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Interlibrary Loan (ILL) and Document Delivery: Borrowing privileges at other institutions

ILL and document delivery are services offered to faculty, students, and staff at the University of Alabama. This guide explains how to request materials.

Reciprocal Borrowing for Faculty

The Reciprocal Faculty Borrowing Program allows faculty members of participating institutions access to numerous research libraries in North America. Depending on the policies of each library, materials may be either borrowed or used on the library’s premises.

A faculty member from a participating institution may request a Reciprocal Faculty Borrowing Program card from Gorgas Library Circulation Services. The visiting faculty member must present the card and any other identification the lending institution requires.

Please note that this is a program of privileges. Faculty must abide by the policies of the institution they are visiting. At its discretion, a participating institution may suspend the privileges of a visiting faculty member.

Area Institutions

University of Alabama faculty, staff, and students may borrow books for free from the following institutions in Alabama:

Alabama A&M
Auburn University
Auburn University, Montgomery
Huntingdon College
Jacksonville State University
Judson College
Miles College
Shelton State Community College
Stillman College
University of Alabama in Birmingham
University of Alabama at Huntsville
University of Montevallo
University of West Alabama

To borrow materials from one of these institutions, you must show your current University of Alabama ACTion card. Each library has its own policies regarding circulation periods, renewals, and fines. Patrons from the above institutions may also borrow materials from UA Libraries. The borrower must show a valid institution identification card. Circulation policies are the same as for Borrower’s Card patrons: a 30-day loan period with 1 renewal; 5 items total.

Center for Research Libraries (CRL)

The Center for Research Libraries (CRL) is an international consortium of university, college, and independent research libraries.  Located in Chicago, CRL provides support for its members through lending materials, providing access to collections that many libraries are unable to purchase due to cost or uniqueness, and support to scholars through grant programs.  

You can search for CRL materials in SCOUT or through their catalog on the CRL homepage
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