The HKMU Library has launched a variety of information services to enhance research, teaching, and learning activities. Among these is the Interlibrary Loan Service (“ILL Service”). This service enables students and staff to directly request scholarly resources, such as books, book chapters, journal articles and other resources that are not available in the HKMU Library but can be obtained from over 600 partner libraries worldwide. Most requests for journal articles or book chapters are typically fulfilled within 24 hours and delivered electronically.
This service is available to HKMU full-time academic and administrative staff, HKMU Foundation Members (membership categories of Honorary President and above), postgraduate students and undergraduate students.
The ILL Service handles requests for scholarly resources that are not held in the library collections. They can be books, book chapters, journal articles and conference papers. However, reference materials, rare books, and physical journals are typically excluded.
User Categories | Local Sources | Overseas Sources | Active ILL Request Quota | ILL Loan Quota |
|---|---|---|---|---|
Staff – Academic & Administrative |
| Free | 20 | 30 |
HKMU Foundation Members (membership categories of Honorary President and above) |
| Free | 20 | 30 |
Postgraduate Students |
|
| 20 | 30 |
Undergraduate Students
|
|
| 10 | 15 |
3. Do I have to pay for ILL Service?
| User Categories | Local Sources | Overseas Sources | Maximum Quotas each time |
| Staff – Academic & Administrative | Digital copy/photocopy of journal article/book chapter: Free | Free | 20 |
Book Loans: Free | |||
| Postgraduate Students | Photocopies / Digital copies of Articles: Free | Subject to source library’s policy | 20 |
Book Loans: Free | |||
| Undergraduate Project-Based Students (see eligible undergraduate courses) | Photocopies / Digital copies of Articles: Free | Subject to source library’s policy | 10 |
Book Loans: Free |
Select “expand your search” under the search box, or
Select “Beyond HKMU (Interlibrary Loan)” next to the search box.
5. How to check the status of my request?
Status | Description |
ILL. Request received | HKMU Library has received the request. |
ILL. Request sent | The request is sent to the source library in Hong Kong or overseas for processing. |
ILL. Shipped | The requested item is shipped from the source library. |
ILL. Received – Pick up notice will be sent by email | HKMU Library has received the item. You may collect the item from the Library Service Counter after receiving the Pick Up Notice. |
ILL. Digital copy received and in process | HKMU Library has received the item in digital format. |
ILL. Delivered and ready for download | The digital copy is ready for download at your Library account. |
iii. Click the “LOAN LIST” tab to display a list of all your loaned ILL items along with their current status.
Requests for journal articles or book chapters are generally processed and delivered electronically within a 24-hour timeframe. Requests for physical items are contingent upon the lending library's turnaround time. As a rule of thumb, physical items sourced from local libraries typically arrive within a span of 3 to 7 working days. Items procured from overseas libraries may necessitate a longer delivery period.
Physical Books
Digital copies of journal articles/book chapters
The physical books should be returned to the Library Service Counter on or before the due date. Otherwise, overdue fines may be imposed. If a recall notice is received from the lending library, users must return the recalled item(s) to the Library by the new due date as specified in the notice.
Prompt return is important for the continuation of our partnership with lending libraries.
Renewals can be made with the consent of the lending library. Users can renew items online through their borrower records or submit their renewal request(s) via email to libill@hkmu.edu.hk, three days prior to the due date.
Photocopies do not need to be returned.
You cannot cancel the request once the request is submitted. If you no longer need the item, please inform us via email (libill@hkmu.edu.hk) to cancel the request as soon as possible.
For lost or damaged item(s), users are required to report to ILL staff by phone (Tel: 2768-6782) or email (libill@hkmu.edu.hk). Once the report for item loss or damage is acknowledged, users are expected to settle the replacement cost, handling fees, or other charges levied by the lending library.
The fees/charges on loss/damaged items of our Rapido ILL Service partner libraries are listed below for reference:
All ILL requests must comply with the Copyright Ordinance of Hong Kong.
Items obtained through ILL cannot be placed on the Reserve Collection.
All ILL requests must comply with the Copyright Ordinance of Hong Kong. The Library reserves the right to reject those requests that do not comply with the HKMU ILL policy.
Items obtained through ILL cannot be placed on the Reserve Collection.
Please feel free to contact ILL staff in the Library, by phone 2768-6782 or by email libill@hkmu.edu.hk.
