*This page is intended for members of the Science Tokyo, science and engineering fields. Please click here if you belong to the medicine, dentistry, health care sciences, and oral health care sciences fields.

What is Interlibrary Loan?

Inter Library Loan service provides you with the books you need but are not held in our Libraries by borrowing from other libraries.
Users need to pay for this service at public expense or private expense. Reimbursement is not allowed.

Available materials under this service

Unavailable materials under this service

Books not held in the Ookayama Library nor Suzukakedai Library

Rare books, Reference books, Large books, Traditional Japanese binding books, New publications, Books that were published before 1945, Serial publications such as newspapers and journals

Remarks:

  • The possibility of borrowing may depend on the lending libraries.
  • Even when a book held in the Ookayama Library or Suzukakedai Library is on loan, the same book cannot be ordered from other libraries.

Notes: 

  • The lending library may restrict material use. e.g.in-library-use only.
  • The book you once ordered cannot be requested again.

Required Days to be Delivered, Loan Period and Charges

Lending Libraries Required Days to be Delivered Loan Period*1 Estimated Charges*2
University Libraries in Japan 1 week - 1-2 weeks 1,600 yen - (for round-trip)
National Diet Library (NDL) 1 week - Approximately 2 weeks 800 yen - (for return only)

KL-NET (Kanagawa Prefecture Library Network)

Note: Suzukakedai Library only

 1-2 weeks 1-2 weeks free
Others 2 weeks - several months Depends on the lending library Depends on the lending library

*1 The possibility of a due date extention depends on the lending library. Please let us know before its due date if you want an extension.
*2 When multiple interlibrary loan requests are made under the same budget (including requests from different users), and it is possible to consolidate orders to the same library, they will be processed together to reduce shipping costs. In such cases, the combined shipping fee will be charged to only one of the requests.

From Order to Return

1．Check book information

Search our Library Catalog and make sure that the Library does NOT hold the book you need.

2．Order

Please apply from "Online Request".
If you want to pay at public expense, please register your budget code with the library in advance through the application system. For details, please refer to here.
In case you cannot use "Online Request", contact us via Ask Service.

  •  Note: Number of books available for order
    • You can order and keep up to 5 books at a time using the ILL Service. Borrowing more than 5 books at a time using the ILL Service is not possible. 
    • If you need an additional book beyond the limit, please return the book you are using first and then make another order.

3．Pick-up

When the book arrives, we will send you an email. Please come to the circulation counter for pick-up.

4．Return

Please return the book to the circulation counter in person by its due date. DO NOT return it to the Book Returns.

  Hours for Pick-up and Return Items Required at Returning Books
Public expense During the opening hours*3 Return postage bar code*4
Regarding a postage barcode, refer to here (in Japanese only).
From May 18, 2026, a new format (starting with "04-”) is used. Please apply for and bring a printed copy of the new postage barcode.
Library expense, KL-NET  
Private expense Between 8:45 a.m. and 5:00 p.m. on weekdays Postage fee and stamp

*3 It might be restricted to weekdays depending on the conditions of the lending library.
*4 When multiple interlibrary loan requests are made under the same budget (including requests from different users), and it is possible to return them together, they will be returned in a single shipment to reduce shipping costs. In such cases, only one user among the bundled requests will be asked to bring a postage barcode, while other users may not be required to do so. Please note this arrangement. (Items required at the time of return will be communicated to each user via email.)

Movie

Interlibrary Loan for books and articles（4'51"）
interlibraryloan thumbnail

How to Pay

  Delivery Return
Public expense

Withdrawn from the budget account registered

The budget code must be registered with the library in advance from the Application System. (Details)

If you wish to use "commissioned research funds" or "targeted operating grants", please contact the Research Fund Support Division in advance to confirm whether they can be used for the ILL Service.

 Postage barcode
Regarding a postage barcode, refer to here (in Japanese only).
From May 18, 2026, a new format (starting with "04-") is used. Please apply for and bring a printed copy of the new postage barcode.
Library expense Details

Private expense

 Cash (Reimbursement is not allowed) Postage stamp

Support for Interlibrary Loan Costs by the Library (Only for students)

The Library covers the expenses of the Interlibrary Loan for students who cannot use public expense.
The budget for this service has a limit. To ensure equality of opportunity for everyone, please understand all the following before applying.
Depending on the budget spending, a limit on the number of interlibrary-loan books per person may be set in the relevant fiscal year.

〔IMPORTANT〕To students who belong to a laboratory
This service is exclusively for students who cannot use public expense.

How to Apply for this Service

  • 1st, 2nd and 3rd-year undergraduate students who don’t belong to a laboratory:
    Please select "Private" from "Expense".

  • 4th-year undergraduate, master’s or doctoral students:
    Please ask your supervisor/professor whether or not you are allowed to use a public expense before applying.
    Only in the case you cannot use a public expense, select "Private" from "Expense" and be sure to write "I confirmed that I cannot use a public expense" in the "Comments" field (Required at the first application of every fiscal year).
    Note that you need to pay yourself in case you don’t enter it in the "Comments".

Notes

  • The materials you order must be necessary for your own research and/or study.

  • If the material you need is held in a public library, we may not accept your request and recommend you to visit the public library.

  • Express delivery can't be requested.

  • If the usage conditions (such as loan period or permission for copying) are not observed, the service may be suspended.