We offer two services for distance users, both free of charge: Document Delivery and Interlibrary Loan. Use this page to find the right service for you.
Did You Know?
You can request books, media and articles for free using our distance user services. With Document Delivery, you can have UF-owned books shipped directly to your door. With ILL, you can request books, media and articles from all over the world.
Who Can Use Distance Services?
Distance users are active UF borrowers with shipping addresses outside of Gainesville. To determine if you qualify, visit our:
- Check-Out Guidelines and Privileges for eligibility by affiliation.
- Non-Enrolled Student Policy for students taking a semester off or graduating soon.
Books owned by UF can be shipped to users living abroad through our Document Delivery service. However, we cannot ship books from other libraries (such as ILL items) to users outside of the United States.
Unsure if you’re eligible? Contact Us for assistance.
Different Services for Your Needs
Document Delivery
• Receive UF-owned books.
• Arrives in 3–5 business days.
• Due date varies by item.
Interlibrary Loan
• Receive items and scans from libraries worldwide.
• Arrives in 2–5 weeks.
• Borrow most items for 16 weeks.
How Do I Enroll in Distance Services?
Distance services are requested through your ILL Account. To opt in to distance services, you’ll need to include a couple of settings in your ILL Profile, which can be updated using the top navigational bar:
1. Select Your Status
Choose the appropriate Distance Status:
- Distance Undergraduate
- Distance Graduate
- Distance Staff
- Distance Faculty
- Distance IFAS
- Distance Oak Hammock
2. Enter Your Address
Enter a current, valid street address.
- We cannot ship to PO Boxes.
- Your ILL Account does not automatically sync with your UF GatorLink information, so you are responsible for keeping it up-to-date.
Review and update your status and shipping address each semester.
Service Comparison Table
Not sure which service is best for you? Here’s a quick comparison of our distance services:
| Service | Delivery speed | UF-owned items | Non UF-owned items | Articles / Chapters (PDF) | Due Date / Renewals | Shipped to International Users |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Interlibrary Loan | Varies | ❌ No | ✅ Yes | ✅ Yes | 16 weeks / No | ❌ No |
| Document Delivery | ⚡ 3–5 Days | ✅ Yes | ❌ No | ❌ No | Varies / Yes | ✅ Yes |
FAQ
Here are our most asked questions about distance services:
What if I’m only out of town for a few weeks?
If you are relocating outside of Gainesville for more than six weeks, update your status and address in your ILL Account and place your requests as a distance user. If you are relocating for less than six weeks, please reach out to the ILL Office for your request options. Once you are back in Gainesville, make sure to update your status in your ILL Account.
Where does ILL ship to?
We can ship to addresses outside of Gainesville or to our Oak Hammock users. We can ship UF-owned books to users living abroad, but not items owned by other libraries, such as ILL items.
Do I need to pay for shipping?
If we shipped the item to you as a distance user, then the pre-paid label included with your item covers the return shipping. If you originally picked up the item in-person, you are responsible for the return shipping. For more information, visit our Shipping Guidelines.