Do you need a book, journal article, DVD, or another item that isn’t available at one of the UF libraries on campus? Try using FLARE, UBorrow, or ILL to retrieve your items. The following information and tutorials will show you how to use these three services to get the materials you need.
Learning objectives
After completing this short tutorial, you will be able to:
- Request an item (e.g., book chapters, articles, DVD) using FLARE, UBorrow, and the Interlibrary Loan service
- Describe the relationship between the Interlibrary Loan service, UBorrow, and FLARE
Why are FLARE, UBorrow, and ILL important?
When searching for items in Primo, users may notice that their material isn’t available through one of the UF Libraries. Instead, search results may indicate availability through a FLARE TRAY or another option like UBorrow. If your item doesn’t appear in the search results, you may need to request it via Interlibrary Loan (ILL). Therefore, it is important that library users understand how to request items from all three services.
What are the benefits of FLARE, UBorrow, and ILL?
- Saves you money: These services are free for UF faculty, staff, and students. Librarians can also help you find the article, book chapter, or other items you need.
- Variety: They provide users access to different items (e.g., books, articles, microfilm, journals, DVDs, CDs) not available at UF.
- Convenience: Some materials can be delivered electronically (everyone) or shipped to your address (users outside of Gainesville).
What is Primo Search?
Primo search is the library catalog search and discovery service. It helps users find materials such as books, articles, CDs, DVDs, maps, theses, government documents, etc. For more information about Primo, visit the following page: Primo.
How do I find items using Primo?
- Connect to UF VPN if off campus: Connecting to the VPN
- Follow the tutorial: Searching with Primo Search
What is WorldCat?
“WorldCat is the world’s most comprehensive database of information about library collections.” It can be used to find materials you can borrow from libraries around the globe.
Source: https://www.oclc.org/en/worldcat.html
What is FLARE?
The FLorida Academic REpository (FLARE) is an offsite storage collection of lower-use materials from Florida libraries. There is an agreement to always retain these materials thereby allowing libraries to withdraw their low-use or duplicate items but ensure access to them for their users. The FLARE buildings are secure high-density facilities (HDF), environmentally controlled, and carefully inventoried. They are located in Gainesville, operated by the George A. Smathers Libraries at the University of Florida (UF) on behalf of the participating libraries. FLARE items display in the Primo statewide catalog as a UF collection that is available to all users, regardless of the users’ home library, via UBorrow and Interlibrary Loan (ILL).
Source: https://flare.uflib.ufl.edu/about-flare/
Additional Information
For more information on FLARE, please visit the FLARE page.
What is Interlibrary Loan?
Interlibrary Loan (ILL) is a service that provides on-campus and off-campus UF faculty, staff, and students with access to books, articles, CDs, microfilm, DVDs, and other materials not available through the UF Libraries Collection. This free service allows users to request items from other libraries worldwide for electronic delivery (articles and book chapters) or pickup at a UF library of your choice (all physical materials).
Don’t live in Gainesville?
Distance learners and off-campus users can have their ILL and UF-owned items shipped to them via UPS. Please note that the delivery address must be a street address (no PO boxes) and outside Gainesville (no campus addresses).
Users may submit requests for materials through the InterLibrary Loan internet accessible database (ILLiad), the electronic interlibrary loan system. Materials delivered electronically (journal articles) should be available to view and download within 3-5 business days (though often it is much quicker), while other items should be available for pickup in 1-4 weeks. Users have 30 days from the time of electronic delivery before articles are removed from their accounts. Other items have loan periods between four and six weeks, depending on the lender. Most items can be renewed for an additional week or two if the request is submitted before the due date unless the item has been deemed non-renewable. All items can be returned in person at any library branch, circulations desks, and book drops, or via UPS, Priority Mail, or FedEx.
Additional Information
For more information on ILL, visit the Interlibrary Loan Overview page.
What is Uborrow?
UBorrow is an Interlibrary Loan service that provides on-campus UF faculty, staff, and students access to books in Florida state university and college libraries that are unavailable in the UF Libraries Collection. If you need anything other than a book, or if the book is not accessible through a Florida institution, use the ILLiad system. This service is not offered to distance users since UBorrow books are only available for on-campus pickup. Users can receive their materials in as little as five business days, making it a potentially faster option than ILL. UBorrow items have a 90-day checkout period and can be renewed for another 30 days if another person hasn’t requested them.
Additional Information For more information on UBorrow, please visit the UBorrow page.
How do I request materials with these services?
(click the blinking icons and labels in the image below to see additional details)
Click here to view the accessible version of this interactive content
Additional Information
- FLARE: Video – Requesting from FLARE
- UBorrow: Step-by-Step tutorials
- ILL: How-to Guide for ILLiad