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University of Southern Maine
Libraries & Learning

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Create an ILLiad Account

Creating an ILLiad account is quick and easy, and will allow you to request items from libraries all over the world for free!

To create an account, select "First-Time Users" at this link: https://usm-maine.illiad.oclc.org/illiad/

Email noah.burch@maine.edu with any questions.

ILLiad FAQ

What is ILL?

Interlibrary Loan is a service that allows you to request materials that you cannot find in other USM library collections. This could be an article to a journal we do not subscribe to or a book you cannot find at a Maine library. In short, we try to bridge the gap between what USM owns and what you might need.

How much does it cost?

This service is free for USM students (full time or part time), staff, faculty and alumni. Members of the public can buy a courtesy card for $60 a year.

How does it work?

First, you have to create an account, which you can do here: https://usm-maine.illiad.oclc.org/illiad/.

Once you have an account you can either fill out the appropriate request forms (book, article etc.) or you can request directly from USM databases by clicking the request button.

When we receive the material, we will send you an email letting you know you can either pick it up or download it from your account.

How long does it take?

For articles, the average time before we have the pdf to you is seven and a half hours. If you need something actually mailed to us, like a book or a thesis, this typically takes over a week to arrive.  

What is scan and deliver?

Scan and deliver simply means that we will send articles and book chapters that USM owns if you are not able to come to the library in person. We do not want a long commute or scheduling issues to be a barrier to you getting the research materials you need.

How do I get my articles when they arrive?

  1. Logon to ILLiad
  2. From the main menu, click the "Electronically Received Articles" link under the View heading on the left-hand side of the screen.
  3. A list will be displayed containing all of the items that you have waiting to be viewed or downloaded. Click on the "View" link beside the transaction number to open the PDF file on your screen. Once the file has been opened, you will be able to save the file to disk or print it out.

 

There are so many databases and catalogs. Which should I use?

When in doubt, just place a request. We will get it for you by the fastest means we can. If you want to learn more about the best research methods, please make an appointment with our reference staff. You can reach them at: http://libanswers.usm.maine.edu/

If it is free, what does max cost mean?

The vast majority of the time, we can find materials at libraries that will send them to us at no charge. However, some items are only available at libraries that charge for requests. If you leave the “max cost” field at $0, we will never request from a library that charges. You can always adjust the price later if needed.

What if I do not have a complete citation?

Please give us as much information as you do have. The better the citation the quicker we can process it. If something that you are missing is required, you can always put in a question mark and feel free to add a note with anything else we should know.

Does that mean you will send me a pdf of an entire book/journal issue for me?

No. We do have to abide by copyright law and have legal restrictions on what we can provide for you.

How many requests can I make?

As many as you like, as long as it does not violate copyright rules (see above).

Whom do I contact if I have problems with or questions about ILLiad?

Please contact the InterLibrary Loan office at (207) 228-8449 or (207) 780-5343 or e-mail to illpor@maine.edu

How may I track the progress of my request?

One of your menu options is “Outstanding Requests.” There you will be able to see the statuses of requests you have submitted through ILLiad but have not yet received. You can also view the stages your request has gone through under “Checked Out Items.”

Explanations of some statuses are as follows:

  • “Submitted by Customer” – confirmation that your request has been successfully submitted

  • “Awaiting Copyright Clearance” – request is awaiting copyright approval before it is ordered

  • “Awaiting Portland , Gorham or LAC Request Processing” – the material is awaiting processing at the requested campus

  • “Request in Processing”- material is being ordered by ILL staff

  • “Request Sent” – request has been sent to potential lenders for consideration

  • “Awaiting Post Receipt Processing” – the item has been received and is being processed by the ILL office

  • “Awaiting Customer Contact” – the ILL office is in the process of notifying you of received materials

  • “In Electronic Delivery Processing” – your article is in the process of being sent electronically

  • “Delivered to Web” - article has been delivered electronically and can be viewed through “View/Download Electronically Received Articles” in ILLiad

  • “Checked out to Customer” – loan has arrived and is ready for pickup

  • “Item check in” – the ILL office is processing your returned material to be sent back to lender

  • “Request finished” – request has been completed and, if a loan, has been returned to lender

 

What are the technical requirements?

The only significant technical requirement is software about to view pdfs. We recommend Adobe Acrobat Reader, which is available without charge here: https://get.adobe.com/reader/