Interlibrary Loan (ILL)
If the Erwin Library does not own a book you need for your research, or an article you need is not available in any of the research databases available from the Erwin Library webpage, then you may request the library staff order a copy of the book or article from another library. This library-to-library lending is called Interlibrary Loan (ILL).
All ILL transactions for books and copies of articles are absolutely free to any Erwin Library patron who holds a current Erwin library card, with some restrictions, such as in-house use only of ILL materials for community patrons, for all patrons borrowing standard test manuals, or for WCC students should the item cost $100 or more.
It will usually take about two weeks for a book to be mailed to the Erwin Library for you to pick up and use. Copies of articles in pdf, or temporarily accessible links to them in a database, are usually emailed, which may take a much shorter time to reach the Erwin Library for you, often no more than a business day. You will be called or emailed by the ILL staff member at the Erwin Library when the book or article is ready for you.
You must present your Erwin Library card when picking up an ILL loan, though you may give your library card to a third person to pick up the item. The requestor is always responsible for the return of the materials in good condition.
There are several types of ILL request:
BOOK Online or In-Person at the Erwin Library
A. For books not available in print in the library OPAC (Online Public Access Catalog) or as an ebook in the research databases available from the Erwin Library webpage, fill out an online Interlibrary Loan (ILL) request form for BOOK. A Reference Librarian will be happy to assist you in using this online form, from your office or home computer, or in the Erwin Library on our computer workstations.
You will be notified by email or telephone when the loaned book you requested has been received in the Erwin Library and is ready for you to pick up after presenting your Erwin Library card.
BOOK directly through the Online Public Access Catalog (OPAC)
B. For books not listed In the OPAC as held by the Erwin Library (i.e. Wayne in the “library” search box), but possibly held by another NC community college library (for more detailed guidance for searching for a title you wish to place on Hold, consult the OPAC Basic Search Guide):
- In “library” box choose ALL from the drop-down menu.
- Enter your search in the left hand box.
- Choose the appropriate type of search from the drop-down menu beside the right hand search box.
- Click the Search button.
- Choose a book title from the Search Results screen.
- Click on the blue title link for the book you’ve selected in the list.
- Click on the Place a Hold link to the left of the book record.
- In “user id” box enter your WCC Library barcode.
- In “pickup at” box always choose Wayne from the drop-down menu.
- Ignore the other boxes
- Click the Place Hold button.
ARTICLE Online or In-Person at the Erwin Library
C. For journal articles not available in the research databases available from the Erwin Library webpage, fill out an online Interlibrary Loan (ILL) request form for ARTICLE. A Reference Librarian will be happy to assist you in using this online form, from your office or home computer, or in the Erwin Library on our computer workstations.
Article loans are usually sent to the Erwin Library and then to you as either a link to the article in another library’s database using a temporary login provided in the email notification, or as a pdf attachment to the email notification that will be forwarded to you.
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Library Card Application
Online Public Access Catalog (OPAC)
Interlibrary Loan (ILL) request form for BOOK
Interlibrary Loan (ILL) request form for ARTICLE