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Materials Request: InterLibrary Loan vs. Purchasing Request

InterLibrary Loan vs. Purchasing Request

Library collections have limits. If you're not finding what you're looking for, we have two options for filling your research needs:  

  • InterLibrary Loan (ILL)
  • Purchasing Request

Any Texas Wesleyan University faculty, staff, or currently enrolled students may submit InterLibrary Loan and Purchasing Request forms. We are unable to offer these services to alumni or community members. You must provide a valid Wesleyan ID number and TXWES email address when requesting items.

NOTE: Purchasing new materials to add to the collection can be a long process. It is dependent on the availability of materials with our vendors and publishers in addition to shipping and processing times. If you need materials immediately, you are highly encouraged to submit an InterLibrary Loan request. 

InterLibrary Loan

Our InterLibrary Loan (ILL) service locates and borrows materials wanted by students, faculty, and staff that are not in the West Library's collection from other libraries. 

What kinds of items can I request?

  • You can request almost anything that is part of another library collection. This typically means books, print scholarly articles, music, microfilm, microfiche, magazines, etc. You can also request electronic scholarly articles or other digital resources.
  • Borrowing ebooks is typically not allowed by lending libraries because of copyright limitations.
  • Please note that lending libraries frequently limit the lending of rare items, reference books, dissertations, genealogical materials, theses, computer programs, and some AV items.
  • The West Library does not guarantee that the necessary equipment is available to view some forms of media, such as microfilm or microfiche.

When should I use ILL services?

  • We recommend using ILL services anytime you need a resource unavailable in the West Library collections or through the academic databases to which we are subscribed.

When should I NOT use ILL services?

  • ILL services are not meant to help you find additional resources; they are meant only to acquire resources you already know exist and cannot access on your own. If you need assistance searching for resources, please get in touch with our Reference Department at reference@txwes.edu or (817) 531-4802.
  • If the West Library owns or provides access to a requested resource, we will instruct you to use it instead of providing it through ILL.

 

InterLibrary Loan Request Forms

Current Students, faculty, and staff may request an Interlibrary Loan by clicking on the button and completing the form below:

Request an Article Request a Book

 

Purchasing Request

Purchases of new library items are subject to fund availability and are made per the West Library's collection development policies. Please note that submitting the Purchasing Request Form does not guarantee a purchase by the West Library.

The following criteria are taken into consideration when selecting materials:

  • relevance of the subject matter to the collection
  • timeliness or permanence
  • authoritativeness
  • accuracy of information
  • author's reputation and significance as a writer
  • inclusion of the title in recognized bibliographies
  • price
  • availability of materials on the subject

Textbooks 

  • Requests for textbooks will be considered on a case-by-case basis and must be thought to have value beyond that of a textbook or serve a dire need of the Wesleyan Community.
  • Any print textbooks purchased by the West Library, as determined by the Collection Management Librarian and the Library Director, will be placed on Reserve to ensure reasonable access to the content.
  • University Faculty may choose to donate or house textbooks within the Reserves Collection, which is the responsibility of the Circulation Department.
  • The purchase of digital textbooks is discouraged; if the purchase is deemed necessary, digital textbooks will be hosted on the vendor platform where they were acquired, and access may be dictated by the user license under which it was purchased.


Purchasing Request Form

Current Students, faculty, and staff may submit a purchasing request by clicking on the button and completing the form below:

Purchasing Request Form