Requesting an item from another institution

Start by using the Library catalogue to search for the item you need from our collections. If you can’t find the item, select “Include results from other institutions” to also see items available through other institutions.

Select the item you need.

See the access options under “From another institution”. You may be able to borrow a physical copy or request a digital chapter or article from another institution.

Requested physical items will be delivered to a University of Sydney Library of your choice for you to collect. Requested digital items will be sent to you via email.

How long you can borrow an item

You can borrow items from other institutions and the loan period is usually three weeks at minimum. However, this may vary depending on the library lending the item.

Generally, items borrowed from other institutions cannot be renewed. Please contact us to discuss your options if you require an item beyond its due date.

How many items you can borrow

• University staff and postgraduate students can borrow up to 100 items from other institutions or by special request per calendar year.
• Undergraduate students can borrow up to 10 items from other institutions within Australia or by special request per calendar year.
• All requests are subject to Australian Copyright Legislation, which may limit how much content you can request from a book or journal.

How long it will take to receive items

Items requested from Australian libraries arrive within 7-10 business days and requests from international libraries may take up to 4 weeks to arrive. For rare items, if available for borrowing, this may take longer to process. We’ll email you when the item is ready for pick up.

Information for other institutions

The University of Sydney Library offers Resource Sharing, InterLibrary Loans (ILL) and Document Delivery services to other Libraries and information institutions. This includes some Theses, depending on the individual Thesis format and access conditions.