When an InterLibrary Loan (ILL) request arrives, we contact the user through electronic mail or telephone. Users are required to finance all service charges when they retrieve their ILL materials.
Library users retrieve their ILL requests at the main circulation desk on the library’s main floor (3rd floor). They may return ILL requests to the main circulation or secondary circulation (1st floor) desks.
Additionally, library users can return ILL items to one of the two outside depositories
ILL Articles: Articles are photocopies without due dates and users may keep them.
ILL Returnable Items (Audio-Visuals, Books, et cetera): The lending library will determine the due date. Although library users can request a renewal, it is the lending library’s decision to grant or deny a renewal request. We will contact the user of its decision and provide a new due date when the renewal is granted.
Overdue Returnable Items (Audio-Visuals, Books, et cetera): $3.00 per item, per day.
Lost, Damaged, Unreturned Books: The lending library will determine this charge.
MSSU Faculty: Only charges incurred by the lending library.
MSSU Staff: Only charges incurred by the lending library.
MSSU Students: Only charges incurred by the lending library.
MSSU Community: $4.00/Request and charges incurred by the lending library. Community borrowers must have a current library account. If not, they must become a current library borrower, which will cost $15.00 for one year.
We strive to borrow items from libraries that do not charge for their interlibrary loan (ILL) services. Accordingly, Spiva Library is a member of the Libraries Very Interested in Sharing (LVIS) consortium of academic, public and special libraries that share items without a service charge.
However, when we are unable to receive items from an LVIS borrower, we contact libraries that do charge– charges vary from library to library – a nominal service cost. When this is the case, we contact the requester with information on the lowest charge available and ask if she/he will finance that charge.
Users are encouraged to complete the “Maximum Cost” field on the ILL Application before it is submitted to us.
Time for materials to arrive varies on several factors. Articles on average take 2-3 days, but can take longer depending on the materials and availability. All requests are processed as they are received during open library hours, excluding Saturdays. The library cannot guarantee materials will arrive by selected deadline date. Allowing more time for the request gives better chances of receiving materials.
Physical materials, such as books, are shipped through the mail and on average take 2-3 weeks. This is why the library encourages patrons to check MOBIUS first, as books from MOBIUS take an average of 3-5 business days.
Members of the MSSU and surrounding communities are encouraged when using the ILL service to prioritize their requests. To ensure fairness no more than 10 requests will be ordered per customer during a seven day period unless ILL staff determines it can accommodate additional requests while providing equitable access for all users.
We are responsible for the enforcement of copyright laws. One important copyright law – the “Rule of Five” – prohibits a library from requesting more than six articles from a journal during the university’s fiscal year (July 1st – June 30th).
Accordingly, we contact users when an ILL request cannot be filled.
Spiva Library will only order ILL requests for constituents with library accounts in good standing. The following scenarios will result in a suspension of ILL privileges until accounts have been fully reconciled as described below:
Community Patrons: All outstanding MSSU fines and lost/damaged charges must be paid in full; overdue materials must be returned.
MSSU Faculty: All outstanding MOBIUS/SWAN fines and lost/damaged charges must be paid in full by the end of the current semester or session; overdue materials must be returned by the end of the current semester or session.
MSSU Staff: All outstanding MSSU and/or MOBIUS/SWAN fines and lost/damaged charges must be paid in full; overdue materials must be returned.
MSSU Students: All outstanding MSSU fines $2.00 or more and/or MOBIUS/SWAN fines of $20.00 or more must be paid in full; lost/damaged charges must be paid in full; overdue materials must be returned.
MSSU students and employees can electronically order materials from MOBIUS libraries and have them shipped to Spiva Library through Mobius Pick-Up Anywhere. The materials can be shipped to the MOBIUS library closest to them.
In order for students to participate in this service, they must meet the following requirements:
Items may be returned to any of the following locations:
