Oakton Library/Students/Interlibrary Loan

Interlibrary Loan service allows Oakton students and employees to obtain books from other libraries in Illinois and outside of Illinois. (To borrow books from the other Oakton Library campus please see the instructions at Checking Out Books and Other Materials.)

To use the Interlibrary Loan service at Oakton, you must be a current Oakton student or employee. If you do not fall into either of these categories, you can request interlibrary loan service from your local public library.

The loan period for Interlibrary Loan books will depend on the lending library.
There is no charge for Interlibrary Loan.
Ask about Interlibrary Loan:
- 635-1643/Des Plaines Campus Library
- 635-1432/Ray Hartstein Campus Library
Allow seven days to two weeks to receive materials.

Most books not in the Oakton Library collection are available through Interlibrary Loan from our partner CARLI Libraries. (CARLI is the acronym for Consortium of Academic and Research Libraries in Illinois.) See the instructions below to borrow a book from another CARLI library.

Four ways to borrow a book from another CARLI library:

Go in person to any one of the cooperating CARLI libraries in Illinois and borrow a book directly from them. You must have an Oakton Library/Student ID card with a current validation sticker and barcode.
Ask for assistance at the Oakton Library Circulation Desk. Fill out an Interlibrary Loan Book Request form completely. Accompany it with an online catalog printout, if available.
Borrow a book directly from another CARLI library using the Oakton Community College Library Catalog. The easiest way to do this is to ask at the circulation or reference desk for assistance. Or, follow the 12 easy steps below.

USE THE OCC ONLINE BOOK CATALOG TO BORROW A BOOK FROM ANOTHER CARLI LIBRARY

Go to the Oakton Community College webpage at http://www.oakton.edu

Follow these steps:

#1 Click on Library

#2 Click on Books

#3 Click on Oakton Community College Library Catalog

#4 Click on CARLI Libraries (on the green search bar under the "Oakton Community College Library" banner)

#5 At the "Guided Keyword Search" screen:

To search for a book when you know the author and title:

a) Type in the last name of one author in the first "Search for" box.

b) Type in a two or three word phrase from the title of the book in the second "Search for" box. (Omit the words "the," "a," or "an".)

c) Click on the Search button to start your search.

d) If we have the book you will see the book information on the screen. (If you retrieve a list of titles, find the book that you want.) Look to see if the word "Available" is in the right-hand column. If you see that the book is available, follow steps #6 - #11 below. If you see that the book is "Checked Out," "Renewed," "Missing," or "In Transit," please call the library circulation desk for assistance: 847-635-1642. If your search results in the message "Your search found no matches" please call the circulation desk.

#6 Click on the red underlined title of the book.

#7 When you see the information for the book, Click on the REQUEST button on the top of the screen.

#8 Choose Oakton Community College from the drop-down list of CARLI libraries. Then type in your Oakton Library Borrower ID number that is printed on your library card and your "Last Name." Click here for instructions on how to get a library card. After you have entered your ID number and your last name, click on the Login button.

#9 On the next screen you will see "Request first available copy" as the option. Click on OK.

#10 Now you will see the book request information. Find "Pick Up At." If you want to pick up the book at the Des Plaines Campus, leave the default choice "DP Circulation." If you want to pick up the book at the RHC Skokie Campus, choose "RHC Circulation" from the drop-down list.

#11 Find "Library Borrower ID" and type in your Oakton Library ID number again.

#12 Click on the SUBMIT REQUEST button. You will then see "Your Patron Initiated Request was successful" with an arrow to click to go back to the book information.

The library staff will call you when the book arrives at the campus library where you requested the book to be sent. To pick up your books, please visit the circulation desk with your Oakton Library ID card. If you don't have an Oakton Library ID card please apply for one at the circulation desk.