OsoFast (Interlibrary Loan): Home

Mailing Address
Interlibrary Services
Baylor University
1312 S 3rd Street
Waco, TX 76706

ILS Email
BU_ILS@baylor.edu

Telephone Numbers
Area Code: 254
Main:710-6707
Nights & Weekends:710-6702

Who is eligible for Baylor Interlibrary Loan Services?

Baylor faculty (currently employed or retired), staff (currently employed or retired), and students (graduate, undergraduate, post-graduate, etc.) are eligible to use Interlibrary Loan at Baylor. Students must be currently enrolled in classes (or have paid the university's "summer access fee" to be eligible for ILL services. Faculty and students affiliated with either the Baylor Law School or the Louise Herrington School of Nursing (except for those based in Waco) must use the interlibrary loan services provided by the libraries in those schools.

What May Be Borrowed Through ILL?

The ILL staff will attempt to acquire any information resource, with certain exceptions, not immediately available in the Baylor Libraries needed by Baylor clients, regardless of format or location of the owning library or research collection around the world. Items owned by Baylor but that are checked out to another client or missing from the shelves MAY be requested via ILL. Be sure to indicate that the local copy is not available in your request.

Please note that the following items typically are not available for loan:

• Journals and Newspapers
• Rare or Fragile Documents
• Genealogy or Reference Books
• Audiovisual Materials

We will NOT attempt to acquire the following:

• Textbooks - should be purchased through the Baylor Bookstore or another vendor
• Popular DVDs and Videos - should be readily available for rental or purchase through a video store or online vendor

Is There a Limit to How Many ILL Items I Can Request?

No, we do not place a limit on the number of ILL requests you may submit. While there is a limit on the TOTAL number of items that may be checked out to your BearCat account at any one time, ILL checkouts are not affected by this limit since OsoFast circulation is separate from BearCat.

Are There Any Fees or Charges Involved?

In general there are no borrowing fees for the user. The Baylor Libraries subsidize all user requests up to $25 per request, with no limit per user. If the cost for Baylor to acquire the desired resource exceeds $25, however, the client (or, with departmental approval, the faculty member's department) is expected to help cover the cost of the excess amount. ILL will only acquire an item with charges after authorization from the client.

Dissertations: If not available through interlibrary loan, dissertations may be purchased through a vendor. The client is expected to pay the full cost of this service and will own the document upon arrival.

Overdues: Fines accrue at $1 per day. After 21 days overdue, the item is considered lost and the client will receive a bill for replacement. The minimum fee once the replacement bill is sent is a $30 non-refundable service fee.

Damaged Items: Each client is responsible for all ILL items in his/her possession. If an item is lost or damaged, the lending library reserves the right to invoice us for the repair or replacement costs. The amount billed will vary and may be passed directly to the client for payment.

How Long Does It Take To Receive Items Through ILL?

Delivery times can vary depending on availability of the requested item, the distance of the supplying library, and the speed with which that library processes the request. In general, articles arrive within 3-4 days and loan materials typically arrive between 4 days and 2 weeks from the date of request. Loans from international suppliers may take considerably longer.

How Will I Know When an Item Has Arrived?

When the requested item is available for pick up, ILL staff will notify you via e-mail. Loans may be picked up at the Circulation Desk on the 1st floor of Moody Library. Photocopied items will be delivered as an E-doc. Instructions for E-doc retrieval will be included in the e-mail notice.

How Long Can I Keep a Borrowed Item?

The lending library sets the loan period length. Please check the due date printed on the book-strap. If more time is needed, you should be able to place a renewal request online through OsoFast within 3-4 days before the item is due. Please feel free to contact the ILL staff if you need help placing your renewal request. When you contact us, please be prepared to give your name, the "TN" number (printed on the book-strap), and the title of the item in question. You should receive an e-mail notifying you of the new due date if the renewal is granted. If the lender refuses to extend the loan period, please return the item by the due date printed on the book-strap. Failure to return the item in time will result in overdue fines.

Where Can I Return ILL Items When I'm Done With Them?

ILL items may be returned at any circulation point in the Moody/Jones Library:

• Delivery Services (G-1, Moody Garden Level)
• Main Circulation Desk (Moody 1st)
• a Library Drop-box (Moody Foyer, Jones Entrance, Moody Drive-Up Return, or Moody Loading Dock)
• Crouch Library Circulation Desk (Moody 3rd)