LibrariesResource SharingResource Sharing FAQs
Resource Sharing FAQs

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


  1. How long does interlibrary loan take?
  2. What if I need something faster than the average time?
  3. Is there a limit on the number of requests I can make?
  4. Why do I have to fill out a separate form for each item I request?
  5. Does Resource Sharing cost anything?
  6. How long can I keep books I borrow through Resource Sharing?
  7. **Can I renew ILLiad books?
  8. Is there anything I can’t get on Resource Sharing?
  9. Do I need to check Resource Sharing books out at the Circulation Desk?
  10. Where do I return my Resource Sharing books?
  11. My books are overdue — how much are the fines?
  12. How can I check the status of my request?
  13. How can I tell if another library has what I’m looking for?
  14. Can I have my Resource Sharing materials delivered to my office?
  15. Will you deliver items to my home or fax an article to me?
  16. We only have this on microfilm. Can I borrow hard copy through Resource Sharing?
  17. Someone has a book checked out, or it is missing. Will Resource Sharing borrow it for me?
  18. The article I need has been torn out/my journal issue is at the bindery/the issue I need is lost or not received. Can I order it?

  • 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 problematic 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? Resource Sharing offers priority service to UTK faculty, staff and graduate students. Let Resource Sharing staff know when you would like the material and whether you could still use it after your deadline. Simply add the ‘need by’ date in your request’s Notes field. Each request form in ILLiad contains a Notes field to communicate this and other important pieces of information, including where you can change the “Need By” date. Resource Sharing always uses the fastest appropriate method to obtain materials. Due to the many factors influencing delivery time, Resource Sharing cannot guarantee that we will be able to meet a specific deadline.
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  • 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. Guidelines developed to help interlibrary loan operations comply with Section 108 of the Copyright Act of 1976 require us to retain documentation on all Resource Sharing photocopy requests for three years. Moreover, we must be able to prove that the maker of each copy request is aware of her/his responsibilities under copyright law. UT’s General Counsel provides more information concerning copyright. 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 return requests for items that cost more, leaving the patron the option to purchase it or we may suggest that you contact Research Collections to see if the library can purchase the item for the collection. 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.” You can tell if a book is renewable by looking at the Resource Sharing band attached to the front cover of the book. If there is not a line in red stating “No Renewals” than you can renew the book yourself through your ILLiad account. On the left side of your ILLiad home page there is a link to renew your loans. After clicking on renewal it will give you a 2 week extension from the original due date. (This is contingent on the lending library OKing the renewal) Once you place a renewal we contact the lending library, if the renewal is granted you will not hear from us and your due date is 2 weeks from the original. If the lending library declines our request, we will recall the book from you for immediate return.You only get one renewal and only for 2 weeks. We expect the patron to ask for the renewal on or before the original due date. The new due date is 2 weeks from the original date. If you renew past the due date, expect to get less than two weeks. Again, it is prudent to plan your work well: Read your Resource Sharing books before the ones UT owns. If your book states “No Renewal” on the RS band, then you cannot renew the book and it needs to be returned by the date stated on the cover. 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. UTK generally does not lend these categories of items to other libraries:
    • Entire recent issues or volumes of periodicals – current or bound
    • Audiovisual materials, such as video cassettes, films
    • Sound recordings
    • Special Collection items, such as rare books, manuscripts and archives
    • Reference books
    • “Unpublished” papers (with the exception of dissertations and theses, which most libraries lend.)
    • Original copies of newspapers
    • Reserve Materials

    In addition to these common non-circulating items, some libraries restrict loans for genealogical research materials, dissertations and theses, newspapers on microfilm or original papers. Then again, some libraries do lend these, even if they place a “library use only” or “no renewal” restriction on them. We will be happy to try to borrow them.

    The UTK Libraries maintain a membership in the Center for Research Libraries, which will lend almost anything in its collection. If CRL has an item in these categories, we will try to get it.

    Finally, a few publishers specialize in converting special collections to microfilm for libraries to purchase. If we can locate a special item on microfilm, such as an archival or manuscript collection, or even an old or rare imprint, we have a good chance of obtaining it.

    Please understand, however, that when we send you a note saying that nobody would lend the rare book you need to complete your dissertation. If your research requires you to use unobtainable materials, you will need to budget time and funds to travel to the material. Back to the top

  • Do I need to check Resource Sharing books out at the Public Services Desk? No. When you pick-up your Resource Sharing materials, they are already checked-out to you. We take care of all transactions in the Resource Sharing Department. All you will need to do is sign and date loan slips for the items you requested. Back to the top

  • Where do I return my Resource Sharing books? You may return books directly to the 2nd Floor Public Services desk (not the book return but to the staff at the desk). Library Express (974-0021) can also pick up your RS books for return if you are a Graduate, Staff Member or Faculty who is already signed up for Library Express. 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 “Outstanding Order” checking options provided in the Main Menu. You may also email us at sharing@utk.edu or contact us via the phone at (865) 974-4240.  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. The only general requirement is that you have a mailbox with your name on it. Contact Library Express for more information about their services. Back to the top

  • Will you deliver items to my home or fax an article to me? No, RS does not deliver to home addresses. If this is a problem, contact the RS staff for possible exceptions. RS does provide electronic delivery when available. See the ILLiad FAQ for details. Back to the top

  • We only have this on microfilm, in Reserves or in Special Collections. Can I borrow another copy through Resource Sharing? No. Our policy is to avoid borrowing items that we own, regardless of format or location. Items held in other branches (Map Collection, Music Library, AgVet, Law Library or Special Collections) and in Reserves are also not available for Interlibrary Loan. 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.  Back to the top

  • The article I need has been torn out/my journal issue is at the bindery/the issue I need is lost or not received. Can I request it? Yes, in most cases. In the case of the journal issue at the bindery, please check the issue’s status at the Current Periodicals desk, or at the branch library holding the journal before making your ILLiad request. If the item is damaged or missing, please inform Circulation staff prior to ordering the item so the Libraries’ staff can take action to repair or replace the missing items. When you order the item using ILLiad, add the following note to the request’s Notes field, as appropriate: Item at Bindery, Article Missing, or Issue Missing. Back to the top