CSU Pueblo Library Reserve Shelf Program

CSU Pueblo professors may put classroom materials on the reserve shelf so students can scan them to email or a USB drive at no charge or print copies. Please ask your professor if this is an option for your class. USB drives are available at the LINC Desk on the 2nd floor or at the Circulation Desk.

Interlibrary Loan

What Exactly is Interlibrary Loan?

The University Library Interlibrary Loan (ILL) program gives you access to resources from any participating library worldwide. Libraries share their materials to serve their patrons. While most ILL requests are free, some items may incur additional charges. If there are extra costs, CSU Pueblo will contact you first before requesting the item.

Everyone affiliated with CSU Pueblo has access to ILL, including faculty, staff, graduate students, undergraduates, and University Library ID (LID) card holders. Through ILL, patrons can place requests for books, journal articles, chapters, media, and some entertainment or hobby items.

You can place requests yourself through Prospector (Colorado libraries) and our OCLC Tipasa ILL system. Although we tried to make the requesting process simple, if you have any questions or issues, please contact us. See below for links and circulation details.

Book requests typically arrive within three to five days via the extensive courier network or by U.S. Mail. While we always try to source your request, please note that current textbooks and very new books are rarely available for interlibrary loan. In these cases, an older edition can be an excellent alternative.

Similar to physical items, you can also place article requests that will appear in your ILL portal. If you request items using Tipasa, you'll get notifications via email, and the article may arrive in just a few hours or a few days.

Since it might take some time to fulfill a request, please submit it well in advance of the date you need the item. After requesting an item, check your email regularly for notifications or messages from the ILL Team about your request.

What Can I Request?

Through our Interlibrary Loan (ILL) and Prospector services, our students, staff, and faculty can access a vast network of resources that extends far beyond our local shelves. You are welcome to request a wide range of materials, including journal articles, book chapters, DVDs, CDs, and even specialized items such as dissertations or microfilm.  Shorter items (under 50 pages), including articles and book chapters, are delivered as PDFs via your Interlibrary Loan portal. Please note that in your Interlibrary Loan portal, you can view the PDF only 7 times; it will be deleted 30 days after you first view it. For all full-book requests, the books will arrive as physical copies that must be picked up at the library and returned by their designated due date. If you need the book beyond the due date, you can request a renewal through your Interlibrary Loan portal up to and including the actual due date. Our Interlibrary Loan and Prospector services are designed to support your research and personal interests by bringing the world's collections right to your front door.

How Does Interlibrary Loan Work?

Interlibrary Loan (ILL) relies on libraries trusting each other with their resources. Libraries that share their materials expect patrons, like you, to use the items responsibly and ensure that no damage occurs (such as water-damaged pages, stains, rips, etc.). They also trust that we will follow their due dates and either renew or return the books on time.

To illustrate how this trust works, if a physical ILL item arrives at CSU Pueblo, it has a preset due date set by the lending library. Each library has its own lending policies, so the due dates can range from four to twelve weeks and may allow a certain number of renewals. The lending library trusts that you will follow those dates and ensure the item is not damaged. Once you are finished with the item, the CSU Pueblo ILL Team will mark it as returned and then mail the physical item back to the lending library.

Interlibrary Loan Borrowing Polices

Although Interlibrary Loan relies on trust to share resources, we still have a few policies to follow.

1. Since CSU Pueblo follows the Lending Library’s policies and conditions, we do not set the borrowing length or determine if the book can be renewed.

1. Since the item is checked out to you, you are financially responsible for your loan. This includes covering the cost of any damage (such as spills or tears) and the full replacement cost if an item is lost. Please note that if an item arrives with pre-existing damage, the ILL Team will have documented it prior to checkout.
2.  For all physical items, we must adhere to the due dates set by the lending library. You may submit a renewal request through our ILL system at any time up to and including the actual due date. To help you stay on track, you will receive an email reminder a few days before the item is due. Additionally, you can always use the system to submit a new request for any current or past items.
3. Since we follow the lending library’s policies, there may be penalties such as overdue fines for an extremely overdue item and/or revoking Interlibrary Loan privileges. However, these penalties may sometimes be waived if the overdue item is returned. Please enquire at the Library Circulation Desk on the first floor of the Library to pay your fine if necessary.
4. Undergraduates may have 20 active requests. If there is a cost to borrow an item, those charges will be billed to the student. The student will be notified of any charges before the request is placed.
5. Faculty, Graduate, and staff may have 30 active requests. This limit is extendable per the Dean’s approval. If there is a cost to borrow an item, CSU Pueblo library will pay the first $15.00 for this group. Any additional charges will be billed to the patron. The patron will be notified of any charges before they are requested.
6. LID card holders may have 10 active requests and pay any associated costs. The patron will be notified of any charges before they are requested.
   1. If an LID holder requests an entire volume set and the lending library sends all the volumes, the holder can access all volumes while in the library, but they may only take a max two volumes off-campus at a time. This is to help ensure that the entire volume set is not accidentally damaged.

CSU Pueblo’s ILL Amnesty Policy

If an ILL item has not been returned to the CSU Pueblo Library and the patron believes they have already returned it, they may be eligible for a one-time amnesty. The amnesty form will be provided to cooperative patrons who respond to emails or phone calls and participate in efforts to locate the ILL item. If a patron ignores all requests to return the late ILL item, the charge will be applied to their university account. The charge is in accordance with the lending library’s policy. 

Interlibrary Loan Lending Policy for Borrowing Libraries

1. The University Library at CSU Pueblo is a free lender to all libraries regardless of affiliation, and we accept requests only through OCLC ILL.
2. CSU Pueblo is an OCLC supplier. Although our international loans are free, we do charge shipping fees to the borrowing library only through OCLC IFM.
3. Lending period for our General Collection items is 6 months with 2-week renewals.
4. DVDs and CDs checkout for 4 weeks; renewals available per request.
5. If a borrowing library loses our ILL item, we will send them a $100 invoice. If the item costs more than $100 to replace, we will send an invoice to cover that cost. 
6. Archival Materials do not circulate. If you are interested in or have questions regarding our archival material, please contact our archivist, Maria Smyer, at maria.smyer@csupueblo.edu or 719-549-2475.

All requests are completed through OCLC ILL. If you need to email a completed request or have questions, please contact us at csup_ill@csupueblo.edu or 719-549-2362.

• Resources:
  1. Prospector: Checkout period is 6 weeks. There are no renewals, but re-orders are available.
  2. OCLC Tipasa : Loans arrive with a predetermined due date from the lending library. Renewals or reorders may be possible.  
  3. Direct Holds from CSU Pueblo/CSU Ft. Collins libraries: Undergraduate and LID card holders receive 4-week checkout with 2 renewals. Faculty, Graduate students, and staff have 6-month checkouts with 2 renewals.

For additional details, see our Circulation Policy.

Approved 3-2026