General guidelines

Via interlibrary loan you can order literature which is not available at Siegen University Library from other libraries. You have to be a registered library user to do so.

Delivery time usually takes 1 – 2 weeks, but longer waiting periods are possible. You can check the progress of your interlibrary loan orders in your interlibrary loan account.

Ordering books and essays from books and other media

Interlibrary loan orders for books are placed electronically. To do so you have to log in with your library card number and password.

• Use the search mask to find the required title.
• Choose the respective title from the list and decide whether you need the entire book or only the copy of an extract / article / essay.
• Within the section ‘Lieferbedingungen’ (terms of delivery) you can state if you are also interested in other editions of the book and if you would like to have placed a reservation on the book in case it is lent our in all libraries taking part in the interlibrary loan system. If the book is only available by placing a reservation, it is necessary to wait for the book beeing returned. Thus the delivering time will be longer.
• You will be given a summary of your order at the end including an order code. You will need this code if you have any questions concerning your order.
• Please note that you will need to place a separate order for each individual item or volume.
• If you cannot find the title you are looking for you can place your order via a blank ordering form. The link to this form can be found at the end of the list of your search results.

Ordering journal articles

Interlibrary loan orders for journal essays are placed electronically. To do so you have to log in with your library card number and password.

• Use the search mask to find the title of the journal in which the essay was published.
• Choose the printed edition of the journal (not the [electronic resource]) from the search results. If you cannot find the journal you are looking for or if no printed version of the journal exists you can place your order via a blank ordering form. The link to this form can be found at the end of the list of your search results. Please note that in the case of journals that are only published electronically it depends on the licence agreements whether or not the title is available for delivery
• Complete the ordering form with the details of the article you are interested in.
• In the section headed “Lieferbedingungen” (terms of delivery) please choose a form of shipping as well as a type of notification. Essays will be sent as a copy. They will usually be available for collection at the circulation desk in the main library Adolf-Reichwein-Straße (AR). University staff members may also receive their copies via interoffice mail as long as they choose “Zustellung über Hauspost” (delivery via interoffice mail) from the list of shipping forms and include all relevant details of their interoffice address (name, department / faculty, building block and street address).
• There may be higher charges for essays longer than 20 pages. Please fill out the box “Kostenübernahme bis” (meeting the costs up to).
• You will be given a summary of your order at the end including an order code (TAN). You will need this code if you have any questions concerning your order.

Placing an order after a search with DigiBib-Metasuche

You can also place an interlibrary loan order directly after a search with Digibib-Metasuche:

• At first choose an appropriate set of databases (Datenbankprofil) and within this set the appropriate single databases
• Use the search mask to find the required title
• Following the link "Wie komme ich dran" you are also given the possibility of ordering the title by interlibrary loan.

Costs

An interlibrary loan will cost you EUR 1.50. This handling fee will be charged to your user account, and is due irrespective of fulfillment. For university staff (with library card for university staff) interlibrary loans are presently free of charge.

In the terms of delivery you can also choose up to which sum you would like to meet any additional costs (recommended: at least EUR 8). Additional costs may occur in the case of essays longer than 20 pages or when a title needs to be ordered via the international interlibrary loan. 

Besides that the postage for any notification via mail will be charged to your account in case you have not registered an e-mail address.

Restrictions

Not all titles are available via interlibrary loan; excluded are in general:

• Items that are available in Siegen
• Items that are available for less than 15 Euros via book stores
• Media recently acquired and books that have not been registered in any library
• Loose-leaf publications and complete issues or volumes of journals
• Media which generally are not accessible to the public such as term papers, final exam papers, teachers' editions of workbooks, tests or recordings of TV programs
• Books with elementary or purely practical content such as cookery books or travel guides
• Items of value, especially works published before 1800
• Items of extraordinary format
• Items subject to special copy-right regulations, as for example electronic books, standards and patents

Notification and collection

You will receive a notification by e-mail or postal mail (postage: see costs) as soon as your interlibrary loan order has been delivered.

The delivered items will be kept for you for up to 10 days. Please pick them up within this time period by presenting your library card at the circulation desk in the main library Adolf-Reichwein-Straße (AR).

Loaning out and returning media

The lending period for items that have to be returned is set by the lending library and can be found on your pink interlibrary loan form. The loan period begins when the book is placed at your disposal, not when you collect the book!

Please return the item(s) handing in ALL receipts and forms you have at the circulation desk in the main library Adolf-Reichwein-Straße (AR).

If you require an extension of the lending period please present the item in question with any receipts and forms that go with it including your library card at the interlibrary loan desk in the main library Adolf-Reichwein-Straße. Please note that an extension is only possible if the loaning library agrees and if the application for an extension of the lending period has been handed in before the lending period expires. In case the extension is not agreed to you will receive a return request.

In case of overdue items a fine will be charged to your account, calculated according to the Gebühren- und Entgeltordnung der Universitätsbibliothek Siegen (Charge and Compensation Regulations of the University Library of Siegen).

Terms of use

The University library has to adhere to any and all terms of uses set by the loaning libraries. This includes such restrictions as “Nur Lesesaalbenutzung” (reading room use only) or “Kopierverbot” (copying prohibited). Those media are available for use in the special reading room, main library Adolf-Reichwein-Straße (AR), Floor 0.

Reader-Printer and Film-Scanners for microforms are available for use by appointment.

International interlibrary loan

If an item which has been published outside of Germany is not available in any German library belonging to the interlibrary loaning system, your order can be placed to the international interlibrary loaning system. This can and will only be done with your consent. This will probably lead to longer waiting periods and higher expenses which will have to be carried by you. For more detailed information please contact the interlibrary loan department.