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Out-of-Province Requesting

Currently the Illume (SHAREit) software can only send requests to participant & partner libraries included within our BCUC consortia of British Columbia and Yukon libraries. We're also exploring adding outside ISO targets (for example to the University of Alberta ISO-Relais software) and hope to make these new targets available after all consortial library ISO targets have been configured first (ongoing). We've also requested feature enhancements to enable sites to use the SHAREit software directly with a peer-to-peer email feature.

In the meantime, the catalogue suggestions below can be used to request items not available within the Illume consortia, for example the Alberta Public Libraries (TAL). Please contact us to report out-dated links or suggest additional out-of-province union database catalogues!

Steps for out-of-province requesting using the catalogues below:

  1. Locate lender(s): Try using the recommended out-of-province catalogues below to locate lenders for your items. Catalogues are available for Academic, Archives, National & International and Public resources.

    We recommend starting with the national catalogue Voilà before selecting other catalogues by appropriate geographic area or type. Having trouble locating any lenders? Contact us or the ILL listservs for assistance.
     
  2. Policies & Fees: Once you've located holdings for your item - use the LAC Symbols & Interlibrary Loan Policies in Canada Directory to check for policy and fee information for lender libraries.
     
  3. Contact Lender: Contact the lender library via email, telephone or use any available online forms to request your item! Use the LAC Symbols & Interlibrary Loan Policies in Canada directory or their website to check for contact information for their ILL department.


Want to see how other BC libraries request out-of-province items? Check-out our Library Spotlights with tips & suggestions on requesting outside of Illume below!

Other Library Catalogues:

Location & Type Catalogue Name URL Notes
Canada (National) Voilà https://canada.on.worldcat.org Voilà is the new National Union Catalogue for Canada, that displays results from the Library and Archives Canada (LAC) and all participating libraries.

Add a searchable Voila Z39.50 target to Illume or other library systems for your Staff! Check-out our Guide: Requesting Access to Library & Archives Canada catalogue Voilà Canada's Catalogue or contact us for more information or assistance.
Canada (LAC) Aurora https://bac-lac.on.worldcat.org Aurora is the new interface to access just Library and Archives Canada (LAC) published holdings. Terms & Conditions & FAQ on using Aurora available here: https://www.bac-lac.gc.ca/eng/services/loans-other-institutions/Pages/loans-other-institutions.aspx

Loans to Other Institutions available via OCLC Worldshare ILL subscription or their form here for libraries without an OCLC subscription: https://www.bac-lac.gc.ca/eng/services/loans-other-institutions/Pages/loans-other-institutions-form.aspx
Global (International) WorldCat https://www.worldcat.org  
       
Location & Type Catalogue Name URL Notes
Alberta (Academic & Various) NEOS https://neos.library.ualberta.ca Alberta government, health, college and university libraries.
Alberta (Academic & Public) The Alberta Sources Sharing System (Relais) (Alberta Public Libraries) https://alberta.relaisd2d.com/ Search results also include universities that may charge fees (usually $10-15) for loans. After locating your desired item, contact the library directly to request.
Northwest Territories (Public, Academic & Various) NWT Public Library Services http://www.nwtpls.gov.nt.ca/NWT_PLS_OnlineCatalogue.html Catalogues separately available for Yellowknife Public Library and the NWT Library Network. Includes all NWT Public Libraries their Legislative Library, Aurora College Libraries, Aurora Research Institute Library and PWNHC (Museum) Reference Library.
Newfoundland, New Brunswick, Nova Scotia, Prince Edward Island (Academic) CAUL (Council of Atlantic University Libraries) https://caul-cbua.relais-host.com/user/login.html?group=library

Covers most Atlantic university libraries. Atlantic Provinces Academic Institutions (loan fee $8).

Contact your desired lender library for a form login. List of libraries & contacts.

Nova Scotia (Academic) Novanet Consortium https://www.novanet.ca  
Ontario (Academic) OCUL (Ontario Council of University Libraries) http://racer.scholarsportal.info Choose "Guest Access" and select a "Current Profile" to search.

Ontario Universities FAQ & Request Form: https://illforms.scholarsportal.info/vdx_illreq.htm
Quebec (Academic) Colombo (Bibliothèques Universitaires du Québec) https://crepuq.vdxhost.com/zportal/ Choose "Standard Search" or "Advanced Search" and select a "Current Profile" to search.

Québec Universités catalogue usually has a loan fee from $25-35 CAD. Request form here: http://www.uquebec.ca/colombo/form/ILL_Request.htm
       
Location & Type Catalogue Name URL Notes
British Columbia (Archives) BC Archives (BVAP) https://search-bcarchives.royalbcmuseum.bc.ca Name of patron may sometimes have to be provided in order for the archive to lend.
Manitoba (Archives) Manitoba Archives (including MWHBC) https://www.gov.mb.ca/chc/archives Free with limit of 3 reels. Patron name required.
Ontario (Archives) Archives of Ontario (OTAR) http://www.archives.gov.on.ca Fre with limit of 10 reels. Information for libraries: http://www.archives.gov.on.ca/en/microfilm/ordering.aspx#libraries

Request Form: http://www.archives.gov.on.ca/en/microfilm/forms/request.aspx
Quebec (Archives & Public) QMBN (Bibliothèques & Archives Nationales du Québec) http://www.banq.qc.ca/accueil Catalogue defaults to French with an option to choose English located top-right of the page. Choose "Catalogue" from the drop-down and enter your search terms.

Loan fees may apply.
Saskatchewan (Archives) Saskatchewan Archives (SRA) http://saskarchives.com Charge to lend microfilm reels ($17.50 per 3 reels). Patron name required.
Yukon (Archives & Public) Yukon Public Libraries http://www.pac.gov.yk.ca/#section=home Also includes Yukon Archives Library. For academic resources, Yukon College is included directly within Illume as a member library.
       
Location & Type Catalogue Name URL Notes
Alberta (Public & Academic) TAL Online (Alberta Public Libraries) https://talonline.ca Search results also include universities that may charge fees (usually $10-15) for loans. After locating your desired item, contact the library directly to request.
Manitoba (Public) MW (Winnipeg Public Library) https://wpl.winnipeg.ca/library/ New window will open with catalogue results after using their "Search Catalogue" search box.
Manitoba (Public) WMRL (Western Manitoba Regional Libraries) https://wmrl.ca/catalogue/ Click "Launch Horizon Information Portal" link to open their catalogue.
New Brunswick (Public) NB Public Libraries https://nbpl.ent.sirsidynix.net  
Newfoundland & Labrador (Public) NFSG (Newfoundland & Labrador Public Libraries) https://nlpl.ca/component/content/article/10-about-nlpl/156-library-catalogue.html Select any library from the list to display the catalogue.
Northwest Territories (Public, Academic & Various) NWT Public Library Services http://www.nwtpls.gov.nt.ca/NWT_PLS_OnlineCatalogue.html Catalogues separately available for Yellowknife Public Library and the NWT Library Network. Includes all NWT Public Libraries their Legislative Library, Aurora College Libraries, Aurora Research Institute Library and PWNHC (Museum) Reference Library.
Nova Scotia (Public) NS Libraries https://catalogue.library.ns.ca Choose any library location to do search; then “X” the filter to search the rest of the province; does not include Halifax Public Library
Nunavut (Public) Nunavut Public Library Services http://catalogue.publiclibraries.nu.ca

 

Ontario (Public) SOLS (INFO Network for Ontario) https://info.vdxhost.com/en/vdx/ Choose the "Search" link in the left-hand menu to start. Only searchable by region - select a "Current Profile" by desired geographic area.
Prince Edward Island (Public) PC (PEI Public Library Service) https://catalogue.library.pe.ca  
Quebec (Archives & Public) QMBN (Bibliothèques & Archives Nationales du Québec) http://www.banq.qc.ca/accueil/ Catalogue defaults to French with an option to choose English located top-right of the page. Choose "Catalogue" from the drop-down and enter your search terms.

Loan fees may apply.
Saskatchewan (Public) SILS (Saskatchewan Info Library Services) https://www.sasklibraries.ca Use "Access" button/link at bottom of page to view member library catalogues and choose any library image to search their joint catalogue.
Yukon (Public) Yukon Public Libraries http://www.pac.gov.yk.ca/#section=home Also includes Yukon Archives Library. For academic resources, Yukon College is included directly within Illume as a member library.
       

Please contact us if you have additional questions on out-of-province requesting or would like to recommend another catalogue for this list or report tips or corrections.

Thank you to Vancouver Public Library for sharing many of their recommended catalogues!

Library Spotlights:

New Westminster Public Library (BVI):

  • Patron Requests: Patrons submit a paper form for items they're unable to locate within Illume.
  • Tracking: Requests are tracked using the paper ILL forms to record notes and the progress of the loan. They are not transferred to Illume or another computer system.
  • Lender Libraries: ILL Staff search Amicus, Voilà and Worldcat to locate other Canadian lender libraries with the item.
  • Communications: ILL Staff communicate directly with patrons via their preferred contact and the holding Lender library via email.
  • Tip from NWPL Staff: Use the Library and Archives Canada 'Symbols and Interlibrary Loan Policies in Canada' directory a lot. We check it for other libraries ILL policies, charges for loans, and contact information.

Langara College (BVAL):

  • Patron Requests: Patrons submit an online form for all requests.
  • Lender Libraries outside BC: As a library without an OCLC subscription, Langara College uses Illume for their day-to-day services and frequently submits out-of-province requests through online forms in Ontario (OCUL Racer), Quebec (Colombo), and Atlanta Canada (CAUL).  ILL Staff say "In the process of doing ILL requests outside of BC, if I find a library has an online ILL form page, I always a bookmark it in my browser, so that I can request directly from them. If a library uses Relais they will usually let me know and send me the link to their Relais page with a username and login I can use. I always bookmark these pages too for use later on as well."
  • Tips from ILL Staff: When trying to order materials from the USA, just send them a "cold call" email asking them what you want, and include in that email the maximum cost you can pay, and the key statement "If this is not the correct way to do an ILL request with you can you please let me know how". A lot of the academic libraries in the USA have an ILLaid system set up. Some will just create an account for you and enter the info from your email into it, and process your request this way. Other libraries will say you have to use their ILLaid system and will send you a username and password and the link to their ILLaid system webpage. You then have to login and fill out the info yourself and submit it.

Vancouver Public Library (BVA):

  • Coming soon!

More libraries coming soon... Want to share your out-of-province Illume workflow with other members? Please contact us and feel free to also use the listservs!

Tips & Suggestions:

  • Search Resources/Targets: Add the new Voilà search target as a weblink for Patrons or a Z39.50 search for Staff within Illume. Check-out our Information on Amicus & Voilà for additional information on how to do this!
  • PI-ILL: Add a Blank Request form for your patrons to submit requests directly for items unavailable in Illume. Worried about patrons submitting too many requests? Activate Guest request limits using our FAQ here.

SHAREit Software Enhancements:

The Illume Administrative Support Centre has spoken with Auto-Graphics about adding additional tracking and communication features for out-of-province requesting. Auto-Graphics will be exploring new peer-to-peer out-of-province requesting features next year after the update to Version 6 of the software. Please let us know your suggestions for out-of-province requesting within Illume!