Borrow from Other Libraries / Interlibrary Loan

Sometimes your research takes you beyond what our collection can offer. When that happens, you can take advantage of tools like RACER to search library collections from universities across Ontario, Canada, and beyond.

Access RACER, our Interlibrary Loan search tool RACER

Getting Started with RACER

Getting Started with RACER

If you have checked the library catalogue, and confirmed that we do not already have access to the material you require, your next step is to use RACER (Interlibrary Loan) to find it at another institution. Rapid Access to Collections by Electronic Requesting (RACER) is McMaster Library's union catalogue allowing users to seamlessly search and borrow items from all university libraries and collections across Ontario. 

For detailed instructions, visit Scholars Portal's Using RACER guide.

First-time user?

  1. Register for a new RACER account. You will need your barcode number (found on your student or staff card). You will be creating a new password — keep it in a safe place.
  2. When choosing pickup location, if you are a Health Sciences patron, please check HSL policies. 
  3. If you are unsure what payment method to select, select Debit/Credit (can be altered later).

Once logged in, searching is easy:

  1. Perform a standard search using the default profile or customize your search using the advanced search.
  2. In the search results, find the item that matches your request and click "get it!" to populate a request form.
  3. Add any additional details, and submit your request.

For more help, email us at library@mcmaster.ca

Interlibrary Loan

Requesting Books

  • You may request books we do not own or those labelled "Missing" in the Catalogue.
  • The normal loan period is 3 weeks. You are responsible for returning books on or before the due date. 
  • Overdue charges from lending libraries and replacement charges for items lost are the responsibility of the patron.
  • University of Waterloo video tutorial on finding a book in RACER.

Requesting Journal Articles

  • Under the university's Fair Dealing Advisory you are allowed to request 10% of a published work or a single article only from an issue of a journal. Requests for more than one article from a single issue of a journal will be rejected.
  • Systematic, cumulative copying is prohibited. That means that you may not copy 10% of a publication one day, then another 10% the next day, and so on until most or all of the publication is copied. 
  • University of Waterloo video tutorial on finding an article in RACER.
PDF version

Searching

  • Use Standard Search for keyword searching and Advanced Search to search in specific fields (e.g. Author).
  • Always include McMaster in the collection of libraries you search. Selecting many collections will slow down your search.
  • From your search results, click Details to verify that an item is the one you want.
  • If there are no matches, try selecting different libraries or fill in a blank request form.
  • Click Get it! for the item you wish to get. Only select one record as multiple items will appear.

Visit Scholars Portal - Searching RACER for more detailed instructions.

Requesting a PubMed article

  • Put the PMID in the Notes field (e.g. PMID 23478912).
  • If using a payment method other than the one selected at registration, put the necessary information in the Notes field.

 

PDF version

Many dissertations are available online, so check these resources before you place a request through RACER.

  • McMaster Library Catalogue
  • Digital Commons (McMaster's Institutional Repository)
  • Thesis Canada Portal contains abstracts of Canadian theses since 1965; full text versions are available from 1998-2002.
  • ProQuest Dissertations & Theses A&I provides subject, title, and author access to almost all American dissertations accepted at an accredited institution since 1861. Masters theses have been selectively indexed since 1962. Abstracts are included for doctoral dissertation records from July 1980 to the present. In addition, the database serves to disseminate citations for thousands of Canadian dissertations and an increasing number of papers accepted in institutions abroad. Professional (e.g., M.D., LL. D.) and honorary degrees are not included.
  • EthOS (Electronic Theses Online Service) provides digital access to dissertations from UK universities. Oxford and Cambridge universities do not participate in this service. Free login and registration is required to search the site.
  • Australasian Digital Thesis Program provides access to theses from Australian and New Zealand institutions. Up to 5,000 available for free download.
  • Open Access Theses and Dissertations OATD currently indexes 4,477,322 theses and dissertations.
  • DART-Europe E-theses Portal provides free online copies of dissertations from many European countries, including some not found by Global ETD (see above).
  • Global ETD (Electronic Thesis and Dissertation) Search looks for free online copies of dissertations.
  • OpenGrey offers documents of many kinds from a range of European countries, freely available online. You can filter your results by running your search and then selecting "doc type=thesis".
  • College Art Association: list of dissertations completed and in progress. Details of PhD dissertations in art history and visual studies from US and Canadian institutions. You can browse titles by subject category or year. The dissertations themselves are not available via this site.
  • WorldCat finds hard-copy dissertations from libraries around the world. After running your search, you can filter your results to find dissertations only.
  • PQDT Open is a service offered by ProQuest's UMI Dissertation Publishing. The authors of these dissertations and theses have opted to publish as open access.
  • Many Universities are digitizing and hosting theses from their own institutions and making those available to the public at no charge. You can use Google to locate an institution's repository, or you might try the Directory of Open Repositories, or BASE, a database that contains records from 2000+ repositories.

If your dissertation isn't available through any of the above options, you can request it through ILL/Racer.

PDF version
  • Click Blank Request Form under My Account on the left side of the screen.
  • For Journal Articles, choose Photocopy. For Books, choose Borrow.
  • University of Waterloo video tutorial on creating a request for materials not in RACER.
PDF version

Pickup

  • Mills, Innis, and Thode users can pick up their items from the Mills Services Desk, and return them to any of the three libraries.
  • Articles are sent electronically via email if publishing licensing allows
  • There is a $10 charge for any item not picked up within 3 weeks of email notification.

Notification

You will receive an email when:

  • the item you have requested has arrived.
  • additional information is needed.
  • the item is held in a McMaster library.
  • a request has been cancelled.

 

PDF version

Cancelling a request

  • Login to RACER and go to My Requests.
  • On the Requests List, click "Cancel" beside the request you would like to cancel. If a request is no longer listed, it may be too late to cancel it.

Tracking your Request Status

  • Login to RACER.
  • Click My Requests. A list of your current requests will be displayed. If an item is no longer listed, check your email for notification about picking up your request.
  • Status codes and their meanings:
    • Idle: we will process your request shortly.
    • Pending: your request has been sent to a lending library.
    • Shipped: the lending library has begun the process of shipping your item.
    • Not supplied: local library staff are searching other libraries for your item.
    • Conditional: a lending library has indicated they will supply your item as soon as some condition is met.
    • Received: item has arrived at the library and will be available shortly. This status only appears for books and other loans.
    • Returned: item will be returned to the lending library.
  • University of Waterloo video on checking the status of your RACER requests.
PDF version

Changing your password

  1. Login to RACER; under My Account on the left, click on Account Details.
  2. Click Edit and make your changes.
  3. Select Update Password and click Update.

Forgotten your Password?

PDF version

Interlibrary Loan Policies

  • Articles and books take 2-5 days or longer to arrive.
  • You cannot request a print copy of a book if the library has access to the electronic version.
  • Visual Materials (including VHS, DVDs) cannot be borrowed through ILL, except for use in course instruction. 
  • External Borrowers and Alumni need to use Interlibrary Loan services at the local public library

Health Sciences Library User?

Video/Film for Instruction

Borrowing from another University library (Reciprocal Borrowing)

Borrowing in Person from a Non-McMaster Library

In addition to using RACER (Interlibrary Loan), McMaster faculty, staff, and students can borrow in person from other university libraries in Canada (excluding: University of Toronto and Ontario College of Art and Design) .

Please contact the library in question to determine their requirements for a Reciprocal Borrower Card. Most will require a current McMaster ID and proof of address, but additional documentation may be required. 

Contact a partner university in: 

Ontario

Quebec

Atlantic provinces

Western provinces

PDF version

University of Toronto Libraries charges reciprocal borrowers (like McMaster students) a fee of $300 for a borrower card. McMaster Library will subsidize $250 towards the cost of these cards, for graduate students only. 

  1. To acquire or renew an external borrower card at UTL for the coming year, please complete the application form and submit to the Services Librarian, Mills Library service desk (1st floor) (Cards may no longer be arranged for at Robarts Library.
  2. You will be responsible for the remaining $50. We can accept a MOSAIC chartfield, debit, or credit card for this fee.
  3. When this transaction has been completed, we will alert the staff at the Robarts Library so that they can provide you with a borrower card.  

You are welcome to submit interlibrary loan requests for any materials not owned by McMaster using your RACER account. There is no charge for an interlibrary loan. Recommendations to purchase items for the Library’s collections are welcome and will be considered as the budget allows.

PDF version

Faculty may obtain on-site access and/or borrowing privileges at over 160 research libraries participating in the OCLC Reciprocal Faculty Borrowing Program.  Please contact the library in question to determine their requirements. 

North American members of OCLC Reciprocal Faculty Borrowing Program 

(excluding: University of Toronto and Ontario College of Art and Design)

PDF version

Hamilton Public Library cards are free to anyone living, working or studying in Hamilton.

Students attending an educational institution in Hamilton are eligible for a free library card with identification and a student card.  Register at any HPL branch  If you have any questions, Contact HPL. 

PDF version

Information for Borrowing Libraries

Information for Borrowing Libraries

Please include the following information : 

  • Rate Classification: BOOKS and SHEET MUSIC
  • Attention: REVENUE CANADA
  • Tariff / Tarif: 9813.00.00 or 9814.00.00
  • GST / TSP Code: 66
  • Property of McMaster University Library Material returned on Interlibrary Loan.
PDF version
  • OCLC Symbol: MUX Enter our symbol twice...
  • AG TRACEit Code: MAS
  • NUC Symbol: CaOHM
PDF version

NOTE: BEFORE submitting your first request, please fill out the location form

PDF version
  • Loans: Canadian locations $10.00 (Cdn) per filled request; USA locations $25 (US); International $55 (US).
  • Photocopies: Canadian locations $10.00 (Cdn) per filled request; USA/ International locations: $10 (US).
  • Fax Charges: $1.00 per page and the cost of the photocopy.
  • Courier: We will send collect via Purolator, Federal Express, DHL, UPS. The Borrowing Library is responsible for any and all custom duties incurred at their country's border. McMaster will not be responsible for these expenses.
  • Relais Xpress: We do not charge a surcharge for sending via Relais.
  • RUSH: When RUSH service is requested, there is an additional charge of $30 per item. Please call to make sure that a staff person is available to handle your request in a timely manner.
PDF version

We prefer IFM billing through OCLC, but also accept Visa and MasterCard. For all other requests, an invoice will be supplied with the material. Cheques or Money Orders are to be payable to: McMaster University. We do not accept third party cheques.

PDF version
  • Three weeks, with NO renewals.
  • Microfilm: Maximum of 6 (six) reels per request.
PDF version
  • When possible, borrowing libraries should check to see whether the required thesis/dissertation is available in a digital format through our Institutional Repository, MacSphere.
  • For those theses/dissertations not found here, we will first attempt to digitize the thesis On Demand; if this is not possible, we will circulate print or fiche copies of theses or dissertations.
  • We are no longer able to provide photocopies of theses or dissertations.
PDF version
  • Sound recordings, including CDs.
  • Visual materials, including VHS and DVDs.
PDF version

Address

Interlibrary Loans
Mills Memorial Library
McMaster University
1280 Main Street West
Hamilton, Ontario Canada L8S 4L6
Tel: 905-525-9140 x22078
Fax: 522-0691

Email the ILL Department