NIC staff and students place requests for ILL’s in one of two ways; through the “Where can I get this” button in the OPAC, or by filling out an ILL request form available on the library webpage (Library.nic.bc.ca > Services > Interlibrary Loan > How to Order Articles).
Article requests are sent via email to the ILL-NIC mailbox. From there they are sorted into the ILL inbox for the appropriate campus.
In outlook open Public Folders > All Public Folders > Library to see the ILL and Media mail boxes.
Once a request is received, ensure that the article is not available full-text and free at NIC or online through open source:
Check:
NIC catalogue –see if we carry the journal in hard or electronic copy.
In the search box: enter the title of the journal
Change keyword to periodical title - using the drop-down menu.
Search
If NIC carries the journal:
In hardcopy: ascertain if NIC carries the appropriate volume/issue. If so, direct the student to the appropriate shelf location (on your campus)
If the journal is available in hardcopy another campus, email library staff at the owning campus for the requested article to be sent to the student. Include all pertinent information… student information, article title, author, volume, issue & pages. Staff may scan the article and email it directly to the student
Electronic copy: click on the URL link. Search to ascertain that the requested article is available full-text.
Notify borrower by email with attached PDF, URL or direct link Full-text of the article.
Add to “FT/Local” number on your campus’s tab in the “ILL stats for all” spreadsheet
Open Access:
Look up article title in Discovery Search. If “Full-text” is available, then download and send to student.
If it doesn’t come up, then Unclick “Available at NIC”. If open access button comes up 
click on it and make sure it is an official copy (not author manuscript for example) and send PDF or link to student.
If the Open Access button doesn’t show an entry, then go to Open Access.Org to double check that it is not there.
Add to “FT/Local” number on your campus’s tab in the “ILL stats for all” spreadsheet
ILLume:
If the article cannot be sourced either of these ways, proceed with submitting an ILL request:
Log into your campus’s ILLume website (see ILLume Login and Password)
After using the appropriate campus login, you will see a search box
From here you can do a simple or advanced search.
Click on the Search Target button 
to choose one of the following:
‘BC University Libraries’ and ‘BC Union Databases’ for books and journals (Default selection)
or ‘ELN Media’ for videos/DVDs
or ‘ELN Serials’ for journals only
Note: ‘BC University Libraries’ and ‘BC Union Databases’ searches everything. The ‘Request this Item’ button can do requests for ILLume, ELN Media, and ELN Serials.
Searching by Title for the journal name seems to have the most success. If that doesn’t work, or if it brings back too many unrelated items, then try “ISSN” or “Journal Title” search. The search can take time to populate, wait for a minute before clicking on the first one that comes up.
Once you have located the correct journal, click on the link under “format” to see a list of institutions that carry it.
Double-check that the institution has access to your article by clicking on the link under “format”, then verifying that their subscription includes the issue your article is in. you can try other institutions, but selecting the institution with dates given can save time.
When you have found the item requested, click on ‘Request this Item’ button.
Complete the ILL Request form.
Open the original request email in the campus ILL folder and click “Post Reply”. Add the ILLume # in subject line, and click “post”. Delete the original request email.
Some things to note…
Request type: Non-returnable (copy)
Material Bibliographic Level: Serial….
Article Information (volume, issue, pages): consider this section mandatory. It isn’t highlighted in red only because some journals don’t use volume/issue. If the journal uses those identifying features then they must be included here.
Author: Add if available
Need By: default date is 3 weeks from date of request. For media items change to the last working day prior to the showdate.
Showdate: if a media item
Patron Identifier: Student / employee number from their card.
Phone//Email: These are mandatory fields, patron’s e-mail and patron’s home phone number, other information is optional.
Special instructions: Other instructions can be included here, such as an alternate show date etc.
Pick-up Location & Ship to address: Automatically defaults to your campus.
When the request form is completed, click on Submit. Your request will then be approved and submitted by the ILLume mediator.
To track the progress of your request at ILL Admin > Borrower > Patron Browse and click on the title of the item, then scroll to the bottom of the document.
Once the article has been received, the library technician II or III will upload it to TitanFile, which will allow the student to download the article (see TitanFile Procedures)
If an article has come back unfilled or unavailable the ILLume mediator will:
Contact student
Add to Not Available numbers on the “ILL Stats for All” spreadsheet
Edit post reply to Unavailable.
Move post reply to “ILL-Archive” folder
Email template to contact student:
From: ILL@nic.bc.ca
To: student email
Re: ILL Request # ...
Hello ,
Unfortunately, the article you requested through interlibrary loans, noted below, is unavailable.
I'm sorry we were unable to help you with this, please reply to this email or contact your campus library if you need further assistance.
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Item Details (Information is taken from campus ILL folders)
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Thank you,
Patron-Initiated Interlibrary Loan (PI-ILL) has been enabled to allow NIC’s students/staff to search and place requests themselves for books not directly available at NIC. The request is submitted directly to the ILLume mediator for checking and approval. Library > Services > Interlibrary Loan > How to Order Books
Once the book arrives on campus, staff will process the book to prepare it for borrowing:
The book should arrive with a return shipping label and a copy of the ILL request. File these items in your campus’s ILL Binder.
Complete and attach a banner to the front of the item. Use our request # on the banner. Banners should be wrapped around the front cover of the book.
Add item to Workflows database as Brief Record see: Brief Records.
Sensitize item and place on Inter-Library loan shelf.
Notify the Library Technician II or III at your campus, who will update the status of the item in ILLume. Once the mediator changes the status of the book to “received” in ILLume an automatically generated email will be sent to the patron to let them know it is ready for pick up. Books will only be held for one week.
If the book hasn’t been picked up after 2 open days phone or email the patron to remind them to pick up their item (see Pickup Reminder).
All ILL books will automatically be given a 3-week loan period from the date of pick-up. In Workflows check out the item to the patron (see Check-Out),
Renewals may be granted at the discretion of the lending institution. If a patron requests a renewal contact the moderator who will request a renewal through ILLume. The moderator will alert campus staff once a decision has been made by the lending institution.
If the renewal is granted change the due date of the item in workflows (See Renew item) and contact the patron.
If the renewal is not granted, contact the patron and let them know the item must be returned on the original due date.
Discharge in the usual manner.
Retrieve the return mailing labels from the Patron’s Request Sheet in the ILL binder.
Advise the Library Technician II or III in your campus that the book has been returned, and they will update ILLume, alerting the lending institution that the item is on its way back.
Package the item in an appropriate envelope and affix the return shipping label. Put the package in your campus’s outgoing mailbox.
Media can only be requested by faculty, who must complete a Media Video Request Form. This form must contain a show date and alternate show date. Media items can be searched for from the NIC library website under the following: Services > Faculty > Media Bookings-Interlibrary Loan > Select Campus > Search BC Libraries at Search Targets select ELN Media Cat.
Note: Please search in the Media database as this database covers only post-secondary institutions. Use public libraries as a last resort only. Public libraries use the Library Book Shipping Tool, which is not ideal for post-secondary media with tight show dates, and Post-Secondary Institutions use courier’s with fast delivery times. We do not lend to public libraries.
If faculty identify requests are for previewing for possible future LIBRARY purchases or curriculum development, advise the faculty about our costs as a courtesy (they might volunteer to eliminate some of them) and process them. Costs: Courier only - $15+ /media item
If requests are for previewing for departmental consideration for purchase, please refer them to the Coordinator of Library Services.
If a media item is available through an ILLume lender request as per usual ILLume procedure. (See: ILLume) Remember to advise the ILLume mediator when the item is received and again when it is returned.
(See list of ILLume Media Participants at: https://bceln.ca/partner-libraries)
Note:
On the ILLume request, under “Borrower’s Note” put the alternate showdate.
Due to courier costs, if possible, only select Vancouver Island or lower mainland institutions. In ILLume, delete unwanted institutions from the “lender list” before submitting the request. Island, lower mainland institutions are:
BCIT (BBIT) RRU (BRCZ)
Camosun C. (BVIC) SFU (BVAS)
Capilano U. (BVAC) UBC (BVAU)
Douglas C. (BNWD) UFV (BCLF)
JIBC (BVAJ) UVIC (BVIV)
Langara C. (BVAL) VCC (BVAV)
Kwantlen PU (BSKC) VIU (BMN)
Notify shipping@nic.bc.ca with the budget code for the shipping fee, the name of the institution shipping us the item, and that it is for the library (see Mail- Notify the Shipping Department). Please send this email before we have received the item so they can be prepared for it.
If a media item is listed in an ILLume Online database but the owning library is not an ‘ILL lender’ then request by e-mail.
NIC’s media e-mail address, for all campuses is: media@nic.bc.ca
Incoming: e-mailed media requests will be directed to this address, accessed via a folder called “Media-NIC”. Regularly monitor this folder to access any media requests intended for your campus. Note: if multiple campuses have a requested item, the staff that opens the request first, with available holdings at their campus, processes the request immediately.
To access the Media-NIC folder open your e-mail and go to:
Public Folders > All Public Folders > Library > Media-NIC
Within the Media-NIC folder are sub-folders for each campus. Drag & drop media requests and correspondence for your campus to your folder.
When responding to incoming request or creating a new outgoing request, ensure all e-mailing is done from the media@nic.bc.ca address and not your personal e-mail. To do this, in your inbox click on: New > Options > Show From. This will add a new blank “from” line just above the “to” line in your personal e-mail, complete the “from” line with the media@nic.bc.ca address.
Each campus library sends its own e-mail requests directly to the lending institution, (currently Mixalakwila campus items are requested via CR). E-mail should contain the word Media and your request number in the subject line. An example of the body of the e-mail could be as follows:
Request # NICR14-25
Title Man who planted trees
Call # GF 75 M33
Showdate May 16/14
Alternate showdate May 23/14
Patron name Charles Instructor
Ship to (campus address)
Purolator #: 1715505
Note: Your assigned request number should always start with NI followed by your campus letters, year and then the number e.g. NICR20-25. This is standard procedure.
Process the video/DVD similar to an ILL book, (see NIC User Requests-Books)
Note: Media loan periods may be extended by contacting the lender. However, if it is required for a different instructor then a new number is assigned. Media is often already booked again at the lending institution and cannot be renewed or extended
All media must be returned the day after showing or by the due date indicated on the item. Always use Purolator courier. It is helpful to include the media title on the description line of the waybill. Also include the “Declared Value” as $100. Purolator will not insure if no declared value. Mark “ground” on waybill as puropak or puroletter override ground and cost more.
NB. Use only bubble-pak envelopes or boxes to mail videos. Do not use regular padded envelopes as the stuffing could come out and damage the video.
If an Item is lost, damaged, or has been lost in the mail notify the lending institution immediately. Note the title, shipping date, waybill number or any other information that will assist in locating lost item. If damaged, describe the damage.
Tracing the item is the responsibility of the institution that shipped/lost the item.