Interlibrary Loans: Obtaining Materials From Other Libraries

If Cabrillo College Library does not have a book or a periodical article that you need, it is likely that we can borrow or obtain a copy for you from another library. NOTE: Books published within the most recent year, reference materials, and videos cannot be requested.

Who may request interlibrary loans?

• Instructors, students, and staff at Cabrillo College may place interlibrary loan requests.  Special Borrowers are not eligible for interlibrary loan service through Cabrillo, with one exception: Special Borrowers formerly or presently affiliated with Cabrillo (retired faculty & staff, Governing Board members, etc.) may submit one interlibrary loan request per month.

How do I make a request?

1. Obtain an Interlibrary Loan Request form from the Reference Desk for each item.
2. Fill out form as completely as possible, attaching any citation printouts when available.
3. Please indicate last date needed, and indicate if you are willing to pay (see next section).
4. Give the completed form to a librarian at the Reference Desk. 
5. Alternately, you may submit ILL requests via email to the Library Director, providing sufficient information to identify the desired materials.

What are the possible charges?

• Cabrillo College Library is a member of the Monterey Bay Area Cooperative (MOBAC) Library system. Approximately 18 libraries in this area (including libraries at CSU Monterey Bay, the Naval Postgraduate School in Monterey, and UC Santa Cruz) share resources through interlibrary loan. When we can obtain your request from within our system, there is no charge.
• If the material you request is not within MOBAC, it is possible that there could be charges. Efforts will be made to borrow or obtain the title from a library that does not charge. However, copies of articles from specialized publications, including medical and nursing journals, usually have to be obtained from outside MOBAC and there is often a $10-$15 charge per article.
• If you do not indicate on the Interlibrary Loan Request form that you will pay charges ahead of time, we will request your material and check with you prior to accepting any charges.

How long does it take?

• For materials found within the MOBAC system, they typically arrive within a week.
• For requests we need to send to libraries outside of the MOBAC system, it can take 2 to 3 weeks to obtain the material. Your request is handled as promptly as possible, but other libraries and other library staffs are involved.  Allow at least 2 weeks minimum.

How am I notified when it arrives?

• We will call you when your material arrives. Upon request, we can notify you via email.

Where do I pick it up? Where do I return it?

• Ask for your Interlibrary Loan materials at the Circulation Desk. If it's a book, you will sign it out and return it to the Circulation Desk.
• NOTE: Materials borrowed must not be damaged, and due dates must be strictly adhered to. Cabrillo College Library will lose borrowing privileges with other libraries if due dates are not observed.

Can books borrowed on Interlibrary Loan be renewed?

• Books borrowed on Interlibrary Loan may sometimes be renewed, especially those borrowed from a MOBAC library. If an item can not be renewed, another request for the same material may be submitted at a later time.

What if my Interlibrary Loan Request is for a periodical article?

• You will receive a photocopy of the article that you may keep.

Other questions about Interlibrary Loan?

• Georg Romero, Library Director, 831-479-5771, geromero at cabrillo.edu
• Stephanie Stainback, ILL Assistant, 831-479-5035, ststainb at cabrillo.edu