The information on this page applies to current McGill students.

Please see the PhD students page for information relevant to students in a PhD program.

Requesting Items

You can request to have any regular loan item owned by any McGill library location (including the McGill University Collections Centre) retrieved for you and made available for pickup.

If the physical item you need is checked out or otherwise not available from the McGill Libraries, you can borrow it from a Quebec university library via Network Loan. Network Loan items are requested in the same way as requests for item held at McGill Libraries, and will be delivered to the McGill library location of your choice for pickup.

To request an item for pickup:

  1. Search for it in the Sofia Discovery Tool (Library catalogue),
  2. Click the "Request / Hold" button,
  3. Sign in using your McGill library account credentials,
  4. Select the library pickup location of your choice.
  • When searching for an item from a Quebec university library, remember to filter your search results by checking the “Bibliothèques universitaires du Québec” box.

You will be notified by email when the item you requested is available for pickup.

The item will be held at your chosen pickup location for 7 days.

You can view details about your hold requests and cancel requests for items you no longer need via your library account.

Please note:

  • It is also possible to place hold requests on items that are "on order" or "in process".
  • Course Reserve items and eBooks cannot be requested for pickup.
  • You can only select a McGill library as your pickup location.
Wait Times for Hold Requests
  • Staff will retrieve available items by the next business day. 
  • In most cases, items requested from the McGill University Collections Centre for pickup at the Humanities & Social Science Library should be available within one business day. 
  • Items requested for pickup at other library locations may require two business days. 
  • Hold requests placed on McGill items that are currently checked out can take up to 30 days to fill.
Wait Times for Network Loans
  • Items requested via Network Loan will normally be delivered in 4 business days (up to 2 weeks for more distant institutions).

Article/Chapter Scan Service

Scans of articles and book chapters contained in print volumes owned by the McGill Libraries can be requested via the article/chapter scan service.

If you wish to request a scan of an article or book chapter found in an item not held by McGill Libraries, this request must be made via Interlibrary Loan (ILL).

Interlibrary Loan Service

You can request articles, book chapters, or physical items that are not available from the McGill Libraries or via Network Loan, through the Interlibrary Loan Service (ILL).

Distance Borrowing

McGill students and faculty living at least 100km away from campus may be eligible to borrow books without coming to the Library. Please visit the Distance Borrowing page for more information.

Students, faculty, and staff at McGill's Campus Outaouais are eligible for this service.