There are benefits to using both Interlibrary Loan (ILL) and Borrow Direct. Which service you should use largely depends on your research needs and the item you are trying to obtain. Most people use a mix of both services.
The following table outlines some specifics of ILL vs. Borrow Direct.
| ILL | Borrow Direct | |
|---|---|---|
| Books | ● | ● |
| Articles/book chapters | ● | |
| Music scores | ● | ● |
| Non-book loans (DVDs, microfilm, CDs, dissertations, maps, etc.) | ● | |
| 3-4 business-day delivery | ● | |
| 6-week loan period, one renewal | ● | |
| Renewal option (depends on lending libraries' policy) |
● | |
| International loans and articles | ● | |
| Loans from a library other than the Borrow Direct partners (including public, law, medical, special collections, etc.) | ● | |
| Proxy borrowing | ● |
Here are some sample scenarios that might help you decide which service to use.
I need to borrow a book that is checked out at Columbia. It is for a class assignment due in two weeks.
When speed is the issue for a loan, try Borrow Direct first. If the book is unavailable through Borrow Direct, try ILL, but keep in mind that ILL loans generally arrive within two weeks, which may be too late for your assignment. Adjust your “need by” date on the ILL form to reflect your actual deadline.
I need to borrow a multi-volume set or one volume from a multi-volume set.
Although both services can accommodate multiple-volume-set requests, ILL is the better choice for ordering several volumes at one time. Place one ILL request and indicate in the "Notes" field which volumes you need. Borrow Direct allows one physical volume per request. If you need a volume other than the first, indicate the volume number in the "Notes for Librarian to Review" field of the Borrow Direct request form, otherwise the first volume will be sent by default. To request multiple volumes of the same set via Borrow Direct, submit separate Borrow Direct requests for each volume, noting in the "Notes for Librarian to Review" section of each request the volume number needed.
I tried to place a Borrow Direct request for a book that Columbia does not own. Even though I find the book through a Borrow Direct catalog search, the system will not let me place a request. What are my options?
The book you need is unavailable for loan at the Borrow Direct owning library. Place an ILL request for the item.
I need to borrow a book for the semester. I know that a Borrow Direct library owns it. Should I use Borrow Direct or ILL?
Use ILL. Borrow Direct loans are six weeks, non-renewable. ILL offers a renewal option. ILL requests can be sent to our Borrow Direct partners (all of whom participate in ILL), which can result in a longer loan period. If you’d like the ILL office to try a specific library first, please include that as a note on your ILL request.
If you are still unsure about which service to use, feel free to contact the ILL/Borrow Direct staff at (212) 854-7535 or ill@libraries.cul.columbia.edu.
