Home > Administrative Offices > Odum Library > About Us > Frequently Asked Questions

Frequently Asked Questions


BUILDING &
BORROWING
COMPUTING &
TECHNOLOGY
COPYING &
PRINTING
GOVERNMENT
DOCUMENTS
INTERLIBRARY
LOAN
SERVICES

ILL Services | ILLiad Services | Odum Express | GIL Express | Find It | My GIL Account PIN

ILL Services
  1. What is Interlibrary Loan
  2. Am I eligible for interlibrary loan service?
  3. What eligibility restrictions are there for Odum Express document delivery to distance education students?
  4. What does it cost?
  5. What happens if I lose or return late an Interlibrary Loan item?
  6. How long does it take?
  7. What kind of materials can I request through interlibrary loan?
  8. Is it possible to get doctoral dissertations which have been written by students at other universities?
  9. What about ERIC documents?
  10. How do I request materials through interlibrary loan?
  11. How do I find out the status of my ILL request ?
  12. How do I know when my material has arrived?
  13. How long can I keep the material?
  14. Where do I return my ILL materials?
  15. Are there alternatives to Interlibrary Loan that may be faster?
  16. What if I have a question you haven't answered here?
  17. Federal Copyright Notice
ILLiad Services
  1. What is ILLiad?
  2. How is ILLiad better than traditional ILL systems ?
  3. What if I need help with my BlazeVIEW User name and password?
  4. Why am I required to use my VSU BlazeVIEW account?
  5. What Web browser should I use ?
  6. Is security a problem if I use a public workstation ?
  7. Will I see all my older requests when I look at my request history?
  8. What is Electronic Document Delivery?
  9. Who do I contact if I have problems with or questions about ILLiad?
  10. Why does my browser say that you're sending a cookie? What's in it?

Print Version

Odum Express
  1. What is Odum Express?
  2. Who can use Odum Express?
  3. How much does Odum Express cost?
  4. How do I submit a request for materials?
  5. When and where will my requests be delivered?
  6. Can I renew books?
  7. How do I return materials?
GIL Express
ILL Services

What is Interlibrary Loan or ILL-Odum Express? 

Interlibrary loan is a service through which a user can obtain materials which are not owned by Odum library.  The materials are borrowed or obtained for you from another library.  Odum Library's collection (GIL@VSU Catalog and Journal Quick Search) and the GIL Universal Catalog should always be checked before making an interlibrary loan request.

ILL - Odum Express encompasses both IinterLibrary Loan service as often abbreviated ILL and Odum Express document delivery service as available to:

  1. All VSU students, faculty, staff, and administrators - Journal article document delivery to computer desktop
  2. Faculty, staff, and administrators - On-campus office document delivery service of books and other items.
  3. Distance education students, faculty and staff - Off-campus mail document delivery service of ILLiad Interlibrary Loan borrowed books and other items.   NOTE:   Excludes GIL Express! Distance education students can select the closest University System of Georgia Library to pick up and return GIL Express requested books.  GIL Express books are not mailed to distance education students.  GIL Express books are delivered only to on campus faculty and staff.

Be sure to check out the Top Ten Features of ILL / Odum Express at Odum Library

Am I eligible for interlibrary loan service? 

If you are currently enrolled at or employed by Valdosta State University, you are eligible to use interlibrary loan.  Otherwise, contact your local public library for interlibrary loan service.

What eligibility restrictions are there for document delivery to distance education students?

Odum Express Document Delivery (having ILLiad requested books and other items mailed directly to you) is available to students enrolled in ALL off-campus or online classes AND living outside Lowndes County.  Students taking both on-campus and off-campus courses are asked to visit Odum Library to pick up and return interlibrary loan materials.  (NOTE:   Excluding GIL Express books. GIL Express requested books are picked up from and returned to the library of your choice, presumed to be a University System of Georgia Library closest to you.) Visit the Distance Education link for more detail.

Back to Top

What does it cost?

Books are almost always free of charge. Journal articles are also free if received from a library within Georgia, but there are sometimes charges for articles obtained out-of-state. You can indicate how much you are willing to pay on the request form and staff will work within the limitation. If it turns out the item's cost will exceed the stated limit, you will be contacted and asked if you still want Interlibrary Loan staff to proceed with processing the request. Items which are most likely to incur charges are doctoral dissertations, medical, nursing, legal, and scientific journals, as well as British, Canadian, Australian or any other journals published outside the U.S. The borrowing patron is responsible for all Interlibrary Loan overdue fines and lost or damaged material fees. (See the following question and answer).

What happens if I lose an Interlibrary loan item or return it late?

Users are responsible for all accrued charges in the event Interlibrary loan materials are returned late, damaged or are lost.

The lending library sets the fines for overdue interlibrary loan items and the replacement charges, often including a processing fee, for lost or damaged materials. The borrowing patron is required to pay all incurred charges. Patrons with outstanding fees and fines and/or overdue interlibrary loan items will be blocked from placing further requests in ILLiad and GIL Express until the materials are returned and all charges paid.

How long does it take?

Normally, you should allow two weeks for interlibrary loan materials to arrive, but the amount of time can often be less depending upon the type of materials you want and what sort of library is able to supply them. In each case, however, staff try to select those libraries which are recognized as supplying materials on a timely basis. Previous year statistics show 75% of requests are received within one week and 95% of all requests within two weeks. At any time, you may check the processing status of requests in the ILLiad system by logging in at http://valdosta.illiad.oclc.org/illiad/logon.html.

Note that the "Not Wanted After" date (found on the request form) specifies when the request should be cancelled if not yet filled.  For instance, if your assignment is due in two months, the "Not Wanted After" date should reflect this. Indicating an early date (i.e., shortly after the date of your request) will not speed up the service.

Back to Top

What kind of materials can I request through interlibrary loan?

Items most frequently requested are books and periodical articles, but the library also receives government documents, music scores, and theses for users. Since most libraries do not loan CDs, software, or videos, such requests often can't be filled, and should only be placed if not readily available for purchase or all other retrieval methods have failed or been exhausted. 

INTERLIBRARY LOAN REQUESTS FOR TEXTBOOKS USED IN COURSES CURRENTLY TAUGHT AT VSU
WILL NOT BE PROCESSED AND THUS ARE DISCOURAGED.

Is it possible to get doctoral dissertations which have been written by students at other universities?

Most of the time doctoral dissertations from other Universities are available at no cost; after use such items are returned to the lending library from which borrowed.

However, there are occasions when it may not be possible to get the dissertation on the first attempt, or the owning insitutional library does not loan dissertations, or you need it for several months or a year while you are working on your dissertation.

In such cases, you may choose to purchase the dissertation from University Microfilms' Dissertation Express service at a cost of $37.00 for a PDF download, which is received immediately; or if you prefer hard copy, ubound paper copies are $44.00, and softbound paper copies are $59.00. The material usually will be received in a week. You order it directly through the Dissertation Abstracts database in GALILEO.

Electronic Dissertation and Theses Resources - Some institutions have begun digital full text repositories that provide computer desktop access to dissertations and theses usually in a standard PDF (Portable Document Format).

 

What about ERIC Documents?

Odum Library is not able to supply copies of ERIC Documents through Odum Express Document Delivery. The ERIC (at EBSCOHost) Database provides full-text access to many ERIC Documents from 1993 to the present. You can also visit the ERIC Education Resources Information Center. Both ERIC (at EBSCOHost) and the ERIC Education Resources Information Center databases are available via GALILEO. Please take a moment to review the following tutorial on searching for ERIC resources.

Back to Top

How do I request materials through interlibrary loan?

You can request materials online by logging into the ILLiad system.

Enter your BlazeVIEW username and password to logon.  If you have forgotten your BlazeVIEW password, you can reset it using the Self-Service Password Reset Utility.  If you have logon problems past that point, call the IT Helpdesk at 229-245-HELP (4357). After a successful logon, first time users will be automatically directed to the ILLiad on-line account registration form.

You must complete one request apiece for each item you want (i.e., seven items = seven forms). If you do not have a complete citation, please use our Live Chat service for assistance.

Another means of requesting articles or books is to click the Find it button in any of the GALILEO databases which offer this feature. If the item is not owned by our library, the third link in the box that pops up is a link to log into the ILLIAD system. You log into the system with your BlazeVIEW account, and if you have used the system before, it will automatically transfer the citation information to the appropriate request form, and all you have to do is click the submit button.

For more information about ILLiad, the automated interlibrary loan system, please see the ILLiad Frequently Asked Questions.

How do I find out the status of my ILL request?

Login to ILLiad and click on the "View/Modify Outstanding Requests" button. The next screen will list all your active requests, and the status column will let you know which stage your request is in.

How will I know when my material has arrived?

According to your ILLiad Account preferences as established in your registration profile, email messages will be sent to your VSU Windows Live Email account or you will be notified via telephone. Email is the quickest, most efficient notification method.

First time users must register with ILLiad, entering their name, address, and other personal information into their individual account profile such as their "Preferred Notification Method" and VSU email address. (The VSU email address is required due to licensing agreements and other kinds of restrictions as applied to electronically distributed items -- PDF files via computer desktop.) Once the personal information is entered, it does not have to be entered again, unless of course it needs to be changed. Please remember to regularly check your VSU email account for ILLiad request status messages.

Back to Top

How long can I keep the material?

The loan period for books is set by the lending library, and this can range from two weeks to ten weeks. Online renewal of interlibrary loan books is possible in ILLiad as permitted by the lending library. (Usually libraries that loan for ten weeks will not grant renewals.)   GIL Express items can be renewed online through My GIL account login.

The lending library sets the fines for overdue items and replacement fees for lost or damaged materials. The borrowing patron is required to pay all incurred charges. Patrons with outstanding charges and/or overdue items will be blocked from the ILLiad system and GIL Express service until the materials are returned and all charges paid.

Where do I return my ILL materials?

You should leave the blue band on the book and always return it to the Circulation Desk where you originally picked it up.

Are there alternatives to Interlibrary Loan that may be faster?

  • If you are in a hurry and you need a book, check to see what we have in electronic books in our library's GIL Catalog.
  • Need a journal article? Try VSU's Full Text Journal Title List, you might be able to print the article immediately and don't forget to check the VSU GIL catalog in case the library has a current subscription for the periodical title as distributed on paper.

Back to Top

What if I have a question you haven't answered here?

In that case, call the Interlibrary Loan staff at (229) 333-5867. Or you can drop by and visit the Interlibrary Loan Services Office, which is located across from Information Technology HelpDesk on the second floor of the library. And you can contact us at the following email address: ill@valdosta.edu.

Federal Copyright Notice

Notice: Warning concerning copyright restrictions.  The copyright law of the United States (Title 17. United States Code) governs the making of photocopies or other reproductions of copyrighted material. Under certain conditions specified in the law, libraries and archives are authorized to furnish a photocopy or other reproduction. One of these specified conditions is that the photocopy/reproduction is NOT TO BE "USED FOR ANY PURPOSES OTHER THAN PRIVATE STUDY, SCHOLARSHIP, or RESEARCH." If a user makes a request for, or later uses, a photocopy or reproduction [including that made by electronic transmission of reserve, interlibrary loan, or other course material] for purposes in excess of fair use, that user may be liable for copyright infringement.

This institution reserves the right to refuse to accept a copying order if, in its judgment, fulfillment of the order would involve violation of copyright law.

ILLiad Services

What is ILLiad? 

ILLiad is an acronym for InterLibrary Loan internet accessible database. ILLiad is the electronic system used to request an item through Interlibrary Loan and Odum Express document delivery for faculty and eligible distance education students. You can also manage requests by changing information, canceling requests and renewing items obtained via Interlibrary Loan (ILL - Odum Express).

Back to Top

How is ILLiad better than traditional ILL systems? 

  1. ILLiad access is via your VSU BlazeVIEW User name and password, eliminating the need to remember another login account protocol.
  2. You will find it easier to submit your interlibrary loan requests. With ILLiad, you enter your name, address, and other personal information into the system only once, at the time of your first request. Once the personal information is entered, it does not have to be entered again, unless of course it needs to be changed. And you can also submit requests from within the GALILEO databases by clicking the FInd It button beneath the citation and logging into your account via the ILLIAD link, letting the system transfer the citation to a request form, so all you have to do is click the Submit button.
  3. ILLiad provides the ability to automate many functions that were previously very time-consuming, thus speeding up the delivery of requested items.
  4. You can receive journal articles and other documents more quickly through Electronic Delivery.
  5. You can get information about the status of your requests through the Web at any time from any location without having to call the ILL Office.
  6. Library personnel are able to serve you better because all data about your request and its handling is stored in a searchable database. We are able to respond quickly to your inquiries about your request. We are also able to gather statistical information about the performance of the libraries that lend to us, enabling us to make better decisions when choosing a lender to supply an item.

What if I need help with my BlazeVIEW account?

If you have forgotten your BlazeVIEW password, you can reset it using the Self-Service Password Reset Utility.  If you have logon problems past that point, call the IT Helpdesk at 229-245-HELP (4357). After a successful logon, first time users will be automatically directed to the ILLiad on-line account registration form.

Entering your BlazeVIEW username and password gives you secure access to information about your interlibrary loan requests.

Why am I required to use my VSU BlazeVIEW account?

The VSU BlazeVIEW login is required due to licensing agreements and other kinds of restrictions as applied to electronically distributed web items in pdf (portable document file) format. Please remember to regularly check your VSU email account for request status messages.

Back to Top

What Web browser should I use?

You need a Web browser that can handle forms, tables, and preferrably Cascading Style Sheets (CSS). See VSU Helpdesk Downloads Webpage and VSU Vista Minimum Requirements.  Adober Reader or other PDF (portable document file) viewer is necessary to view and print electronically distributed web items, .

Download the latest version of Adobe Reader from the following:
http://www.adobe.com/products/acrobat/readstep2.html 		Get Adobe Reader

Is security a problem if I use a public workstation?

Not if you use proper procedures. Web browsers cache information and create a history file on the local workstation. This allows a subsequent user of the workstation to access the system under your name using the browser's Back button to recall a page from the cache, or by finding a page with your personal information in the browser's history file. If you are concerned about the security of your interlibrary loan requests, you can take the following steps:

  1. Access  ILLiad only from your personal computer or an otherwise secure workstation.
  2. When using a public access workstation:
    • Close and exit the Web browser before you leave the workstation. This prevents the Back button from accessing the pages you were using.

Will I see all my older requests when I look at my request history? 

Only those requests submitted since the University Library implemented ILLiad will be available in your request history. Periodically ILL will purge older transactional records from ILLiad, but our policy is to keep requests online for several years in order to comply with record keeping requirements of the copyright law.

Back to Top

What is Electronic Document Delivery?

Many libraries deliver scanned articles to us in electronic format.  So a part of ILL - Odum Express services is that with ILLiad, these scanned articles can be delivered to your virtual desktop in PDF format.  You can read more about electronic document delivery on the ILL-Odum Express Electronic Delivery Information page.

Who do I contact if I have problems with or questions about ILLiad?

Why does my browser say that you're sending a cookie? What's in it? 

The ILLiad system assigns a Session ID to be stored on your machine. You can refuse this cookie and still be able to use the ILL web pages and  ILLiad without any problems.

Back to Top

Odum Express

What is Odum Express?

Odum Express is document delivery service...

  • VSU - Students, faculty, staff, administrators all
    • Articles: Electronic document delivery of articles from periodicals not owned or licensed by Odum Library.  Journal articles as scanned by other libraries are delivered to your virtual desktop in PDF format - use ILLiad logon (Technologically updated Interlibrary loan!)
  • VSU - Distance Education students, faculty, staff, and administrators only
    • Articles - Electronic document delivery from periodicals owned by Odum Library - use ILLiad logon
    • Books: Off-campus mail document delivery service to Distance Education students and faculty.
      Cost to you is return postage. Books may be from:
    • Books:  GIL Express from any library within the University System of Georgia. -- GIL Express books are picked up from and returned to the library of your choice, presumed to be a University System of Georgia Library closer to you than VSU.   GIL Express books are not mailed anywhere other than as delivered to on campus faculty and staff only.

Who can use Odum Express? 

All currently employed VSU faculty, staff, administrators, and eligible distance education students can use this service.

How much does Odum Express cost?

Electronic delivery of scanned periodical articles in PDF format is free.
On-campus delivery of books to faculty, staff, and administrators is free.
Distance education users are responsible for the return postage costs of any off-campus mail delivered books.
You will be notified and provided an opportunity to cancel, in the unusual circumstances of lending library charges for an interlibrary loan request.

Back to Top

How do I submit a request for materials?

  • ILLiad logon - for delivery of  Odum Library - GIL@VSU Catalog books as restricted to VSU faculty, staff, administrators, and distance education students
  • ILLiad logon - for delivery from other libraries, standard interlibrary loan books as restricted to VSU faculty, staff, administrators, and distance education students
  • ILLiad logon - for electronic delivery of scanned periodical articles from Odum Library - GIL@VSU Catalog as restricted to VSU faculty, staff, administrators, and distance education students
  • ILLiad logon - for electronic delivery of scanned periodical articles not owned by Odum Library
  • GIL Express request - for On-campus department delivery of GIL Express as placed in the University System of Georgia Libraries -GIL Universal Catalog. GIL Express How to  restricted to VSU faculty, staff, and administrators.  NOTE: Distance education students can select the closest University System of Georgia Library to pick up and return GIL Express requested books.  GIL Express books are not mailed to distance education students.  GIL Express books are not mailed anywhere other than as delivered to on campus faculty and staff only.

When and where will my requests be delivered?

Requests will be filled within one to two business days. On-campus delivery of books for VSU faculty, staff and administrators is to the respective department's administrative office, not individual office. ILLiad requested books mailed off-campus to distance education students can only be delivered to a street address, not a P.O. Box.

As for scanned periodical articles, you will be notified by a VSU email account message containing a link to the ILLiad logon page, where you can view, save, or print the received periodical articles.  Select the "View/Dowload Electronically Received Articles" button.

Can I renew books?

ILLiad logon - Use to renew interlibrary loan books obtained from other libraries, select "View/Renew Checked Out Items" button, then select item number you want to submit for renewal.  The request is forwarded to the lending library and if approved a new due date will be indicated on the item.  If the renewal request is refused, you will be notifed by an email requesting the return of the book. If you still need the title, contact the Interlibrary Loan staff, (229) 333-5862 or email.

My GIL Account - Use to renew Odum Library and GIL Express request books from other University of System Georgia libraries

Back to Top

How do I return materials?

Scanned articles are yours to keep, but vanish within thirty days after sending the email notification to you. So remember, to print or save the PDF format articles before deleted from the ILLiad system!  On-campus delivered books are returned to your department’s administrative office, which has a library supplied crate to hold Odum Express books until picked up by staff. If you need a pickup, contact Interlibrary loan staff at: 333-5867 or ill@valdosta.edu

Distance education users are responsible for the return postage costs of off-campus mail delivered books, or may elect to travel to Odum Library and return the books in person.

 

Ask Us (Chat Now), Tell Us about the Library website.    This document last modified Wednesday, 08-Aug-2012 01:59:53 EDT  Staff