Interlibrary loan (ILL) is a service that allows current Cuesta students and employees to borrow a book or article from another library if that item is not available through Cuesta Library. Cuesta's ILL services are usually free to borrowers if materials are available at one of our partner libraries. Delivery of digital articles can be quick, but average time to receive requested materials is 1-2 weeks. Books usually take longer than articles to arrive. For questions about interlibrary loan, please email ill@cuesta.edu.
If you need sources right away, consider reaching out to a Cuesta librarian at either campus library or online at Ask a Librarian. In addition to print materials, our collection contains thousands of eBooks, videos and articles that are instantly available online. We're happy to help you locate the sources you need.
ILL Request Form
Click the image below to access the form.
Live near the SLO campus but want a book from the North County library? We're happy to deliver books from one Cuesta campus to another. Click on the link below to learn how request this service.
Cal Poly has a large selection of subscription databases. As a Cuesta student, you are able to access Cal Poly's databases from within their Kennedy Library. You may also email and/or print articles there. Also, you can check out books from Kennedy Library with your current Cuesta registration or ASCC photo ID.
Photo from Kennedy Library's Flickr Photostream
1. Search for the item/article you wish to request in the OneSearch box. We recommend using Google Chrome as your browser because not all filters and options are compatible with other browsers. Not familiar with OneSearch? This video may help improve your search results.
2. On the results page, use filters on the left side to narrow/tweak results. In the example below, Expand My Results is checked to show items not owned by Cuesta. The Books & ebooks filter is applied to rule out articles about the book Atomic Habits.
3. If the item you searched for says Available, congratulations! It is owned by Cuesta Library. You can access digital items online and/or check out physical items at the circulation desk. If you did not find the item you searched for, or OneSearch says No Online Access, it’s time to fill out Cuesta’s interlibrary loan request form. First you need to find the publication information for the item(s).
For physical items like books or DVDs, Amazon is a user-friendly site for finding that information. Be sure to click on the format you want, such as hardcover, especially if you need a specific edition.
After choosing your preferred format, scroll down to the Product details section, where you will find the information needed to fill out the ILL request form.
For digital items, like online articles, you can search in one of Cuesta's subscription databases found on the A - Z Databases page. You might also try WorldCat. See the example below for an article citation from the Academic Search database. The red boxes contain the most important information for an ILL request.
4. The final step is to fill out the ILL request form, using the publication information for your desired item. See below for screenshots of each field in the ILL request form.
That's it! If you'd like to request more than one item, just repeat this process for each additional request. If you have questions, Ask a Librarian or email ill@cuesta.edu. We're happy to help!