Although some interlibrary loan requests are filled in a week, on average an interlibrary loan request takes two weeks to fill. Some requests take longer, if the supplying library is not in New York State. If you do not have the time to wait for interlibrary loan, here are some alternatives:
- Discuss your research needs with a reference librarian at on of the three campus libraries (Dewey, University, or Main). The librarian may be able to help you find some alternative materials, including online full text articles that you can use in your research.
- Connect to the Worldcat database and do a search for the book you need. Then, look at the display of libraries that own the item. You may be able to go to a library near where you live to use the item.
- Purchase your required textbooks.
- Check with the Circulation desk about obtaining a Capital District Library Council Direct Access card. This card will entitle you to check books out from most of the academic libraries in the area, if you are a SUNY student. Ask at Circulation for a list of participating institutions.
- For more popular material, check UHLAN, the online catalog of the library system that serves the 29 public libraries in Albany and Rensselaer counties. If you have a library card from any of these libraries, you can use it to check out books at most other libraries in the system.
- If you are a University at Albany faculty or staff member, apply in person for a library card at the New York State Library. As a state employee, you are eligible to directly check out books from the State Library’s considerable collection.
- If you are a currently enrolled UA graduate student, you are eligible for the Expedited Interlibrary Loan service from the New York State Library. For this service, you go to the State Library, retrieve the books you need, and bring them to the circulation desk there, and show you SUNY ID card. The State Library will then ship the books via local courier to our Interlibrary Loan Department, where they will be available for your use within three working days. (Undergraduates are not eligible for this service).
- If you are searching for material from a special collection or archive and we have not been able to help you through the Interlibrary Loan process, you may wish to write to the archivist at the institution.
