Overview of ILL Workflow

The ILL workflow is as follows:

1. Create a new ILL request.
2. Review the new ILL request.
3. Acquire the requested item.
4. Receive the requested item.

For returnable items only, the following additional steps are required:

5. Check out the item.
6. Check in the item.
7. Return the item.

For an illustration of this workflow, see the ILL Request Flowchart below.

Creating New ILL Requests

A new ILL request is created when:

• The patron requests an item via WebPAC, or
• A staff member requests an item on behalf of a patron.

When a new request is created, ILL writes the request to the new requests file.

Reviewing New ILL Requests

Library staff review the new request. During this review, the staff member:

1. Verfies that the information in the request is accurate and adequate. If necessary, the staff member:
   • Edits the request to correct typos or misspellings.
   • Sends a message to the patron asking for further information or clarification.
2. Searches for the item in the local catalog:
   • If an available local item can satisfy the request, the staff member places a hold on the item in the name of the requester. ILL automatically cancels the request.
   • If no local item can satisfy the request, the staff member continues to the next step in this process.
3. Searches for the item in a remote catalog:
   • If an available remote item can satisfy the request, the staff member can:
     • Export the remote record's bibliographic information into the request.
     • Accept the request. To do so, the staff member continues to the next step in this process.
   • If no remote item can satisfy the request, the staff member cancels the request. ILL moves the request to the cancelled requests file.

Acquiring Requested ILL Items

The staff member determines how the library will acquire the requested ILL item and chooses an acquisition method.

When the staff member submits the acquisition request to the supplying library, ILL:

• Moves the request to the pending request file.
• Creates a virtual item record in the requester's patron record. By using virtual records, ILL avoids filling the database with bibliographic and item records that would take up space after the ILL transaction is complete.

Once the acquisition request has been submitted, staff can do the following:

• Cancel the request.
• Send messages to the supplying institution as necessary.
• Reacquire the item from a different institution, if the original institution cannot supply the item.

Receiving Requested ILL Items

Once the supplying library sends the item to the requester's library, staff receive the item:

• If the item does not need to be returned to the supplying institution (for example, the item is a photocopy):
  1. ILL transfers the request to the filled requests file and removes the virtual item record from the patron record.
  2. The staff member mails the item to the requester or notifies the requester that the item is available for pickup.
  3. The requester picks up the item. No checkout is required.
• If the item needs to be returned to the supplying institution (for example, the item is a book):
  1. ILL transfers the request to the returns file and adds an entry to its file of items on the ILL holdshelf.
  2. The staff member places the item on the ILL holdshelf to await pickup by the requester.
  3. The staff member continues to the next step in this process.

Checking Out ILL Items (Returnable Items Only)

When the requester comes to pick up the ILL item, the staff member checks out the item to the patron.

Checking in ILL Items (Returnable Items Only

After the patron returns the ILL item, library staff check in the ILL item.

Returning ILL Item (Returnable Items Only)

The staff member returns the ILL item. ILL removes the virtual item record from the requester's patron record and transfers the request to the filled requests file.

ILL Request Flowchart

The diagram below illustrates how requests are moved between the ILL files.