What is ILLiad?

ILLiad is the electronic system you use to request an item through Interlibrary Loan. The name can be thought of as an acronym for InterLibrary Loan internet accessible database.

How is ILLiad better than traditional ILL systems?

1. Submitting interlibrary loan requests is easier. With ILLiad, you enter your name, address, and other personal information into the system only once, when you create your account. You can update it anytime, and you don't have to re-enter it every time you submit a new request.
2. Your request can be handled more rapidly and accurately, eliminating problems with misinterpretation of handwritten requests.
3. You can get many of your photocopies more quickly through electronic delivery.
4. You can get information about the status of your request through the Web any time, from any location, without having to call Interlibrary Loan.
5. Library personnel can serve you better because all data about your request and its handling are stored in a searchable database. We can respond quickly to your inquiries, and we can gather statistical information about the performance of libraries who lend to us, enabling us to make better decisions when choosing a lender to supply an item.

Are there any disadvantages to the electronic system?

Some people might find it troublesome to have to log into ILLiad using a username and password. We believe this is less trouble than traditional paper and electronic systems which require you to enter your personal information with each new request.

Why do I need a username and password to use ILLiad?

Your username and password provides you secure access to information about your interlibrary loan requests. We can also enable you to edit your personal information such as your address or phone number.

Your username can be anything you like, such as your name, abbreviations, or an alphanumeric code. Your password also can be anything you like. We recommend that you follow good security practice and choose a password different from those you use to access other systems. However, no one but you will know your password, not even library staff. The password you set is stored in an encrypted file.

What if I forget my password?

If you forget your password, please contact Interlibrary Loan at (413) 542-2666. We can reset your password to the system default, allowing you access to ILLiad. You'll want to change your password the next time you log in.

What Web browser should I use?

You need a Web browser that can handle forms, tables, and preferably Cascading Style Sheets (CSS). We recommend the current versions of either Microsoft Internet Explorer or Mozilla Firefox.

Is security a problem if I use a public workstation?

It can be! Web browsers cache information and create a history file on the local workstation, which can permit a subsequent user of the workstation to access the system under your name by using the browser's "Back" button to recall a page from the cache, or by finding a page with your personal information in the browser's history file. If you're concerned about the security of your interlibrary loan requests, we recommend that you access ILLiad only from your personal computer or an otherwise secure workstation. If you have no choice but to use a public workstation, taking these steps (just before you leave the workstation) will help:

1. Delete from the history file those pages that contain your personal information.
2. Close the Web browser, which will prevent the "Back" button from accessing the pages you were using.

Why don't I see all my older requests when I look at my request history?

From time to time, we purge older records from ILLiad, both to manage storage and to protect your privacy. We do keep requests online for several years order to comply with record-keeping requirements of the copyright law.

What is electronic delivery?

Many libraries ship articles to us in electronic format. In the past, we printed these articles before delivering them to you. Now, through ILLiad, we are able to offer you the option of electronic delivery of these articles in PDF format (Adobe's Portable Document Format). You can read more about electronic delivery on the Electronic Delivery Information page.

Who do I contact if I have problems with or questions about ILLiad?

Interlibrary Loan Questions: Contact the Interlibrary Loan office at 542-2666 or by e-mail.
Technical Support Questions: Contact Douglas Black, Interlibrary Loan Librarian, at 542-5031 or (dblack).

Why does my browser say that you're sending a cookie? What's in it?

The technology that we use sends a Session ID to be stored on your machine. You can refuse this cookie and still be able to use ILLiad without any problems.