Interlibrary Loan
Members can request books and periodical articles not available in the Boston Atheaeum’s collection by emailing ILLintern@bostonathenaeum.org
Our Interlibrary Loan (ILL) service expands your access to materials beyond our own holdings. To request an item, simply provide the following:
- For books: Author, title, and edition or publication date (if a specific edition is needed).
- For articles: Author, article title, periodical title, year, volume/issue, and page numbers needed.
Members may request up to four books or four articles at a time. Most requests are filled within two weeks, and materials are sent to the Athenaeum for convenient pickup. Articles are often delivered electronically and are yours to keep.
If the lending library charges a fee, we’ll notify you before proceeding so you can choose whether to continue.
While eBooks and most non-print materials (such as DVDs, CDs, or microfilm) are typically not available through interlibrary loan, our reference librarians are happy to explore alternatives to help you get the information you need.
Please note:
- ebooks are not eligible for loan.
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Items may come with some usage restrictions (e.g., “in-library use only” or “no photocopying”).
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Some rare or high-demand materials may not be available.
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Interlibrary loan books must be picked up at the Athenaeum and cannot be mailed.
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Loan periods are determined by the lending institution; renewals are sometimes possible.
Our ILL service helps you go beyond our shelves—bringing more of the world’s knowledge within reach.
Warning concerning copyright restrictions
The copyright law of the United States (Title 17, United States Code) governs the making of photocopies or other reproduction of copyrighted material. Under certain conditions specified in the law, libraries and archives are authorized to furnish a photocopy or other reproduction. One of these specified conditions is that the photocopy or reproduction is not to be “used for any purpose other than private study, scholarship or research.” If a user makes a request for, or later uses, a photocopy or reproduction for purposes in excess of “fair use”, that user may be liable for copyright infringement. This institution reserves the right to refuse to accept a copying order if, in its judgment, fulfillment of the order would involve violation of copyright law.