Reading Science Guide

Interlibrary Loan Items:

Interibrary Loan (ILL) is a service that obtains books, articles, and other materials not available at the Mount St. Joseph University Library, through the Library’s databases, or through OhioLINK or SearchOhio. This service is available for Mount students, faculty, staff and Sisters of Charity with a valid ID card. Items are loaned at the discretion of the owning library. You will be notified via email if we are unable to obtain your requested item. ILL service is not available to visiting and guest patrons of the Mount Library. If you need interlibrary loan assistance, please contact your home library (if you are an OhioLINK or SearchOhio Member) or your nearest public library.

Interlibrary Loan Request Form:

Complete our online form to request items through ILL.

Interlibrary Loan Books & Media:

Loan periods are solely determined by the lending library. Generally speaking, items borrowed through the ILL service have a loan period of 30 days.

You will receive an email notification when your requested item has arrived and is available for pickup.  ILL books and media are usually available within 7-10 business days from the time the request is submitted.

A Request for a renewal must be made prior to the due date. Renewals are granted at the discretion of the loaning library.

See Borrowing Guidelines for more information about Interlibrary Loan Books & Media.

Requesting Books & Media:

• If you have a book, DVD, or other item citation, begin by searching the MSJ Library FOCUS Catalog.
• If the MSJ Library does not own the item, also check the OhioLINK Central Catalog and request the item if available.
• If the book, DVD, or other item is not available via the MSJ Library or OhioLINK, then please fill out an interlibrary loan request form.
• Disclaimer: If you use AI (artificial intelligence) to assemble a reading list for your research, please be aware that some of those resources may have been partially or totally fabricated by whichever software you are using. We ask that you please do your best to verify the existence of those resources before submitting an interlibrary loan request for them.

Interlibrary Loan Articles:

Interlibrary Loan service obtains copies of magazine, journal and newspaper articles not available in the Mount Library or through the Library’s databases. This service is available for Mount students, faculty, staff  with a valid ID card, and Sisters of Charity with a valid guest card.

Copyright law permits only five (5) requests per journal title (for articles published within the last five years) to be obtained through ILL per year.

Requesting Articles:

• If you have an article citation, begin by searching the Full Text Publication Finder to locate items in the Mount Library or a database.
   
• When searching a database, look for a Full Text link in the following formats:
  • PDF Full Text
  • HTML Full Text
  • Full Text Finder
  • Or click on "Request this item through Interlibrary Loan"  to access the request form. 
     
• If you already have a citation for a specific article that is not available via Full Text Publication Finder or FOCUS, fill out the request form. 
   

• Disclaimer: If you use AI (artificial intelligence) to assemble a reading list for your research, please be aware that some of those resources may have been partially or totally fabricated by whichever software you are using. We ask that you please do your best to verify the existence of those resources before submitting an interlibrary loan request for them.
   

• Articles are usually emailed to the requestor within 1-5 business days from the time the request is submitted.

Accessing Emailed Articles:

The Library will send requested articles to your email account with the subject line “The article you requested is now available.”  To access your requested article:

• Copy the case-sensitive password.

• Click on the link “Your requested file is available at…”

• Paste the password in the labeled box.

• Click on Get my file.

Questions? Contact the Library:

• Via email: interlibraryloan@msj.edu

Q: I found an article I need for on a website, but I can’t get access unless I purchase it. What should I do?

• A: You should never pay for a journal article, because there is a good chance that we can get a PDF copy of it from another library through our interlibrary loan service.

Q: What is interlibrary loan?

• A: Interlibrary Loan is a service that obtains books, articles, and other materials not available at the Mount St. Joseph University Library, through the Library’s databases, or through OhioLINK or SearchOhio.

Q: Who can use interlibrary loan?

• A: This service is available for Mount students, faculty, staff and Sisters of Charity with a valid ID card.

Q: What types of items can I request through interlibrary loan?

• A: Typically interlibrary loan is used to request articles and books, but some types of media can be requested as well, such as DVDs and CDs.

Q: How do I submit an interlibrary loan request?

• A: You can use the interlibrary loan request form to submit a request. Alternatively, many databases have a built-in form to request certain items. Just click on the link that says “Request this item through interlibrary loan.”

Q: When will I receive my interlibrary loan request?

• A: Articles typically take 1-5 business days to arrive. Physical books and media usually take 1-2 business weeks to arrive through USPS library mail.

Q: How will I receive the article I requested through interlibrary loan?

• A: A copy of the article will be sent electronically to the email address you provided in the request form.

Q: How can I check the status of my interlibrary loan request?

• A: To check the status of your interlibrary loan request, please send an email to interlibraryloan@msj.edu.

Q: How long can I keep my electronic article I received through interlibrary loan?

• A: You can keep your electronic article permanently—the PDF you received is now your personal copy.

Q: Where do I pick up my book or other physical library item?

• A: You can pick up your book or other item at the library circulation desk.

Q: How long can I keep my book or other physical interlibrary loan item?

• The due date for physical interlibrary loan items varies depending on the lending institution. The most common loan period is one month with one or two renewals, or three months with no renewals. Your item will have a paper band attached to it with the due date written on it.

Q: Can my physical interlibrary loan item be renewed? How many times can I renew?

• It depends on the lending institution. Most libraries permit one or two renewals of interlibrary loan items, or else assign a long loan period without renewals.

Q: How do I renew my physical interlibrary loan item?

• A: You can renew your item by sending an email to interlibraryloan@msj.edu. If the item is not eligible for renewal, we will let you know.

Q: Where do I return my physical interlibrary loan item?

• A: You can return your physical interlibrary loan item at the Library circulation desk or the outside book drop.

Q: Is there a fine if I don’t return my physical interlibrary loan item by the due date?

• A: We wish to remain in good standing with the libraries we borrow from. Therefore, a fine of $1 is charged to your library account for every day that the item is overdue. If you do not return the item, you will receive a bill for the replacement cost of the item.

Q: What if I lose or damage my physical interlibrary loan item?

• A: There is a replacement cost of $125 for lost or damaged items.

Q: Who do I contact concerning interlibrary loan questions?

• A: Questions about interlibrary loans can be sent to interlibraryloan@msj.edu, or you can contact Josh Zeller, Access Services Coordinator, at Joshua.Zeller@msj.edu, or 513-244-4882.