Inter-Library Loans

Helping you to access resources in other libraries.

You can use this service to request items not held in any of our MTU Library collections that you need for your academic study or research. All items requested must be for study or academic research which has been authorised by MTU Kerry.

Click here, log in to your My Library account and click on the Request ILL button on the left-hand side of the page to submit a request.

Book requests from our other Cork campus libraries are dependent on supply and the ability to loan during term time. All requests should be sent direct to this email IlladminKerry@mtu.ie for consideration and intercampus request.

Our inter-library loan service is available to all current students and staff of MTU Kerry.

The inter-library loan (ILL) service allows users to borrow items such as books, journal articles and theses from other libraries. Material in electronic format e.g. e-journal articles, can also be sourced using ILL.

UK PhD theses are usually available for purchase/download from the British Library’s EThOS service, and are not available for inter-library loan.

As an undergraduate student,  you are entitled to two free book loans from other Irish Institutes of Technology or Technological Universities, per year.  If you wish to apply for the service please contact the library desk.

As a postgraduate student,  your inter-library loans are paid for by your Department.  You are entitled to 10 free inter-library loans per year but please note that the library will request approval from your Head of Department for all book and theses requests and any journal request costing more than €20.

As a member of staff, your inter-library loans are paid for by your Department.  You are entitled to 20 free inter-library loans per year but please note that the library will request approval from your Head of Department or Central Services Manager for all book and theses requests and any journal requests costing more than €20.

  • Journal articles:  usually 48-64 hours, though some articles can take up to a period of 5-7 working days.
  • Books: the delivery of books can take between 5 and 10 days.

We will email to let you know if there is any problem or delay in processing your inter-library loan.

We will email you when your inter-library loan items are ready for collection from the Library Service Desk.

  • Journal Article: The article is a photocopy and can be kept by the requestor.  It is subject to copyright and can be used for research or private study. It cannot be shared or distributed to others.
  • Book: Can usually be checked out and kept for a loan period which is determined by the lending library.  Occasionally, if it is high value item,  or always if it is a Thesis or Dissertation, it can only be consulted in the library.

Unless there is a queue for the item, it is usually possible to get an extension on an inter-library loan.  Requests should be emailed to illadminKerry@mtu.ie before the items due back date.

We ask all users to be especially careful with items borrowed through the inter-library loan service. Not only could the library’s borrowing rights be affected, but there are substantial fines and replacement costs which must be paid by the borrower responsible.

  • Trinity College: €100 plus replacement cost
  • British Library: €225.10, but more will be charged if the book is particularly expensive.
  • IT Libraries: Replacement cost of the text.

For further information and assistance please do not hesitate to contact the ILL Staff at: illadminKerry@mtu.ie

Before making a request for an inter-library loan you should check that the item is:

    • not available in the library’s print collections
    • not available through the library’s online resources

You can check an item’s availability by searching the Library Catalogue and Multisearch.