Answers to Frequently Asked Questions about ILLiad

What is ILLiad?

ILLiad is the electronic system you use to request an item through Interlibrary Loan (ILL) or Photocopy Services.

How is ILLiad better than traditional ILL systems?

  1. You will find it easier to submit your interlibrary loan or photocopy requests. With ILLiad, you enter your name, address, and other personal information into the system only once, at the time of your first request.
  2. Your request will be handled more rapidly and accurately as problems relating to misinterpretation of hand-written requests are eliminated.
  3. You can get many of your photocopies more quickly through Electronic Delivery (Email). University of Oklahoma users must user their campus email address for electronic delivery.
  4. You can get information about the status of your request through the Web at any time from any location without having to call the ILL or Photocopy Services Departments.
  5. Library personnel are able to serve you better because all data about your request and its handling is stored in a searchable database. We are able to respond quickly to your inquiries about your request. We are also able to gather statistical information about the performance of the libraries that lend to us, enabling us to make better decisions when choosing a lender to supply an item.

Are there any disadvantages to the electronic system?

Some people might find it troublesome to have to log into ILLiad using a username and password. We believe this is less trouble than traditional paper and electronic systems which require you to enter your personal information with each new request.

Why do I need a username and password to use ILLiad?

Your username and password allows us to give you secure access to information about your interlibrary loan requests. We can also enable you to edit your personal information such as your address or phone number.

OUHSC-OKC Users can login using their User ID and Password. OUHSC-Tulsa Users click here . OU Users click here .
All other users must first register before using this system; first time users click here. No one but you will know your password, not even the library staff. The password you set is stored in an encrypted file.

What if I forget my username or password?

In the event that you forget your username, please contact the Interlibrary Loan Office at (405) 271-2285 opt. 3 or (800) 522-0222 (Oklahoma only). We will send your username to the email address in your profile.

In the event that you forget your password, please contact the Interlibrary Loan Office at (405) 271-2285 opt. 3 or (800) 522-0222 (Oklahoma only). We can then reset your password and you will be notified via the email address in your profile.

What Web browser should I use?

You need a Web browser that can handle forms, tables, and preferrably Cascading Style Sheets (CSS). We recommend the current versions of either Microsoft Internet Explorer or Mozilla Firefox.

Is security a problem if I use a public workstation?

Yes. Web browsers cache information and create a history file on the local workstation. This allows a subsequent user of the workstation to access the system under your name using the browser's Back button to recall a page from the cache, or by finding a page with your personal information in the browser's history file. If you are concerned about the security of your requests, you can take the following steps:

  • Access ILLiad only from your personal computer or an otherwise secure workstation.
  • When using a public access workstation:
    1. Delete from the history file those pages that contain your personal information.
    2. Exit from the Web browser before you leave the workstation. This prevents the Back button from accessing the pages you were using.

Why don't I see all my older requests when I look at my request history?

From time to time we purge older records from ILLiad. Our policy is to keep requests online for several years order to comply with record keeping requirements of the copyright law.

What is electronic delivery?

Many libraries ship photocopies of articles to us in electronic format. In the past we printed these articles before delivering them to you. Now, through ILLiad, we are able to offer you the option of electronic delivery of these articles in PDF format (Adobe's Portable Document Format) via email.

Who do I contact if I have problems with or questions about ILLiad?

Technical Problems or Document Delivery Questions: Call (405) 271-2285 opt. 3 or (800) 522-0222 (Oklahoma only) or e-mail to bhslilld@ouhsc.edu. Questions will be answered between the hours of 8:00am - 5:00pm, Monday through Friday.

Why does my browser say that you're sending a cookie? What's in it?

The technology that we use sends a Session ID to be stored on your machine. You can refuse this cookie and still be able to use ILLiad without any problems.

Can I take out books or non-print media items borrowed from other libraries?

Items borrowed for OUHSC users may leave the library, unless restrictions are placed by the lending library.

Non-OUHSC users may not take items from the library that are obtained through interlibrary loan.

Are there any disadvantages to the electronic system?

Some people might find it troublesome to have to log into ILLiad using a username and password. We believe this is less trouble than traditional paper and electronic systems which require you to enter your personal information with each new request.