University Park

Article delivery service extended to graduate students

The University Libraries are offering a new article delivery service for Penn State graduate students. The service, which has been offered to faculty and staff for a few years, provides graduate students at all Penn State locations with electronic copies of articles from Penn State's print journal collections at no charge. Book chapters or copies from microfiche are not covered in this service.

A real time-saver, the service eliminates the need to visit the Libraries in person to retrieve and copy articles from print journals. "For example, a graduate student in Burrowes Building can request a copy of an article from a print journal in Paterno Library, and we will scan and send out the electronic copy," said Barbara Coopey, access services assistant head. The trial will be from Jan. 3 to May 4. At that time, the service will be reviewed for possible extension.

A value-added service for graduate students, it is not a rush service for an article that is needed immediately. Most articles will be supplied within 3 to 5 business days. In order to accommodate all users, large numbers of requests from a single user may be processed over a few days.

To request articles from print journals in local or Penn State campus Libraries collections, graduate students should select the new article request form under "Request Items Owned by Penn State Libraries" on the Main Menu. To speed up processing, users can add a call number and choose the library location where the journal is located, and the request will be automatically directed to staff at that location. A link “Search the CAT” is available to verify call number and library location. These articles will be posted to the user’s ILLiad account.

Existing Interlibrary, "I Want It," and E-ZBorrow loan services remain unchanged, and users will continue to pick up their books and other items at their selected pickup library locations. Since 2002, Penn State faculty, staff and students have used ILLiad, the resource sharing request management software, to place article and book requests for material not available at Penn State, for articles not available at the user's local campus library or at the annexes, and now for articles from print journals at the faculty, staff, or graduate student’s local campus. Users choose from 29 pickup locations for books. Articles are posted electronically to their ILLiad accounts. To log on to ILLiad, go to https://ill.libraries.psu.edu/.

For information, contact Barbara Coopey at bmc4@psu.edu or 814-863-1367.

Last Updated January 10, 2012