Interlibrary Loan (ILL)

How ILL works

Sometimes the DCTC Library doesn't have the exact book, video, or article that you need. Current DCTC students and employees can request items from other libraries throughout Minnesota. Those libraries send the books or videos to us and we e-mail you when they're ready to pick up. Then you return the items to us by the due date and we return them to the lending library. How long you can borrow items and whether you can renew them depends on the lending library's policies.

Articles are even easier: the other library scans the article and you receive a copy via e-mail.

Please allow about a week for your requested items to arrive. E-mail Danielle to check on the status of your ILL request.

ILL via OneSearch

By default, OneSearch will show you results from the DCTC Library Catalog. If you expand this search to All MnPALS Libraries, you'll see mostly items from other Minnesota State Colleges & Universities libraries. Click on the Sign in link in the upper right corner, log in with your StarID, then click on the Check for available services link under a title that interests you. On the next screen, under How to get it, click on Interlibrary Loan. A completed ILL request form will appear; just click on the send request link in the lower right corner of the form, then scroll up and click on I agree with the terms.

ILL via MNLINK

MNLINK is like a catalog for most of the libraries in Minnesota. You'll need either a DCTC Library barcode or a public library barcode in order to log in and place ILL requests.

Dakota County residents can apply for a library card at any of the ten Dakota County Library locations. Cardholders can borrow materials from any public library in the seven-county Twin Cities metropolitan area and access many online resources that aren't available at DCTC. Search the Dakota County Library catalog to find books, videos, and other resources available near you.