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InterLibrary Loan Policies

InterLibrary Loan (ILL) provides item request, pick-up, and return services. If you have questions or concerns, please contact Access Services Department at mssulibrary@mssu.edu or 417-625-9362.
You can submit an ILL request using our Library Catalog, MOBIUS/OpenRS or by filling out a form.

 

Ill Delivery and Pick-Up


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

  • On the west side of the front entrance, a small and silver handle that is pulled to open.
  • On the east side of the rear entrance, facing the Leggett & Platt Athletic Center, a small rectangular box that is near the handicap parking space and separated from the library.

 

Ill Due Dates


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.

 

Ill Fines


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.

 

Ill User Groups and Charges


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.

 

Timeline for Requests


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.

 

Prioritizing Requests


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.

 

Copyright Compliance


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.

 

Ill Suspension of privileges


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.

 

Mobius Pickup Anywhere


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.

  1. The student must contact the Circulation Specialist to determine if books are available.
  2. If so, the circulation specialist will contact the public library closest to the student’s residence to arrange pick-up via the library’s InterLibrary Loan ( ILL ) service.
  3. If there isn't a public library that participates in the ILL service, the materials may be shipped to the student’s home.

In order for students to participate in this service, they must meet the following requirements:

  1. They must live within a 100 mile radius from the MSSU campus.
  2. They must not have access to a Mobius library within a 25 mile radius.
  3. Materials cannot be requested from a non-mobius library.
  4. Multi-media materials cannot be shipped.
  5. Materials can be renewed twice. If materials are not returned, they will be billed to the student’s account

Items may be returned to any of the following locations:

  • Main Circulation Desk, 3rd floor
  • Just inside the 3rd floor entrance, next to the free phone
  • Secondary Circulation Desk, 1st floor
  • Outside the 3rd floor entrance, on the wall of the Library
  • Outside the 1st floor entrance, near the handicap parking. This drop-off is drive-up accessible.