Library

Interlibrary Loan

Interlibrary loan (ILL) is a free service for currently enrolled UCR students, faculty and staff searching for items not held by the UCR Library. Upon request, our staff will search for items in other libraries both in the U.S. and abroad.

Textbooks or course books requests may not be filled through ILL.

Loans

To borrow books from other libraries, go to UC Library Search. Sign in to your account, then search for the item.

  • Requests for UCR owned material, select UCR Request.
  • Requests for non-UCR material, select Request through Interlibrary Loan, then complete the form.

An email notification will be sent for pick-up at the selected service desk when the item has arrived.

Loan Periods:

  • UC material: 90-day loan, plus the option for renewals; total checkout period 360 days
  • Non-UC material: 30 day loan, plus the option for renewals; total checkout period 90 days
  • All material is subject to recall, and may not be renewable depending on the other institution's lending policy

You can manage your requests through My Library Account. 

Copies

To request articles or book chapters, go to UC Library Search. Sign in to your account, then search for the item.

  • Requests for UCR owned material, select Article/Chapter Scan.
  • Requests for non-UCR material, select Request through Interlibrary Loan, then complete the form.

An email will be sent for electronic access to scanned articles/chapter once processed.

Expedited Request via Article Galaxy Scholar

Article Galaxy Scholar (AGS) is a document delivery service designed to provide a faster delivery path for select journals not covered by our current subscriptions, typically delivering articles within one hour and in many cases immediately.

While traditional Interlibrary Loan (ILL) article requests remain the primary recommendation for most requests, AGS is specifically reserved for:

  • Faculty, graduate students, and staff (undergraduate students are NOT eligible).

  • Urgent, time-sensitive research needs.

Though AGS is faster, there is a limit on AGS requests. So eligible patrons will need to keep their research priorities in mind.  

There are two primary ways patrons can utilize Article Galaxy Scholar.

1. Via UC Library Search

  • Locate the Article: Search for the title in UC Library Search.
  • Request PDF: If the article is eligible for AGS, Request PDF text will appear near the article description.
  • Select Expedited Request: On the delivery options page, click Expedited Request. Please note, you will also see the option to request the article through Interlibrary Loan for non-urgent requesting.
  • Receive Your Item: After submitting, you’ll receive a message that says the PDF will be sent to your UCR email address within the hour. Depending on the article, you may also be provided an immediate download link. 
  • Access Your Item: The article download link will be active for 60 days and the link may only be clicked up to four times after its delivery. 

2. Via LibKey Nomad Browser Extension

If you use the LibKey Nomad extension, you can access this service directly on publisher websites. To set this up:

  • Download the Extension: Install the LibKey Nomad extension for your preferred browser.
  • Select Your Institution: After installing, search for and select University of California, Riverside as your home institution.
  • Request PDF: While browsing a publisher site, look for the Request PDF button in the lower left corner of your screen. Clicking this will take you straight to the AGS request path for that specific article.
  • Select Expedited Request: On the delivery options page, click Expedited Request. Please note, you will also see the option to request the article through Interlibrary Loan for non-urgent requesting.
  • Receive Your Item: After submitting, look for an immediate download link on the confirmation page or check your UCR email inbox.
  • Access Your Item: The article download link will be active for 60 days and the link may only be clicked up to four times after its delivery. 
Institutional Lending

We provide loans to other libraries.  Learn how to request UCR materials for your school or organization.