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Inter Library Loans

If a book or journal article is not available in your local library collection, we can obtain it for you through our Inter Library Loans Service.
 
Before you make a request please check the following:
 
If what you want is not held in Wales we will contact our extensive network of national libraries to locate items.
 
Who can use the service?

The supply of loan items and photocopies of articles from other libraries is available to all NHS staff in BCUHB and Cardiff and Manchester University medical students on placement.

If you do not fall into one of these categories and you are attending a course at a College or University, check their Library services and electronic journals, as they may be able to fulfil your request.

 
How do I make a request?

Requests can be submitted by one of the following methods:

Fill out an online Inter Library Loan Request Form on our BCUHB Libraries Intranet Site or complete a paper copy in the Library.

Telephone the library you wish to collect the inter library loan from.

Email the library from which you wish to collect the inter library loan. If you are sending a list please use this option.

 
What to include in your request
  • Title of journal or book
  • Title of journal article (or book chapter if required)
  • Author of article or book (if chapter please give editor of the book and author of the chapter)
  • Year
  • Journal volume
  • Journal issue (if known)
  • Page numbers
  • Book edition
  • Your name (printed)
  • Library membership card number
  • Work address 
  • Contact number or bleep number
  • Your signature if using an Inter Library Loan Request form.

Please tell us is the item required for patient care, research, education or other (please state eg. writing article for publication).

How long will it take?

We will send your request to the supplying library within 24 hours, but it could take from 3 -10 working days before you receive it. We will inform you of any known delays.

If an item is required for urgent patient care please ring the library you wish to request it from and explain your deadline. We will supply the item as soon as possible, however sometimes a very short deadline can increase costs to the Library Service, so we will seek to clarify how urgent your request is and that it is for patient care.

 
Are there any charges?

There are no charges to you for inter library loans, but the Library Service sometimes has to pay the supplying library for each request. Therefore we ask you to use the inter library loan service responsibly, and to request only those items you believe will contain substantial information and will genuinely useful to your work. If you are not an NHS employee we might obtain an inter library loan for you at our discretion, but you will be charged.