The more than four million volumes that the UI Libraries owns are just the tip of the iceberg of knowlege that UI faculty, students and staff have access to. Our Interlibrary Loan department is your connection to a world of libraries. Every year the Interlibrary Loan department fills requests for more than 20,000 items!

You can request a book, thesis, video, journal article, book chapter or other research material online. This free service is available to all University of Iowa faculty, students, and staff and is done online through the Interlibrary Loan/Document Delivery website.

Generally journal articles, book chapters and other short materials that are scannable are delivered to your desktop within 2 days. Books, videos or theses can be delivered, on average in 4-10 days.

The first time you login with your HawkID and password to our online Interlibrary Loan/Document Delivery system, you will have to complete a one time registration form. Here is where you choose your Home Library (Hardin or Main) and your Pick-up Library (Hardin, Main or any of the branch libraries). So for example, if you are faculty, student or staff member in the health sciences, Hardin Library is the best choice for Home Library. All other departments should choose the Main Library. The Pick-up Library is where books will be sent for you to pick up – if your office is in Seashore Hall, you can choose the Psychology Library and have your books sent there for you to check out.

Once you are registered, your Interlibrary Loan account will be the place to go to do everything – submit your requests, view scanned material that has been posted, renew your books, and track the status of your outstanding requests.