Georgetown Law
Georgetown Law Library

Interlibrary Loan Instructions for Journal Staff

Interlibrary Loan Instructions for Journal Staff

Where to submit an Interlibrary Loan request

Submit requests through the ILLiad System. The link to the page can be found under Student Resources on the Law Library's home page.

How to Search For a Citation

Check first if the material is not readily available at or accessible through the Law Library.

Print Books, Licensed E-books, Videos & Physical Items:

Policy 1: Your editor permits you to check out all physical items under your own account Policy 2: Your editor instructs you to use only the journal's account for all non-Law Library physical items
  1. Georgetown U. + Local Academic Libraries Search or Book Search by Citation. Search for book or item title.
  2. After finding a matching catalog record, sign in with your NetID & Password, submit a "Request from a local academic library." Select Georgetown University Law Library as a Pick-up Institution.
  3. If you receive a local loan cancellation notice after submitting a request, then in the catalog record submit a "Request through  Interlibrary Loan (ILL)" and sign into the appropriate ILLiad account.
  4. If there is no exact, matching record, then submit an ILL request via ILLiad. There is an Interlibrary Loan tab in the top menu bar in Advanced Search and Search by Citation.
  1. WorldCat. Search for book or item title.
  2. A green "Georgetown Law Library" icon in a matching record may mean that the library owns a copy. Check for availability by following steps outlined in Policy 1.
  3. If a green icon does not appear, then in the matching record click on gray "Click here to request via ILL." Sign into ILLiad with your journal's username & password.

Free Digitized Books

  • HathiTrust: Publications that fall in the public domain may be freely downloaded. Text searching can be performed in those publications that do not fall into full-view access.
  • Internet Archive: Publications that fall in the public domain may be freely downloaded. Internet Archive books may be checked out by registering for a free personal account. Some loans may offer PDF options.

Finding Access to Electronic Articles & Publications:

Searching by the Journal or Newspaper Publication Title Options: Searching by the Article Title Options:
  • Journal Finder: The results may include the Law Library's holdings of print volumes which can be helpful in locating articles that do not exist in electronic format.
  • Journal Search by Citation: Click on "Journal" before entering information.
  • Article Search by Citation:  You may also search by article title in this search engine.
If a print copy cannot be located or electronic version cannot be accessed, then submit an ILL request. There is an Interlibrary Loan tab in the top menu bar in addition to the Request This Item Through Interlibrary Loan (ILL) option in a catalog record. Sign into ILLiad using the account preferred by your editor. If a print copy cannot be located or electronic version cannot be accessed, then submit an ILL request. There is an Interlibrary Loan tab in the top menu bar in addition to the Request This Item Through Interlibrary Loan (ILL) option in a catalog record. Sign into ILLiad using the account preferred by your editor.

Law Library Research Guide

In-depth source collection methodologies are found in the Source Collection Instructions for Journal Staff guide

When to Use Interlibrary Loan Service as a Journal Staff

  • For a book, use ILL service if the Law Library does not own a copy, or has a copy that is checked out, lost or missing, or does not provide access to an e-version.
    • While in Advanced Search, Journal Finder or Search by Citation, click on the Interlibrary Loan tab to access ILLiad, or use the Request This Item Through Interlibrary Loan (ILL) option in a catalog record.
    • You are not expected to check further than our collection. Just note that submitting your book requests directly to local academic libraries may reduce turnaround time.
  • For an (journal, newspaper) article, use ILL service if the Law Library does not own the journal or newspaper in print / microfilm, or offer a full-text electronically.
    • While in Advanced Search, Journal Finder or Search by Citation, click on the Interlibrary Loan tab to access ILLiad, or use the Request This Item Through Interlibrary Loan (ILL) option in a catalog record.

Checking Out Law Library Books

If your editor permits, you may check out Law Library books under your own name. Recalls apply to all books checked out to your account. You will be held accountable for any overdue fines, recall fees or lost book costs. 

If you are instructed, you may have the Law Library book checked out to the journal's shelf located on 4th Floor West. Though recalls still apply to books checked to the shelf, the loan period is typically for the length of the semester. The Law Library books may not leave the library however and books from other libraries (such as locally loaned and ILL books) may not be placed on the journal shelf.

Local Academic Libraries Loan Service for Journals

  • If your editor permits it, you may request and borrow books directly from a local academic library. But before you do this, be aware that you will be held liable for the book, not your journal office.
    • Note that the local law libraries do not lend directly to Georgetown Law patrons. Use ILL if a book is housed only at the local law libraries.
    • Loans from local academic libraries are overseen by the Circulation Desk, not the ILL office. Should you have any questions or issues with your local academic loan, please reach out to that desk, 202-662-9131, lawcirc@georgetown.edu.
  • There are no journal proxy accounts to submit requests to local academic libraries. If your editor does not want to you to borrow library books under your own name, then you must use your journal's ILLiad proxy account and ILL service to borrow materials that are not readily available at the Law Library.