Following the installation of new self-service machines in the Bill Bryson Library, all inter-library loan books must be returned directly to staff at the Help & Information Desk. ILL books can no longer be returned via the self-service machines.
You can get in touch through our live chat service or by email, and search our FAQs for answers to your questions.
The Inter-Library Loans (ILL) service gives staff and students of Durham University access to material not currently held by the Library. Use the links to the ILL request form whenever you find them in Discover, or ConneXions and the form will be automatically populated with the book or article details. A blank ILL request form is also available at the top of each page in Discover, or you can use this link to the Inter-Library Loan form to make a request.
Use the "item type" button to tell us what you want.
Fill in as much detail as you can. An ISBN or ISSN number, if you have one, will allow our computer to automatically match your request, and chapters and articles could be automatically delivered to you the moment they arrive, no matter the time of day or night.
Articles will be delivered to your Durham University email address, or to an alternate email address if you supply one on the request form. In many cases a link to your document will also be available via the Requests tab in your online library record.
Whole books borrowed from another library via ILL will need to be collected from the Bill Bryson Library during Library Service hours which are shorter then the library opening hours. Check the current Help & Information desk service hours here. Some books will be confined to the library (at the request of the lending library) and these can be consulted on a daily basis. Postal Loans will not be possible. If you need a delivery option which is not available, then contact us to discuss alternative solutions.
ILL books should be returned directly to a member of staff at the Help and Information Desk at the Bill Bryson Library during Library Service hours. If you live outside of Durham, you can also use the Postal Returns service to return your ILL books.