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Interlibrary Loan

This is the NU Library Guide to using Interlibrary Loan, a free borrowing service provided to the NU community.

Interlibrary Loan

The purpose of the NU Interlibrary Loan Service (ILL) is to obtain requested resources from ILL-participating libraries to support the research needs of the NU community, when such resources are not available from Library databases. Interlibrary Loan Services are governed by the Reference and User Services Association (RUSA), which is a branch of the American Library Association (ALA). The NU ILL service follows CONTU Guidelines established by the U.S. Copyright Office to ensure copyright compliance. The NU ILL service is made possible by resource sharing agreements with ILL-participating libraries, facilitated by the Online Computer Library Center, Inc. (OCLC).

Interlibrary Loan (ILL) Service is free to NU students, faculty, and staff

Research Beyond the NU Library

Watch a previously recorded webinar for "Research Beyond the NU Library: Open Access Resources, Open Educational Resources and Alternative Search Tools" with NU Librarians Taylor Duncan and Marisha Kelly. Access the presentation slides and review related resources.

Academic Libraries

Access to an academic library provides an important resource for your study at National University. Academic collections support higher-level education. Most university libraries allow any users to browse the collection, make photocopies and access online databases in-house for free. Some public-funded and private universities will issue a library card to a non-affiliated individual or a local business with a fee. The library card for a non-affiliated community member also has more limited privileges that usually include book loans and article photocopies only, no interlibrary loan or remote access to databases.

Some academic libraries may even allow checkout privileges with proof that you are a student. NU provides students with an ID card upon request. You may request an ID card via your Academic Advisor, or by sending a request to idcard@ncu.edu.

Public Libraries

Access to a public library provides an important resource for your study at National University. In the U.S., public libraries allow any patron to borrow through interlibrary loan, provide borrowing privileges from their collection, make photocopies, and access online databases in house or via the Internet. The public library may be part of a larger network of libraries that may include colleges and universities.

Someone in a rural area may be able to obtain a public library card from a close metropolitan library, community college, or a county library with no or low cost in order to access online databases via the Internet.

State Electronic Libraries

Special Libraries

Special libraries cover a specific discipline or serve a special group of people.

Examples of special libraries include corporate libraries, law libraries (affiliated to law firms or courts), medical libraries (affiliated to medical research center or hospitals), libraries of advocacy organizations, professional associations, research centers, etc. Although only a few special libraries are open to the public, they can provide more in-depth information on their specialized subjects than other types of libraries.

Usually, if you are a member of a professional association or employee of a bigger company, you will have access to its special library. The reference librarians who oversee these libraries are generally very knowledgeable, and therefore a great resource.

Browser Plugins & Extensions

What is EndNote Click? 

EndNote Click (formerly Kopernio) is a browser plugin that allows users to access full-text PDFs of resources for free, when available.

Currently, the browser plugin/extension is compatible with Google Chrome, Mozilla Firefox, and Opera.


Installing EndNote Click

Add the extension to your browser to get started:


Using EndNote Click

EndNote Click is designed to fit into your existing literature workflow and works with thousands of academic repositories. It helps you access full-text article PDFs on Web of Science, Pubmed, and 20,000 other academic platforms. 

If EndNote Click detects available open access or publisher versions of an article, click the View PDF icon on the page as shown in the image below.

EndNote Click displaying access to full text article on PubMed

What is Google Scholar Button? 

Google Scholar Button is a browser plugin that provides easy access to Google Scholar from any webpage. You can use it to locate full-text resources through the NU Library or through open access; transfer your search query from a webpage and rerun a search in Google Scholar; format a reference in a particular citation style format; and pin a resource to your Scholar library for reading at a later time.


Installing Google Scholar Button

Currently, the browser plugin/extension is compatible with Google Chrome, Mozilla Firefox, and Microsoft Edge.

Add the extension to your browser to get started:

  • Download Google Scholar Button for Chrome

  • Download Google Scholar Button for Firefox

  • Download Google Scholar Button for Edge


Using Google Scholar Button

Google Scholar Button incorporates research into your workflow by allowing you to run search queries, lookup scholarly content, and locate relevant resources. 

You can use Google Scholar Button in the following ways:

  • Locate full-text content available through open access or directly via the NU Library by highlighting a citation and clicking on the tool. (NOTE: You must have the NU Library connected to Google Scholar in order to check for the full text in NU Library databases.)Google Scholar Button example of highlighting a resource and selecting the tool to locate a full text copy through open access or the NU Library.                                                                                                            
  • Rerun your general web search by clicking on the Google Scholar button.Transfer general web search to Google Scholar                                       
  • Use the Cite feature to preview the citation of a resource. (NOTE: It is extremely important to check for proper APA Style as citation tools are subject to error. The Academic Success Center provides access to Academic Writer, which provides over 150 sample references, as well as nearly 10 sample papers. It also incorporates all of the references and other content from the Publication Manual. For a step-by-step guide to creating an account go to the ASC's FAQ on signing up for Academic Writer.)Using the cite feature in Google Scholar Button

What is Library Extension? 

Library Extension is a browser plugin that allows you to instantly see book and e-book availability from your local library.

Currently, the browser plugin/extension is compatible with Google Chrome and Mozilla Firefox.


Installing Library Extension

Add the extension to your browser to get started:

  • Download Library Extension for Chrome

  • Download Library Extension for Firefox


Using Library Extension

Library Extension allows you to view instant availability information for books, music, and audiobooks from your public library as you browse various sites, including Amazon, Barnes & Noble, Good Reads, and Google Books. More than 5,000 libraries across Australia, Canada, Germany, New Zealand, the United Kingdom, and the United States are supported through the tool with information displaying from local catalogs. Click here to see if your local public or academic library is supported.

As you search for resources, the Library Extension tool will display results for items held in local libraries you have defined. 

Amazon.com Library Extension tool displaying on resource page

Barnes & Noble Library Extension tool displaying on resource page

Good Reads Library Extension tool displaying on resource page

Google Books Library Extension tool displaying on resource page

What is Open Access Button? 

Open Access Button provides free access to scholarly papers by scouring the web and emailing authors. Search for resources directly on the website, or use browser plugins for Chrome or Firefox to search for titles.


Installing Open Access Button

Add the extension to your browser to get started:

  • Download Open Access Button for Chrome

  • Download Open Access Button for Firefox


Using Open Access Button

Open Access Button allows you to access scholarly papers by searching thousands of sources with millions of articles and links you to free, legal, full-text copies instantly. Search for resources directly on the webpage or use the browser extension to detect available open access versions of a source. 

Open Access Button Website

When on a resource landing page, click the Open Access Button installed on your browser to see if an open access version is available. If the resource is available, you will be routed to the appropriate page to download or read the resource in full text.

Open Access Button installed on browser 

Open access copy of article accessed through Open Access Button

What is Unpaywall? 

Unpaywall is a browser plugin that allows users to access full-text PDFs of resources for free, when available. The tool harvests content directly from over 50,000 journals and open-access repositories from all over the world, and it uses great open data from PubMed Central, the DOAJ, Crossref (particularly their license information), and DataCite.

Currently, the browser plugin/extension is compatible with Google Chrome and Mozilla Firefox.


Installing Unpaywall

Add the extension to your browser to get started:


Using Unpaywall

When you see the green unlock tab on a webpage, click it to read the full-text of a research article.

Access full-text articles through Unpaywall if there is an active green unlock icon on the webpage