Interlibrary Loan Policies & Procedures: Submitting a Request

**Independent researchers must contact a Reference Librarian to submit requests. Libraries and State Employees see below.**

Interlibrary Loan requests are submitted electronically through our ILL website: https://nmstatelibrary.illiad.oclc.org/illiad/logon.html

Login to your account, and fill out a "New Request" form. Then enter the item's citation information into the request form. The more information we have, the more successful we are in obtaining material.

What types of materials can be requested?

• Loans are items such as books, DVDs, sound recordings, maps, etc.
• Articles from journals, books, reports, case studies, and other research documents.

How long does it take to receive material?

• Loans: It can take up to 10 working days to receive an item. It can happen faster.
• Articles: Certain articles can be delivered by e-mail within 24 hours, others may take up to 10 working days.

**If you encounter trouble logging in or submitting requests please contact our Interlibrary Loan department at  nmslinterlibraryloan@dca.nm.gov or at (505) 476-9716.

If your library wants to request an item again, please wait until 3 months after the previous request's due date. 

For example: If the item was due 3/26/2022 and returned you should not request the item again until 6/26/2022 at the earliest. 

Frequent and repeated request for the same item is not allowed. ILL is intended for short-term collection augmentations, not to replace collection development. Following this practice ensures that libraries are not ceaselessly lending one item to one library.

Some items may be difficult to obtain via ILL, such as:

• recently published works
• best-sellers
• items recently mentioned on TV
• Special Collection materials
• Genealogical materials
• DVDs, CDs, audiobooks

Never hesitate to make a request for these items, just be aware that sometimes there may not be a lender willing/able to share these items. 

• Never affix adhesive labels or tape to a borrowed item. If you need to keep paperwork with a book, consider making a strap using a long strip of paper and taping to the paper itself, not the item.

• Always keep the paperwork sent by the lending library with the item and return it with the item.

• Borrowers assume responsibility for borrowed material from the time it leaves the lending library until it has been returned to and received by the lending library.

For more info on the Interlibrary Loan Code for the United States visit this site.