Interlibrary loans
Interlibrary loans
Procedure
Placing a request
Start by searching the a-z.lu portal. If the item is not available within the library network, you can request it via the interlibrary loan online form by logging into your user account.
As soon as the item arrives, you will be notified by email. Depending on the lending library’s conditions, some items can only be consulted on site at the National Library, while others can be collected from the loans desk.
Due to copyright restrictions, the majority of journal articles and book chapters are only available in physical format. In most cases, electronic delivery is not permitted.
Loan period
Items requested via interlibrary loan are initially issued for a period of three weeks, starting from the date they are received by the National Library. This loan period may exceptionally be extended, depending on the conditions set by the lending library.
Return
All borrowed items must be returned to the loans desk at the National Library. Please do not use the self-service return machines.
Fees
Each interlibrary loan request incurs a processing fee. The charge is €5 per item, or €25 for items supplied by libraries outside Europe. Invoices are sent by email.
Borrowed items must be handled with care. You are responsible for any loss, damage or theft.
Documents not available for order
Some types of material are not eligible for interlibrary loan, including:
- items already available within the bibnet.lu network,
- reference works,
- rare, valuable or pre-1900 items,
- materials intended for specific uses (such as leisure reading, practical or travel guides, or language learning resources),
- recent publications,
- complete volumes of periodicals.
Related topics
Frequently asked questions
How long does it usually take to receive a requested document?
Delivery times depend on the lending library and may take several weeks. You will receive an email notification as soon as the item arrives.
Why was my request refused?
Certain items cannot be requested via interlibrary loan, for example if they are available within the bibnet.lu network in Luxembourg, if they are not intended for research purposes, or if they are too recent.
Can I receive the documents in PDF format?
In general, no. Due to copyright restrictions, documents are supplied in paper format and are not provided as PDFs. Electronic delivery is not permitted.
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