan (ILL)?
CEU’s Interlibrary Loan and Document Delivery service obtains books, chapters, articles and other documents from other research libraries.
How can I submit an ILL request?
Use this form or via Libsearch. You might need to login with your CEU credentials.
How can I submit an ILL Express request?
Via Libsearch when you see a link that will say “ILL Express ”
What is the difference between Interlibrary Loan (ILL) and ILL Express?
CEU’s Interlibrary Loan service obtains books, chapters, articles and other documents from other research libraries.
ILL Express (provided via the Article Galaxy Scholar platform) gives fast, unmediated access to journal articles in PDF format. This service is very fast and available 24/7, even on evenings and weekends. Once you are emailed the article link, you will have 30 days to download it. You can utilize the ILL Express service up to 5 times a semester. After you reach your limit, you will be automatically redirected to our regular ILL service to fulfill your article request. CEU Library pays $30 per request on average to obtain journal articles this quickly. If your need is not immediate, please make use of the usual ILL process (which delivers articles in one to three days on average). The articles received via ILL Express cannot be shared with students or uploaded to Moodle.
If you run into a problem, or have questions about ILL Express, email us at ill@ceu.edu.
Who can use interlibrary loan and ILL Express?
CEU Faculty, Staff, Students, Visiting Faculty, Visiting Researchers, and IAS Fellows for their work at CEU.
How long does it take to receive the requested item?
- A minimum of 2-3 weeks should be allowed for print book availability. Pandemic protocols may impact delivery times.
- Journal articles and book chapters in PDF arrive within 1-5 workdays, in print 7-10 days. Please note that due to copyright restrictions, most materials received online will be forwarded to patrons as a printout.
- If the approval of a Department is needed or the item is difficult to obtain, it may take longer.
What if I need a book/article urgently?
Indicate the urgency using the “Additional notes” field.
How many items can I request at a time?
The maximum number is five. Interlibrary loans will be checked-out to your library account and thus will be included in the number of items you are eligible to borrow.
How long can I keep an ILL book?
- As a rule, for two weeks but it may vary. Due date of the item is marked on the band. You can also check the due date under Your Account.
- Photocopies are yours to keep.
Is it possible to renew an ILL?
This depends on the lending Library. Many times it is not, but we can check for you. Please send an e-mail to ill@ceu.edu.
What if I do not return an ILL on time?
You will receive an overdue notice. Please return materials on time. CEU Library needs to maintain good relationships with its partners. CEU Library risks overdue charges.
What if I lose an ILL book?
Report the loss immediately to ill@ceu.edu. All fines on lost or damaged materials are payable by the borrower.
What kinds of items might be difficult to obtain?
- Very recent publications. Recommend a purchase at the Department.
- Reference books that do not circulate, e.g. encyclopedias, dictionaries.
- Multimedia materials such as DVDs.
- Dissertations and theses.
- Old/rare books.
What kinds of items can't be ordered?
- Entire journal issues
- E-books since these are, for copyright reasons, not available for interlibrary loan.
Can I cancel my request?
Yes, if it has not yet been processed. Please send an e-mail to ill@ceu.edu.
What if I am unable to submit my request using the online form?
Check your card/account at the Information Desk or send an email to ContactLibrary@ceu.edu.
How will I know that the requested ILL material arrived?
You will receive an e-mail notification.
What is a “Reading Hall-Only” book?
These (usually rare) books are lent to us with condition that they can be consulted in the library reading halls only. You will be notified about this in advance.
What if I am in Vienna and the book is available in a Viennese library?
In most cases, patrons will kindly be asked to visit the Viennese Library in person and follow their instructions for accessing books either on site or if allowed charging out books which will require registration.
How can I use other libraries in Vienna?
In most cases, you need to register. Please make sure that you bring the required documents for this process. See the website of the library you wish to visit beforehand. Here are a few selected libraries:
Do I always get the ILL articles in electronic format?
In a few cases yes, depending on the country of origin and publisher’s license. Otherwise we will supply you with a printout.
What if I plan to be away from CEU for an extended period of time?
Consider longer holidays and your graduation date before requesting ILL service so that you allow time to receive books.
Lending to other libraries
Questions?
For Interlibrary Loan questions please contact: ill@ceu.edu or +43 1 25230 3075 (Vienna)/ +36 1 327-2767 (Budapest)
ILL Patron Agreement
Library patrons must agree to the following:
- Borrow materials for research and/or study purposes only.
- Don’t disseminate materials to third parties.
- Treat the borrowed item with respect.
- Don’t underline or mark in borrowed books.
- Avoid exposing the ILL materials to any risk of damage or take them on a long journey.
- Respect the assigned loan period.
- Agree to the terms of the lending library, such as restricted use in the reading room or no photocopying.
- Abide by to the current copyright law in Austria and Hungary as appropriate.
- Agree to replace lost items including any fees incurred.
The CEU Library reserves the right to suspend Interlibrary Loan privileges if these terms and conditions are not followed.