What's changed?

Eligibility, Loan/Request Quota, and Periods

Searching and Placing request

Why Interlibrary loan request is not available?

The ILL request may not be available when ...

• you have not signed in to Find@HKUL.
• you are not eligible for ILL services.
• you have reached the maximum ILL loan/request quota.
• your requested item is available at HKU Libraries.
• your requested item is not available for ILL services (e.g. non-loanable format and location). You can use JULAC card to visit UGC-funded libraries to use the library materials.

Cancellation of ILL request

• You cannot cancel the request once the request is submitted. If you no longer need the item, please send us a request via Email-A-librarian (To: Interlibrary Loans) to cancel the request as soon as possible.
• Each lender determines which parts of their collection are available for inclusion in interlibrary loan. The following items may be difficult to borrow from other libraries:
  
  • Complete issues/volumes of periodicals
  • E-books
  • Items from non-circulating items (e.g. Reference Collection)
  • Items with short loan period (e.g. Reserved Collection)
  • Items in non-paper format (e.g. DVDs)
  • Rare books and Special Collection
  • Textbooks
  • Materials that are difficult or expensive to pack or ship
• You will be notified by email if your request is cancelled. The request may be cancelled under the following circumstances:
  
  • The item is available online in HKU Libraries’ collections
  • The item is not found on the shelf
  • The item is borrowed by the local users
  • The item is found to be not suitable for loan (e.g. non-circulating, in poor condition, etc.)
  • Digital requests for more than one chapter of a book or 10% of the work. Please make a physical item request instead.
• If the request is not available for loan, the Libraries may choose to purchase a resource.

• You can login MyAccount@HKUL to view the latest status of your requests.
• Approximate delivery times:

Physical Books (from local and overseas):

• You will receive an email notification when the requested item is ready for pickup.
• Items from UGC-funded institutions will be held at the selected pickup location for 5 days while items from overseas institutions will be held for 21 days.
• Unclaimed items will be returned to the lending library without any further notification.
• In certain cases, the lending library requires us to designate an item as "In-Library Use Only" depending on format, age, and condition of the material.

Digital copies of journal articles/ book chapters:

• Articles and book chapters will be delivered electronically via MyAccount@HKUL.
• You will have a limit of 5 downloads within 30 days for each digital item. You’re unable to retrieve PDFs that have expired.

Returns

• ILL items must be returned on or before the due date to Services Counter (either Main Library or branch libraries).
• You should not put any ILL items into the book drops.

Recalls

• ILL items are subject to recall by users at the lending library.
• You will receive an email notification once the item is recalled by another patron and the new due date is calculated from the date of renewal. You are advised to return the recalled item within 15 days from the date of recall to avoid overdue fines incurred or suspension of borrowing privilege.

Renewals

• You can renew ILL books online via MyAccount@HKUL on Find@HKUL, unless the item is recalled by the lending library or the maximum renewal period is reached. Any overdue fine will be recorded automatically.
• Not all lending libraries will allow renewals. All renewals are subject to the policies of the lending library.
  
  • For local requests: The renewal period will be the same as the original loan period. The maximum renewal period of 15 days and 30 days can be renewed up to 45 days and 90 days respectively.
  • For overseas requests: Please submit the renewals request at least 1 week before the item is due. You will be notified by email if the renewal request is accepted. Books not accepted for renewal must be returned on time. 

• The Interlibrary loan service is available as a subsidized and no-fee service for eligible users. Occasionally, you may be charged if the cost of an item exceeds our subsidy (e.g. heavy cost for delivery). We'll let you know if there will be a charge for an item you have requested before it is processed.
• Late returned, damaged, or lost resources may incur fines and replacement fees.

• Borrowers shall be held responsible for any loss or damage of the borrowed ILL books (including the assumed lost item) and abide by the book replacement and/or penalty policies of the lending libraries.
• A request for cancellation/refund will not be considered once the Library has issued the bill to the borrower.
• All library materials shall remain vested in the properties of the lending library. Borrowers are not allowed to keep the damaged/lost items even if the items were later found or the replacement charges have been paid.
• Please take good care of ILL books borrowed from the other libraries. ILL books should not be taken overseas without prior permission from the lending libraries.

HKU Libraries offers Interlibrary loans (ILL) services to other libraries worldwide via Rapido and OCLC Resource Sharing.

The University of Hong Kong Libraries (Interlibrary Loan)
2/F Lending Services and Learning Environments
Main Library
The University of Hong Kong
Pokfulam Road, HONG KONG

Phone: +852 3917-5895
Email: libill@hku.hk
OCLC Symbol: HUA