Interlibrary Loan Service

The Law Library strives to own materials necessary to pursue legal scholarship and education. From time to time, however, we must borrow items from other libraries to meet the needs of our patrons, hence the expression "interlibrary loans" (ILLs).  If you have any questions, please email the ILL Department.

Who May Use This Service?

The Law Library will borrow books and articles on behalf of all MSU Law faculty, students and staff. If you would like to place an ILL request please submit the ILL Request Form. All other MSU faculty, students and staff should use the ILL services available through the Main Library.  Please see the ILL request instructions on how to fill out an ILL Request Form.

How Long Will It Take?

Depending on the location of the lending library, the requested print resource could arrive in a few days or it could take more than a week. Requests for electronic copies often arrive more quickly than print resources.

Where Do I Pick Up and Return the Material?

You will receive an e-mail notice when the materials arrives. You will pick up and return items to the Law Library Circulation Desk. Books must be returned on or before their due dates, and in the same condition in which you received them.  If you need more time to use your materials, please contact the ILL Department before the due date to ask for more time.

Copies of articles will be yours to keep. Article or book chapter scans will be delivered to the email address provided when the scan file has arrived.

What Kind of Material Can I Borrow?

We can typically obtain single volume books and electronic scans. However, some books and other media rarely circulate or are very difficult to borrow. For example, most libraries will not circulate audio-visual material, print loose-leafs, multi-volume, serial or reference materials. Microfiche and microfilm rarely circulate, but it is often possible to get print copies from microtext, provided you can produce a citation.  However, electronic scans of sections from non-circulating materials may be requested.  If you are unsure whether your material can be borrowed, submit a request.  We will contact you if we have any questions.

When Do I Submit an ILL request?

You should submit a request if:

1. Neither MSU Libraries nor the Law Library owns the materials you need.
2. Either MSU Libraries or the Law Library, or both, owns the materials you need, but no copies are available.

Please check the MSU Libraries Catalog for the materials you need before submitting a request.

Terms & Conditions

We will be happy to request material on your behalf, but please observe all due dates and lending requirements when you borrow material through the ILL program. The Library’s participation in the ILL program is a privilege, not a right. Violation of the terms of a borrowing agreement could jeopardize individual borrowing privileges, and put the Library’s participation in the program at risk. The copyright law of the United States (Title 17 United States Code) governs reproduction of copyrighted material. Libraries and archives are authorized to furnish reproductions under limited circumstances including private study, scholarship and research. If you request a reproduction and use it in excess of these "fair use" limits, you may be liable for copyright infringement. The Law Library reserves the right to refuse to process a copying request if fulfillment of the order could involve violation of copyright law.