You can initiate an ILL request directly from an item's record in the PAU databases or WorldCat Discovery library catalog. Clicking on an item's ILL link will launch a request form with citation information automatically entered from the item's record, which facilitates submission.
You can also initiate an ILL request from within the ILL portal in your WorldCat Discovery library account, but you will need to manually enter all of the item's citation information before you can submit.
Scroll down and review the accordion panels for guidance on initiating and submitting an ILL request, as well as an overview of how requests are processed and delivered. All resource links are listed in the ILL Toolkit section of this guide, under the navigation menu.
When you initiate an ILL request from within the databases or the library catalog, a request form will launch and automatically populate with citation information. At PAU, this process works best from the databases, which are targeted for literature searching and will therefore point you to the majority of resources that are eligible for ILL fulfillment and delivery. However, if you are looking for something that cannot be found in the databases, you should check the library catalog as well.
Choose this option if the research material you need shows up in your database search. The examples below provide numbered steps for determining if you need to initiate an ILL request. You will need to click on the "Access options" drop-down menu to see information on availability.
If you click on an ILL link to initiate an ILL request from the databases, the appropriate request form (for an article copy or a chapter copy) will open with the citation information already filled out for you. Read the instructions at the top of the form, complete the remaining required fields (as indicated by a red asterisk), fill in any additional information you might have (this can speed processing), then scroll down and click on the "Submit Request" button. If the form will not submit, double-check to make sure all the required information has been entered, then submit again. If you cannot answer a required question, you may enter "NA." Use the link in the ILL Toolkit list if you need help with submitting an ILL request form.
In the WorldCat Discovery library catalog, you can submit a semi-automated request for an item in your results list that is unavailable through the PAU library. First, click on the title of the item to review the catalog record to see if the item meets your needs.
Next, click on the "Place a Request" button.
You'll find each of the three request form options tabbed separately for your convenience: Article Copy, Chapter Copy, and Other Items.
The open request form will contain all the information that was auto-filled from the catalog record. You may need to cut and paste the content into one of the other two forms, depending on whether you decide to request a complete item or just an article or chapter copy. Refer to the catalog record if you need to manually complete any of the required details before submitting your request form. Read the instructions at the top of the form, complete all of the required fields (as indicated by a red asterisk), fill in any additional information you might have (this can speed processing), then scroll down and click on the "Submit Request" button. If the form will not submit, double-check to make sure all the required information has been entered, then submit again. If you cannot answer a required question, you may enter "NA." Use the link in the ILL Toolkit if you need additional help with your submission.
If you have a citation for library material but cannot find it in the databases or library catalog, and you cannot access it using any of the other search platforms linked in the ILL Toolkit, you can initiate a manual ILL request using the citation information from your search.
To access the manual ILL request forms while searching in the WorldCat Discovery library catalog, sign in using your PAU email credentials.
After you sign in, click on the "My Accounts" link and select "Requests" from the dropdown menu.
This will take you to the "Requests" tab in your library account, which serves as your ILL portal and keeps a log of all your ILL requests. Alternatively, you navigate to the ILL portal directly using the ILL Toolkit link, which will take you through the authentication process. Next, click on the "Create request" button.
By default, the "Article Copy" form will open. Use this form if you need to create a request for a copy of a journal article. Alternatively, you can navigate directly to the form for an article copy using the link in the ILL Toolkit.
To create a request for a copy of a book chapter, select the "Chapter Copy" form. Alternatively, you can navigate directly to the form for a chapter copy using the link in the ILL Toolkit.
To create a request for an item that isn't in article or chapter format, select the "Other Items" form. Alternatively, you can navigate directly to the form for another type of item using the link in the ILL Toolkit.
Once you've selected the appropriate form, read the instructions, and then fill it out. Some information is required for submission, as indicated by an asterisk. Any additional information you can provide is helpful, so please share! When the form has been completed, scroll down and click on the "Submit Request" button. If the form doesn't submit, double-check to make sure all the required information has been entered, then submit again. If you don't know what to enter to answer a required question, you may enter "NA." For additional assistance with filling out and submitting an ILL request form, use the link in the ILL Toolkit.
Once a request has been submitted, a librarian will initiate processing by double-checking to see if the material is available in-house or can be downloaded from a free source. If so, the request will be fulfilled by our library. Otherwise, the request will be sent out to other libraries for fulfillment.
Once a request has been processed, fulfillment time will vary depending on the availability of the material and timing of the request. ILL requests are not processed on weekends or holidays, and delays can also occur due to the schedules of other libraries. During a regular academic quarter, requests can usually be filled within a few days, although some can take more than a week or two.
IMPORTANT: We recommend allowing at least 30 days (which you will need to indicate when filling out the request form) to allow for delays and prevent your request from timing out before it can be filled. Rush requests are not available.
When an ILL request has been filled by our library or another library, a librarian will process the requested document so it delivers to the ILL portal in your WorldCat Discovery library account, where all of you ILL deliveries are stored. You can use the links in the ILL Toolkit to go to your ILL portal and locate your document's access link. The access link can also be sent to you via email if you adjust your library account settings accordingly, and you can also opt in to receive SMS delivery alerts. To manage your notification settings, go to the "My Profile" tab in your library account using the ILL toolkit links.
IMPORTANT: You must download and save your deliveries as soon as possible. Each document will expire after 30 days or five (5) downloads, whichever comes first. Please note that the same expiration policy applies regardless of how you access your delivery.
If you request an item that does not qualify for ILL services, you will be notified by a librarian via email regarding the particulars.
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GETTING HELP: Having trouble finding what you need? Having trouble with access? You can rest assured, because the PAU librarians are here to assist you! Please email us at librarian@paloaltou.edu and provide the details so we can respond to you in the best way possible. We're happy to communicate with you about a question or concern via email, or we can set up a phone call or Zoom session if that would be helpful. No request is too big or too small, so please reach out at any time!