Find and Request Dissertations/Theses

Introduction

UIUC library patrons can search for titles related to their scholarly interests through Dissertation Abstracts database of more than 1.7 million entries. Patrons have the option to borrow dissertations/theses through the University Library and interlibrary loan, or purchase them through ProQuest's University Microfilm International (UMI) service.

The Library's Information Resource Retrieval Center (IRRC) offers the simplest way to request a dissertation or thesis from another university. This process can take from 4 days (Dissertation Express service) to 4 weeks depending on the availability of the item requested and the method of retrieval.

Some universities do not make their dissertations/theses available through ProQuest. In addition, recent theses from a few universities are available only in electronic form and cannot be obtained through interlibrary loan. IRRC can assist you in attempting to obtain items in these situations. In rare cases, dissertations/theses are not available for loan or purchase and a visit to the library owning the item is the only way to gain access to it.

* Some full text dissertations can now be found through the Dissertation Abstracts database. Most dissertations deposited 1997 to the present can be ordered and downloaded within an hour via this database -- free of charge.

* Use Current Research to search for CIC dissertations by keyword, author, or advisor. The CIC (Committee on Institutional Cooperation) includes 12 universities from Illinois, Indiana, Iowa, Michigan, Minnesota, Ohio, Pennsylvania, and Wisconsin. If you are an authorized user from UIUC, you can download dissertations published after 1996 at no cost.

If you already know the title you need, skip to "Locate and retrieve dissertations/theses."

If you need to research titles, use the Dissertation Abstracts database or the Current Research database to find titles related to your scholarly interests. The Dissertation Abstracts database provides an index to all U.S. dissertations accepted at accredited institutions since 1861. Entries include 350-word abstracts written by the author for dissertations published from 1980 forward and 150-word abstracts for master's theses from 1988 forward.

Search the database to locate information by title, author, and keywords. This resource is available on and off-campus, but requires log in using your UIUC NetID for off-campus use.

1. Click on the link to connect to the Dissertation Abstracts database or the Current Research database.
   
2. Search for items by keyword, author, or title.
   
3. If a desirable dissertation is found, try ordering a free download (for dissertations deposited 1997 to the present)!

Library patrons wishing to obtain a dissertation/thesis on loan must search the UIUC online catalog and the ILCSO online catalog prior to placing an IRRC request for a dissertation.

Locating and retrieving dissertations and theses completed at UIUC -Two copies of UIUC dissertations/theses are typically maintained by the University Library. A lending copy is shelved in the Main Stacks area (2nd floor Main Library) or the appropriate departmental library and a non-circulating copy is shelved in the Rare Book and Special Collections Library on the 3rd floor of the Main Library. To retrieve a dissertation/thesis:

1. Search the UIUC Library's online catalog by title and/or author.
   
2. Note the call number, location, and availability of the item. If available, the item can be accessed immediately. There is no borrowing charge for the item, UIUC owns the item and loans it to you.
   
3. To obtain the item, you have two options. You may:
   • Go to the campus Library owning the item and check it out, or
   • Complete an online request for delivery. (Instructions for requesting an item)

Locating and retrieving dissertations and theses completed at other universities - Dissertations/theses from other universities may have previously been acquired by the UIUC Library or other ILCSO libraries (the Illinois Library Consortium includes 65 academic and public libraries in Illinois). Follow these steps to determine the closest location for the item you are requesting.

1. Search the UIUC Library's online catalog by title and/or author. Note the call number, location, and availability of the item. If available, the item can be accessed immediately. There is no borrowing charge for the item, UIUC owns the item and loans it to you.
2. To obtain the item, you may:
   • Go to the campus Library owning the item and check it out, or
   • Complete an online request for delivery. (Instructions for requesting an item)
3. Search the ILCSO online catalog. If located, you may complete an online request for the item (Universal borrowing instructions). Approximate delivery time is 1-2 weeks. There is no borrowing charge for the item, the lending library owns the item and loans it to you for a period of two or more weeks (depending on the lending library).
4. If the dissertation or thesis is not available through the UIUC Library or ILCSO online catalogs, the IRRC office will process your loan request. Delivery time varies from 4 days (Dissertation Express Service) to 4 weeks. To initiate this process:
   • Request the item using the IRRC's interlibrary loan process. After logging in, complete the "Request a book section." In order to use this process, you must have a university netid and password. It may take up to 4 weeks to receive the item.
   • To ensure a 4-5 day processing time, you can use UIUC/UMI's Dissertation Express Service. You pay a $15.00 express fee to process the request and UIUC pays UMI's fees. UIUC owns the item and loans it to you for up to one year. To initiate a request for this service, you must stop by the IRRC Office (Rm 104 Main Library) to complete the express form in addition to completing the IRRC interlibrary loan process in the step above.

Locating international dissertations/theses: The IRRC office provides assistance in obtaining international dissertation/theses. The ordering process can take from 4-6 months and retrieval from some countries requires special processing.

The most commonly requested items are British and Australian. Canadian dissertations/theses are typically available on microfiche through the National Library of Canada and retrieval time is approximately 4 weeks.

To retrieve an international dissertation/thesis, follow the procedures described above. The IRRC will notify you if additional processing is required.

NOTE: Not all dissertations/ theses are available for loan. The IRRC office will notify you by email if the requested dissertation/thesis is unavailable for loan. If the dissertation/ thesis you want is not available through interlibrary loan, it may be possible to purchase a copy from Proquest's University Microfilm International (UMI).

If you prefer to purchase a dissertation/thesis, Proquest's University Microfilm International (UMI) provides this service. (Remember you can download dissertations that were deposited 1997 to the present at no charge!) You pay a processing fee based on the format requested and you own the item. To complete a request, follow the instructions on the ProQuest/UMI Online Dissertation Services web page. Some universities do not make their dissertations/theses available through ProQuest/UMI and recent theses from a few universities are available only in electronic form. The IRRC can assist you in attempting to obtain items in these situations.

The IRRC provides FAQ's on their website as well as phone support at (217) 333-0832.