Skip to content
Skip to navigation menu

 

Borrowing from other Libraries

The interlibrary loan service can help you obtain materials which are not held at any of Cardiff University’s libraries.

 

How do I make a request?

First check that the item you require is not available on LibrarySearch. Once you are sure that the library does not hold your item, you will need to complete a form for each item needed. Forms are available in all libraries, when submitting your request please give as much detail as possible.

What can be obtained?

You may request books, articles, reports, conference proceedings, patents, standards etc. Please be aware that we may not be able to obtain some items such as pre-1900 material, manuscripts and maps. To request a British PhD thesis, please use the EThOS service in the first instance; only place an inter-library loan request if EThOS cannot supply the thesis you need

Is there a charge?

Requests are normally paid for by your School. In most cases authorisation will be required (for example by your supervisor). Your home library will be able to confirm this for you.

Where do I collect my request?

Notification about books is usually sent by email to the address held on your Voyager record. Please collect them from your home library. Journal articles will be sent to you electronically.

What is electronic document delivery?

Where possible, journal articles will be sent to you electronically using Secure Electronic Delivery.  These are accessible by using the plug-in called FileOpen. This is the default delivery option so please let us know when you make your request if you will need to receive your article in paper format instead.

 

FileOpen

 

What is the new service?

The British Library can supply documents using SED (Secure Document Delivery).  There is a new option to use FileOpen to access your articles. This provides secure delivery to your desktop. Copyright also permits you to print a single copy for personal use.

How does it work?

Your journal article or conference paper will be sent to you electronically from British Library. This will be sent to you in an email carrying a link to your article as an encrypted PDF document.

What are the advantages?

Speed – Documents can be returned to you within a few hours rather than days
Convenience – You do not have to collect your articles in person
Quality – Articles are scanned to give high quality reproduction

How do I use this service?

If you are using an INSRV imaged PC, you will need to make sure FileOpen has been installed. Here are the steps you need to follow to install it: Start > Networked Applications > General Software > Internet, Web & Email > Plugins > FileOpen Installer. It takes just a few moments to do and only needs to be done once.

FileOpen screenshot

 

Is there anything else I need to know?

If you wish to open your document on your home computer, you will need to make sure you have Adobe Reader version 4 or higher installed. A plug-in will then be needed to open your documents. This is available from http://plugin.fileopen.com/. Once this has been installed, we recommend that you ensure you can open the British Library FileOpen Test Document. For Mac users, the plugin is http://plugin.fileopen.com/current/FileOpenInstaller.dmg

For NHS LHB staff:  please contact your home library if you are experiencing any problems downloading the plug-in.

Please note the conditions attached to the service:

  • A document can be opened up more than once, but only on the computer where it was first opened.   
  • Any attempt to access the document on another computer will fail.  Similarly, access disappears after 30 days even if it has not been opened during that time; this means that it is not possible to store an electronic copy of the document.  
  • Copyright legislation allows the document to be printed once only. This has to be done within 14 days of receiving the article.

Who do I contact if I have any problems?

Please contact your home library if you have any questions about your request.

How long can I keep an item?

Book loans are normally for six weeks, unless the item is in heavy demand. Books are issued to your Voyager account so you can keep a check on the due date. Electronic articles and photocopies are yours to keep.

Can I renew my loan?

We will send you a courtesy email approximately one week before your loan is due. A renewal request can be made by replying to the email. If the renewal is approved, you will receive email confirmation of the new due date.

Related Links