Interlibrary Loan: an Epic Library Service

Last week, I alluded to an often overlooked service of epic proportions: interlibrary loans.

This week, I'd like to take you on a voyage that will help you to navigate the sometimes daunting waters of the interlibrary loan (ILL) process.

First, you'll need a map. The ILL frequently asked questions page will answer basic questions you may have about this service and get you pointed in the right direction. Be sure to explore the ILL information specifically for distance learners.

Once you've got your bearings, you'll need to access ILLiad, the interlibrary loan system. Just enter your BSU username and password to log in. Next, fill in the registration page, making sure all required fields are complete. Most importantly, if you are enrolled in a distance education program select "Distance Ed Graduate" in the Status box. This guarantees your requests are handled as if you are not physically on campus. See the screenshot for an example of choosing your status. You only need to complete the registration process once, so if you need to log into the system again, it will remember your information.

After you're logged into (and registered for) ILLiad, you'll need citation information from the item you'd like to request. If you've clicked on a Find It button, this information will be automatically filled in for you. You can also get citation information automatically by clicking the "Request via interlibrary loan" link from an item record in WorldCat.

The ILL office asks that you allow one week before an electronic copy of a journal article is sent to the e-mail address you provided when you registered. If BSU doesn't own the journal, it may take up to three weeks.

Books owned by University Libraries can be mailed to your home address (you must pay for return postage). However, if an item has to be borrowed from another library, you must come to campus to pick it up, which may be an option for you if you live near Muncie. If you don't, check WorldCat to see if a library close to you owns the book you're looking for.

I hope this gives you enough information to chart the sometimes murky waters of interlibrary loans. If you have more questions about the interlibrary loan process, you can get in touch with me or contact ILL Services directly. ILL is a great example of why you don't have to be in the library to use it!

Useful Features For You (UF4U)

This week, I'd like to point out a feature that you may have noticed while using some of the resources available from the University Libraries: Find It @ BSU.

When you click on this icon while searching a database offered by the University Libraries, you access a powerful tool that can help you to find the information you need.

An article citation in a database may not have full text available. Clicking on the Find It icon brings up a window like the one in the screenshot. There are typically 3 parts to a Find It window:

• Full text - If a full text version of an article is available in a database other than the one you're searching, it will be listed here. Click on the blue "Go" button to be taken to the new database. Your results may vary when you click Go, so be aware that in most cases, you'll want to have the year, volume, and page numbers handy as you try to locate the link to the article.

• CardCat - If a full text version is not found, clicking the Go button next to the CardCat section will run a search for the title of the magazine or journal (not the article) in CardCat. If BSU Libraries subscribes to that journal, a record for that title will pop up. Look at the Holdings information and that will give you the location of the particular volume number you need.

• Interlibrary Loan / ILLiad - Clicking the Go button in this section will take you to the ILLiad login screen. Follow the instructions to request the article via interlibrary loan. Please be aware that if full text of the article is available, interlibrary loan will not appear as an option on the Find It screen.
  

That's it for this week! Keep an eye out for other Useful Features for You highlighted in my weekly blog posts. If you have questions about this feature, feel free to use our Ask a Librarian services or leave a comment below.

As always, remember you don't have to be in the library to use it!