Resource Sharing ( ILL )

Resource Sharing supports the research, teaching, learning, and academic needs of The Claremont Colleges’ user community by supplementing materials the Library is unable to purchase or license. 

Users can request:

• returnable physical items like books, DVDs/Blu-rays, music recordings on physical carriers, and musical scores 
• non-returnable electronic copies of journal articles, magazine articles, and book chapters 

Resource Sharing is unable to borrow:

• items on the Course Reading list 
• entire ebooks 
• streaming audio and video
• typically non-circulating materials like entire journals or issues and items held in a library’s special collections (exceptions dependent on lending library policies)

Items that are needed for teaching or research purposes, but are unavailable for resource sharing , will be referred to the Library’s Collection Management unit for purchasing or licensing consideration.

Materials can be requested for different purposes. Priority in order of processing will be given to requests needed for academic use. As funding allows, the library can borrow a limited number of leisure items via Resource Sharing, however users are encouraged to obtain items for recreational use directly from their public library. 

The Resource Sharing service is provided at no cost to The Claremont Colleges community. The Library covers all charges and fees associated with borrowing materials from partner libraries.

Turnaround time varies depending on the location of the lending library, as well as the nature and availability of the requested item. 

• Electronic requests are typically available within 24-48 hours. 
• Print and media resources could be available within 2-4 days if shipped from nearby libraries to up to 8-10 business days if shipped from further away. 
• Items obtained from international libraries could take weeks.

E-copies of articles and book chapters are delivered electronically into the requester’s Resource Sharing account and can be downloaded as PDF within 30 days. After this period, the article or chapter will expire and be deleted.

For print and media resources, the lending library determines the length of the loan period and stipulates any restrictions on the use of the item (e.g.,  library use only). Materials are held for pickup at the Main Services Desk located on Honnold 1. Faculty may also request Resource Sharing items be mailed to their offices. 

If not collected within 3 weeks from notification, the materials are returned to the lending library. Items are subject to recall by the lending library at any time.

• Materials obtained through Resource Sharing, including articles, are for the exclusive use of the individual submitting the request. 
• Users are responsible for a returnable Resource Sharing item from the moment it is checked out to them or delivered to their office to the moment it is returned to the Library.
• Items must be returned by the due date on the book strap unless a renewal is requested and granted. Resource Sharing will automatically request a renewal on behalf of the patron unless the lending library specifies no renewals. Users can also contact Resource Sharing for a renewal. The lending library may recall an item at any time before the due date. 
• Failure to return these items immediately may result in a temporary suspension of borrowing privileges. 
• The library will also suspend borrowing privileges for patrons who have 5 or more overdue Resource Sharing items at the same time. 
• If a user damages or loses an item, they will be charged a replacement cost determined by the lending library. Items that are overdue past 30 days will be considered lost and the patron will be billed for a replacement.

The Claremont Colleges Library reserves the right to refuse a request for material if fulfillment of the order would involve violation of copyright law.

Resource Sharing staff adhere to Title 17 of the U. S. Code and to CONTU guidelines  which provide guidance on Sections 107 and 108  of the Copyright Law of the United States.

Under fair use, a “reasonable” amount of journal articles may be requested through resource sharing. CONTU guidelines recommend using the “rule of five”: for copies of material requested from issues published in the last five years, only five articles may be requested in a calendar year from a single title. The sixth article and any following are subject to copyright royalties which will be paid for by the Library.

It is important that users adhere to the copyright restrictions on material requested through Resource Sharing. Material obtained through Resource Sharing should be used for one’s personal research and should not be shared with others or used for profit. Resource Sharing material may not be used for course reserves or added to Sakai or Canvas.

Resource Sharing will refer e-books and streaming video requests to the Library’s Collection Management unit for purchasing or licensing consideration.

Collection Management and Subject Librarians regularly review Resource Sharing data to determine patterns, gaps, and interests that will inform our collection development practices.

For more information, you can consult our Collections Policy.