Answers to Frequently Asked Questions about ILLiad

What is ILLiad?

ILLiad is the electronic system you use to request an item through InterLibrary Loan or to request a document or item from our collection. The name ILLiad can be thought of as an acronym for InterLibrary Loan internet accessible database.

How is ILLiad better than traditional ILL systems?

  • You will find it easier to submit your InterLibrary Loan requests. With ILLiad, you enter your name, address, and other personal information into the system only once at registration.
  • Your request will be handled more rapidly and accurately as problems relating to misinterpretation of hand-written requests are eliminated.
  • You can get many of your photocopies more quickly through Electronic Delivery.
  • You can get information about the status of your request through the Web at any time from any location without having to call the ILL Department.
  • Library staff is able to serve you better because all data about your request and its handling is stored in a searchable database. We are able to respond quickly to your inquiries about your request.

Why do I need a username and password to use ILLiad?

Your username and password allows us to give you secure access to information about your InterLibrary Loan requests. You can also view and edit your personal information such as your address or phone number.

Your username can be anything you like, such as your name, abbreviations, or an alphanumeric code. Your password also can be anything you like.

We recommend that you follow good security practice and choose a password that is different from those you use to access other systems. However, no one but you will know your password, not even the library staff.

What if I forget my password?

You are able to reset your password using the 'Forgot Password' link on the ILLiad Logon page.

What if my registration is disavowed?

If you get an email that your registration is disavowed; that is, that your registration has failed for some reason as stated in the ILLiad email you receive, then you can pursue registration further with Library staff. Contact InterLibrary Loan: (757) 446-5848. After regular business hours, 8-5 pm, Monday-Friday, contact (757) 446-5845, or email: illiad@evms.edu.

For registration to succeed:

  • You must create at least one billing account, whether you choose a personal account, or choose your requests to be billed to an EVMS department or grant.

Once your registration problem is resolved InterLibrary Loan staff can restore your initial registration. Restoring your initial registration preserves any requests that you may have already entered.

What Web browser should I use?

We recommend the current versions of Edge, Chrome or Firefox.

Is security a problem if I use a public workstation?

Yes. Web browsers cache information and create a history file on the local workstation. This allows a subsequent user of the workstation to access the system under your name using the browser's Back button to recall a page from the cache, or by finding a page with your personal information in the browser's history file. If you are concerned about the security of your InterLibrary Loan requests, you can take the following steps:

Access ILLiad only from your personal computer or an otherwise secure workstation.

When using a public access workstation:
Exit from the Web browser before you leave the workstation. This prevents the Back button from accessing the pages you were using.

What is Electronic Delivery?

Most libraries ship photocopies of articles to us in electronic format. Through ILLiad, we are able to deliver the articles electronically.

Electronically delivered articles are often scans of photocopies. They do not look like electronic journal pages because these articles are not originals, they are copies. To see our electronic journal collection, select Electronic Journals under Resources.

If articles are received by mail or fax as photocopies, we will not scan them for electronic delivery. The quality of the copy would be degraded further by copying a second time. Instead, we will hold them for pick up at the Library circulation desk, or send them by mail, according to the preference you indicate in your registration.

You can read more about electronic delivery on the Electronic Delivery Information page.

What if my request exceeds copyright restrictions?

These requests exceed legal copyright restrictions:

  • Documents in excess of fifty (50) pages.
  • The entirety of a copyrighted work copied without the express written permission of the copyright holder. It is the responsibility of the requester to secure written approval.
  • Multiple copies of an article.

The needed item could be obtained as follows:

  • The library could attempt to borrow the entire journal issue, book, or work for the use of the requestor.
  • The library could purchase the work if it would be of interest to the EVMS community.
  • The library could direct the requestor to the library that has the work, to obtain the work there.
  • The library could direct the requestor to the publishing source to purchase the work.

How can I cancel a request?

If you act soon after a request is submitted, it may be possible to cancel it by doing the following:

  • Logon to your account
  • From the Main Menu page, click the "Outstanding Requests" link under View
  • Click on the transaction number of the request you want to cancel
  • Click on "Cancel Request"

In the grey Status bar on the Main Menu page, you will be able to see, "Status: Request Cancelled". ILLiad requests are processed very soon after submission. Once requests have been sent, they cannot be cancelled. If the request has been dispatched, you will see, "Status: You cannot cancel a request that has been sent."

What charges are incurred by requesting documents and books through ILLiad?

Articles from our own collection are provided at a cost of $0.15 per page, billable to the account you designate.

Articles and books provided through InterLibrary Loan, from another library, may incur a charge. Free sources are searched first. When there is a fee, the range is from $9.00 to $15.00. Specify a maximum acceptable cost for each article or book requested.

ILLiad service for InterLibrary Loan is limited to faculty, students, and staff. Any fees involved will be billed to the account you designate.

How will I be billed for the charges I incur?

When you register you enter a billing account.

  • "Personal" accounts are billed directly to the account holder
  • If you are authorized to charge to an EVMS department or to a grant, you can enter that information (name of department or grant, and account code) and the charges will be posted directly to the department or grant. An individual can have several billing accounts to use as needed; a personal account, department accounts and grants.

Bills for library services are issued monthly. ILLiad charges are incorporated with any other charges, such as photocopy cards and lost materials, on the library bills. Bills to department and grant accounts are sent via campus mail. Student bills are delivered by EVMS e-mail. Others receive their bills via U.S. mail to the main address in their EVMS Library registration.

How can I renew books and other materials on InterLibrary Loan?

EVMS Library ILL puts a blue band around the book cover that gives instructions about renewing. Many times the library that loaned the material to us will not allow renewals. If so, "no renewals" is noted on the band. If renewals are allowed, the band says to phone the EVMS ILL office, (757) 446-5848. The ILL office will arrange for the renewal, if possible.

EVMS Library can provide books on loan through ILL because of the cooperation and good will of our partner libraries. We respect their loan periods.

Why does my browser say that you're sending a cookie? What's in it?

The technology that we use sends a Session ID to be stored on your machine. You can refuse this cookie and still be able to use ILLiad without any problems.

Who do I contact if I have problems with or questions about ILLiad?

Registration and Requesting Problems: InterLibrary Loan office at (757) 446-5848 or e-mail to illiad@evms.edu.
Technical Support Questions: E-mail anytime to illiad@evms.edu.
EVMS Library hours are listed on our Library home page