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ILLiad FAQs
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What is ILLiad?
How will copies be delivered?
What do I need to use ILLiad?
Where is ILLiad?
How do I log on?
How do I make a request?
How do I check the status of my request?
What do the request statuses mean?
What if I can't find an active request in the list of Outstanding Requests?
The Web form is neat but I want a paper record for my files!
I just got an e-mail telling me that an article has been delivered electronically. Where is it? What do I do now?
I just got an e-mail saying that the photocopy I requested is being "sent." Why wasn't it delivered electronically?
Can my patrons use this system?
If I have a question, who do I contact?
What is ILLiad?
ILLiad is an electronic system that allows regional member libraries in Massachusetts to make requests to the Boston Public Library Interlibrary Loan Department for:
- Any journal article that a patron requests
- Books owned by the Boston Public Library
- Deposit collections of foreign language and large print books
- Reference help
ILLiad replaces e-mail requests and faxed forms. It allows libraries to see what is happening to their requests in Boston.
How will copies be delivered?
ILLiad will provide e-delivery of journal articles to librarians' desktops.
What do I need to use ILLiad?
You need a PC, an Internet connection (dial-up will work) and Adobe Acrobat Reader loaded on your PC. A free download is available at www.adobe.com.
Where is ILLiad?
You can find ILLiad on the Web at illiad.bpl.org.
How do I log on?
Your library's user name is your library card number in the Boston Public Library's circulation system. Your password is: ill. If you do not know your user name, contact the SEMLS office.
The first time you log on, go to the bottom of the main menu screen and click on Change User Information. Enter an e-mail address to which ILLiad can send updates and change preferred notification method to e-mail. If any address information is incorrect, please change it. There are only two choices for delivery method: mail (which means regional delivery) and pickup; please select mail if it is not already selected. Please select yes for electronic delivery preferred.
How do I make a request?
You can make requests at the top of the Main Menu Screen. Click on the type of request you want to make. Fill in the information you have available. Note your patron name and any special delivery instructions and any other information you have about your request. Click on Submit Request.
How do I check the status of my request?
Page down on the main menu screen to the bottom half. The first button is View/Modify Outstanding Requests. Click on this button and you will see a list of your active requests. Click on the request number and you will see the information that you entered and when you page down you will see the tracking of the request in BPL ILL, including any notes that ILL staff have entered to keep you informed of the interim status of a request. ILL staff may add notes about verification problems or if they have tried one lender string and are now on the next set of potential suppliers.
What do the request statuses mean?
The tracking information for each request tells you the status of your request and the name of the BPL ILL staff member who handled the request. Request statuses include:
- Awaiting Copyright Clearance: the first status for periodical requests
- Awaiting Request Processing
- Awaiting Document Delivery Processing: ILL staff has routed the request to a different queue because the item is not owned by BPL.
- Request Sent: ILL staff has sent the request to OCLC or to a commercial document delivery supplier.
- Delivered to the Web: ILL staff has posted the requested
article to the Web and you will be able to see it if you
go back to the main menu screen and click on View/Download
Electronically Received Articles.
- Request Finished: ILL staff has sent the article via regional delivery, mail, e-mail or fax.
What if I can't find an active request in the list of Oustanding Requests?
If a request that you think is pending is not listed when you select View/Modify Outstanding Requests, check View/Resubmit Cancelled Requests. When BPL ILL staff cancel a request, it moves from the Outstanding Request list to the Cancelled Requests list.
The Web form is neat but I want a paper record for my files!
You cannot print from the request screen. You need to go into View/Modify Outstanding Requests, click on the request you want a paper copy of, copy it and paste into a Word document or Notepad and print from there.
I just got an e-mail telling me that an article has been delivered electronically. Where is it? What do I do now?
Log on to ILLiad, page down on the main menu screen to View/Download Electronically Received Articles. Click on the transaction number listed and you will view the requested document. You may print it out at this point for your patron or you could save it as a file and e-mail it to your patron.
Check for completeness and legibility. If there is a problem, contact Helen Bender. The article will remain on the Web site for 90 days or until you click on the delete button to the right on the screen. We recommend that you delete each article after you have delivered it to your patron. If you delete by mistake, BPL ILL can repost the article. Contact Helen Bender if this happens.
I just got an e-mail saying that the photocopy I requested is being "sent." Why wasn't it delivered electronically?
Sometimes copies are too large to scan or the quality of a copy from microfilm is too poor to scan properly. In those cases, BPL ILL will send copies in regional delivery or by U.S. mail.
Can my patrons use this system?
No. ILLiad is a library-to-library system.
If I have a question, who do I contact?
Call Helen Bender at 617-859-2343 or send e-mail to Helen Bender.
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