Interlibrary Loans

Mediation and delivery of media between libraries. Registered users can order books and articles from other libraries if they are not available in Lüneburg. Books can be delivered as a complete printed work, articles from journals and articles from books are usually sent digitally as pdf files.

Interlibrary loan between the cooperating libraries is regulated by the Interlibrary Loan Regulations.

Books (or media) can be ordered for loan or individual book chapters, both from printed books and e-books (max. 10% of the total volume) and individual articles from journals. Book chapters and journal articles are delivered in full by e-mail for the ordering party to keep.

The following cannot be ordered via interlibrary loan:

• Books available from bookshops up to a value of EUR 15
• Entire volumes of periodicals
• Hobby and travel literature
• Reference works and loose-leaf editions (here only copies of individual pages)
• State examination, master's and diploma theses
• Recently published works (tip: make us a suggestion for a new acquisition)
• Particularly valuable literature
• Entire e-books (partial copies are permitted)

Steps to the interlibrary loan account:

1. Library account available
2. Set up an interlibrary loan account with the GVK at our service desk
3. Deposit credit: 1.50 EUR per order
4. Receive user ID and password
5. Place an order via the GVK
6. The interlibrary loan team will answer your questions

A fee of EUR 1.50 is payable with every order. This does not include a delivery guarantee.  

Leuphana employees have the option of billing their institute for any costs incurred. Please send us the completed form and we will credit your interlibrary loan account with the requested units.

Orders abroad are subject to increased costs. Please contact the interlibrary loan team.

Articles from magazines, books or e-books are available within a few days. They are delivered by e-mail.

Books usually take 1 - 3 weeks to reach Lüneburg. Please allow for this delivery time when you place your order.

Need it faster? Use Subito, a fee-based document delivery service.

You will receive an e-mail notification from us and can collect your interlibrary loan book from the service desk in the library foyer. You have 20 days to do this.

You will receive essays and book chapters via e-mail with a download link.

If delivery is not possible, our interlibrary loan team will inform you.

The loan period is set by the supplying library, usually 6 weeks. Extensions are possible, but must be requested in advance from the supplying library. Please contact the interlibrary loan team.

To order from the GVK (Catalogue of the Common Library Network), you need an interlibrary loan account, which you can obtain from our service desk. Search for the desired book or article in the union catalog (GVK).

Then select the order type:

• Loan request, if you would like to order a book for loan
• Copy request, for articles from journals or partial copies (max. 10% of the volume) from books (including e-books)

During the ordering process, you will be asked for your access data and your interlibrary loan account should be credited.

When searching via our literature search engine LUX, you will automatically be directed to the GVK for titles relevant to interlibrary loans (national catalog).

Search for the article directly in the GVK and order using the “copy request” button.

If the article is not in the database, search for the title of the parent work (e.g. title of the journal), select the “copy request” button and add the details of the article or book chapter.

You can track the status of your order in your interlibrary loan account at the GVK. Completed orders are marked with  “+”, rejected orders with  “-”. If there is no mark, the order is still being processed.

If delivery is not possible, we will contact you.

Interlibrary loan of complete e-books is not possible. However, individual chapters can be ordered via the “Copy request” function. When ordering, please specify only one chapter at a time (max. 10% of the total volume).

If you cannot place your interlibrary loan order via the GVK order portal, please use our interlibrary loan order form. In order for us to be able to process the order, you must be registered for interlibrary loan and you must have a credit balance on your interlibrary loan account. If you have any doubts as to whether your interlibrary loan account has the necessary credit, you can check this in your GVK interlibrary loan account.

Leuphana employees have the opportunity to settle any costs incurred via their institute.

Please send us the completed form and we will credit your interlibrary loan account with the desired order units.

If you need a book that the library does not yet own or if there are too few copies of a title available, you are welcome to suggest a new acquisition. We will endeavor to acquire these books as quickly as possible.