The purpose of interlibrary loans is to borrow or obtain copies of library materials not found in a local collection for faculty, students, and staff, and to lend or provide copies of library materials requested by other libraries. The purpose of interlibrary loan is to borrow or obtain copies of library materials not found in a local collection on behalf of our faculty, students and staff, and to lend or provide copies of library materials requested by other libraries. No library can be completely self-sufficient in meeting the needs of its users.
Interlibrary loan is essential to the vitality of libraries of all types and sizes.
It is an important element in the provision of library service, and it is in the public interest to encourage such an exchange. This is an age of expanding information, a growing technology for sharing that information, and ever-increasing standards for scholarly and scientific endeavor. Those not affiliated with Wellesley cannot use interlibrary loan at the Wellesley College Library. Anything not owned by Wellesley College Library may be borrowed if another library will agree to lend it. Rare books, reference books, genealogical material and audiovisual material are difficult to obtain through interlibrary loan.