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ENGL 1102 - Hoffman: Requesting Resources from Other Libraries

The Alien Other

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.

Using GIL Express

To locate and request books using GIL Express:

  1. Search for the book in GIL-Find. Be sure to change the dropdown from "Augusta University" to "University System of Georgia."
  2. Log into your account by clicking "Sign in" at the top.
    • Click "Augusta Students & Faculty"
    • Your username and password are the same as your credentials for all other campus services.
  3. After locating the book you wish to request, select "View it," then "More libraries." Select the library you wish to request from. Once their record loads, select "Request."
  4. When you receive notification in your campus email, pick the book up at the Reese Library Information Desk.

Screen shot of library catalog search with more libraries, view it, and request highlighted in red

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

 

Using ILLiad

 ILLiad can be used to request journal articles or books not available through the University Libraries. For books, 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

screen shot of computer screen from ILLIAD with box highlighted in red saying new request

Frequently asked questions about ILLiad can be found here.