Skip to Main Content
Library Home

English 271: Critical Writing in the Field of English Literature: Borrowing from Other Libraries

Interlibrary Loan

If the UWW library you use does not have the item you need currently available in physical format or online, current UWW faculty, staff, and students can request to get it from another library for free. The process is very similar whether you are looking for a book/entire physical item or a PDF of an article/book chapter. Items requested through Interlibrary Loan generally arrive within 3 weekdays.

The easiest way to request an item not immediately available is through Research@UWW. Most article databases link to it when needed, but you can also access it right on the library homepage. Start by searching for the item you want, select its title, log in, and then make your request.

For more information, and for instructions on use, go to our How to Borrow From Other Libraries online guide.

  • Request Physical Items - free
    Use to borrow entire items such as books, DVDs, and government documents--if not available at your UWW library--from other UW libraries or other libraries in our greater consortium. It cannot be used to borrow non-circulating items (such as reference books, entire periodicals, or items on reserve).
  • Request a PDF Copy - free
    Request scanned copies of articles from journals, magazines, and newspapers, or chapters from books.
    This is a great option if you only need one entry from an encyclopedia, one definition from a dictionary, one chapter (or less!) from a book.

For assistance, please contact a reference librarian.

Borrowing Materials Found Through WorldCat

Step-by-step instructions on using WorldCat for Interlibrary Loan.

  1. Select WorldCat.org on the libraries' A-Z Databases list or go directly to worldcat.org in your browser
  2. Search for a book by author, title, keywords, etc.
  3. On the list of results, select items that look interesting and read their subjects and abstracts
  4. Once you've identified something you'd like to borrow, double-check Research@UWW to ascertain we do not already have access to it here, at another UW library, or via our extended consortium of libraries. To do that, open a new browser window or tab, go to the libraries' homepage, and search for the book in Research@UWW.
  5. If the item is available, use the interlibrary loan feature to request a copy 
  6. If the item is not found or is not available, log in in the upper right corner or in the yellow box
  7. Select the three dots at the top of the display,
  8. Manually complete the interlibrary loan form and submit your request
  9. Note: Items borrowed this way take about 5-7 weekdays to arrive at UW-Whitewater.

Get Help: Ask a Librarian