Resource Sharing FAQs - Resource Sharing - Libraries: The University of Tennessee, Knoxville

Resource Sharing FAQs

If your question is not a Frequently Asked Question please contact us. Phone: (865) 974-4240 or Email: sharing@utk.edu.

How long does interlibrary loan take? Photocopies are primarily sent to us electronically and typically take 1-3 business days. Books are mailed or sent via courier. Depending on which supplier fills the order, an average of 1 to 3 weeks is normally required to make an item available to the requester. Turnaround time for both books and copies can be much longer for rare items or international requests. In mid-semester, especially, plan for your work well in advance. Please allow several weeks before your deadline to get your most important materials.
Back to the top

What if I need something faster than the average time? We always strive to obtain materials by the fastest method possible. If something is particularly time sensitive, please indicate that in the Notes field of your request.
Back to the top

Is there a limit on the number of requests I can make? Resource Sharing currently has no limit to the number of requests you can make at a time. However, during peak or heavy traffic periods, Resource Sharing staff may request that patrons prioritize requests or the Resource Sharing staff will prioritize the requests for them. Resource Sharing will be happy to speak to you about your need for an exception. You may email us at sharing@utk.edu or contact us via the phone at (865) 974-4240.
Back to the top

Why do I have to fill out a separate form for each item I request? There are two reasons for this: First, it’s the law — Resource Sharing must be able to prove that we are complying with copyright law. Secondly, your original request is numbered with a transaction number to identify that item as yours. It is also numbered so that it can be tracked to make sure it is ordered, received, delivered to you and then sent back to the lending library correctly. We don’t want to lose your request or a book which was lent to us. Back to the top

Does Resource Sharing cost anything? Resource Sharing absorbs up to $35 of the cost of ordering any item. We will contact you for permission if there might be additional fee to pass on to you before authorizing a charge. Any supplemental charges will be added to your UTK Libraries account for payment. Back to the top

How long can I keep books I borrow on Resource Sharing? The lending library sets these limits. Each request you place could be different. Typically loans range from 3-12 weeks.
Back to the top

Can I renew Resource Sharing books? Usually, unless the lending library stipulates “No Renewal.” If eligible, you will be able to click the “renew” button next to the item in your “checked out items” list in ILLiad. This will automatically add 2 weeks to the due date. If the lending library declines the renewal, you will be informed.
Back to the top

Is there anything I can’t get on Resource Sharing? There are some materials that we generally cannot borrow. Our own library’s policy is useful for gauging your potential success at borrowing special items from other libraries. Items that are more difficult to obtain include:
-Items found in special collections and archives
-Genealogical materials
-Textbooks
-New and popular items (you may wish to consider suggesting these be purchased for the libraries’ collection using this form.)
Back to the top

Do I need to check Resource Sharing books out at the Public Services Desk? You will need to sign and date a pick-up slip when picking up your items at a library.
Back to the top

Where do I return my Resource Sharing books? You may return books directly to the 2nd Floor Public Services desk at Hodges, or to the desks at Devine or Pendergrass. Please do not place returns into any book drop.
Back to the top

My books are overdue — how much are the fines? Resource Sharing does not assess overdue fees. If a loan ordered via ILLiad is over fourteen days overdue, you will be blocked from using ILLiad. Any fees assessed by the lending library for overdue, lost, or damaged materials are passed on to the requesting patron.
Back to the top

How can I check the status of my request? ILLiad provides tracking of all current and past requests. Simply log into your ILLiad account and use the “History” tab to see all prior requests.
Back to the top

How can I tell if another library has what I’m looking for? You do not need to know or provide us with that information. Simply provide as complete a citation as possible and we will do the rest.
Back to the top

Can I have my Resource Sharing materials delivered to my office? UTK faculty, staff, and graduate students may opt to have Resource Sharing materials delivered free of charge to their departmental mailroom by Library Express. Please make sure your delivery address in ILLiad matches what is here.
Back to the top

Will you deliver items to my home? Distance users (more than 40 miles from Knoxville) and disabled/medically fragile users may request home delivery. Please see more here.
Back to the top

We only have this on microfilm, in Reserves or in Special Collections. Can I borrow another copy through Resource Sharing? Our policy is to avoid borrowing items that we own if they are available to access, regardless of format or location. The Libraries purchase materials for permanent retention in order to provide on-site access to the content UTK clients need most urgently. Often we face a choice between having the collection in microformat or not owning it. In practice, items such as ERIC documents are only available in microfiche.
Back to the top

Someone has a book checked out, or it is missing. Will Resource Sharing borrow it for me? Yes. We will verify that the book is charged out to another patron or will search for it if it is missing. If not available, we will try to borrow it from another library. If the item in question is checked out to another UTK patron or another library, and not immediately obtainable via ILL, we will initiate a recall of the checked out item on your behalf.
Back to the top

Resource Sharing