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Judith Ortiz Cofer

When the library doesn't have what you need

Sometimes your home library simply doesn't have the article or book you need. Several options exist for requesting material from other libraries in the USG system. 

GIL Express: This service is free to students, staff and faculty. It is primarily used to request books that are owned by other University System of Georgia libraries. 

ILLiad: If no library in the University System has the book or article that you want, you may request it through ILLiad. [Please note: Always try GIL Express first for books we don't own; the turnaround from request to delivery is much faster than with ILLiad.]. This service is primarily used for requesting articles. Articles can often be received electronically through your campus email.

Library Tutorials

Using GIL Express

To locate and request books using GIL Express:

  1. Search for the book in the GIL Universal Catalog (this is also accessible from the Library Catalog)
  2. Log into your account under the "Access your account" menu
    • Your Library ID is your 927 or 912 number
    • Pin reminders or requests can be sent to your campus email by selecting the "get my pin" button
    • Note: you may be required to log in again in the Universal Catalog using the same information
  3. Click on "Universal Catalog" in the lower menu to search member libraries
  4. After locating the book you wish to request, select "Place GIL Express Request" to request a loan
  5. When you receive notification in your campus email, pick the book up at the Reese Library circulation desk

Note: you can also check the status of GIL Express requests and check library due dates under your library account

 

Using ILLiad

ILLiad can have a much slower turn around and lending libraries may place more restrictions on the loan period, so ILLiad should only be used when the resource is NOT available within the USG system through GIL Express.

To use ILLiad:

  1. First time users will need to register for an account
  2. Log into your ILLiad account
  3. Select the appropriate resource type under the "New Request" menu
  4. Be as detailed and accurate as possible when providing information about the article or book to increase the chance of the item being located
  5. You can check the status of your pending requests and checked out items by logging back into your ILLiad account

Frequently asked questions about ILLiad can be found here.