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Library Research Tips

Introduction

The Problem: You found an article that looks perfect for your assignment based on a review of the article's abstract or summary, but it is not available in full text. 

The Solution: Interlibrary Loan - A process where our library borrows the item from another library at no cost to you.

Interlibrary Loan Step-By-Step

1. Confirm the article isn't available in the current database by looking for a full-text, PDF, or HTML option in the article's brief record. If a check for full text link exists, click on it to see if the article is available in full-text in a different library database. If no link is available go to step 2.

EBSCOhost Database Brief Record Example:

An image of an EBSCOhost database search. An arrow points to a "Check for Full Text" section under an item description indicating that this message usually signifies full text is unavailable in this database. Below that item description, another item with "PDF Full Text" and "HTML Full Text" has an arrow indicating that these messages convey that full text IS available.

Check for Full Text Result Page Example:

An item record from SRU's Library Discovery Search. This is the page one arrives at if they click a Check for Full Text link. Under the "View It" heading is an arrow pointing to the area indicating where a full text article available in another library database appears, or "No Full Text" appears if unavailable. Below that, an Additional Services: Request Article from Interlibrary Loan (ILLiad) link. an arrow indicates that if full text is unavailable, click on this link and skip to step 3 of the Interlibrary Loan Step-by-Step guide.

ScienceDirect Database Brief Record Example:

An example of two brief item records in Science Direct. An arrow pointing to a "Download PDF" icon under the first record indicates that full text is available if a Download PDF message appears. An arrow pointing to another record with no PDF option indicates that full text is unavailable in the ScienceDirect database.

 

 

2. Open the article's record by clicking on the article title. Note the: 

  • Title of the Article
  • Authors or Editors
  • Source (AKA The title of the publication the article appears in)
  • Volume and Issue Number if applicable
  • Page Numbers if applicable

Keep these handy - you will need them to make your request.

EBSCOhost Database Item Record Example:

An image of a full item record in an EBSCOhost database. One arrow points to the article's title, which is found in bold, large letters at the top of the record. The other points to the information under the Source heading, indicating this is where the Title of aPublication, its date of publication, and a volume or issue info with page numbers is found.

ScienceDirect Database Item Record Example:

An example if an item record in ScienceDirect. Arrows indicate that the source or Publication Title is centered at the very top of the record with the Journal Title and then issue number, etc. The Article Title is below that in times font, larger than the rest of the font. Finally, below that is a list of the article's authors with links.

3. Go to ILLiad (SRU's Interlibrary Loan Service) and log in with your SRU email and password.

An image of the ILLiad Logon page with a blank SRU Email and Password screen.

Enter your contact information including your SRU e-mail address if prompted. (You only have to do this once.)

Click on "Article" under "New Request" and create a new request filling in the information you gathered from Step 2. (Note: If arriving here from Step 1 this information may already be filled in for you, but you should still double check it.) Note the not wanted after date - this is the last day you will accept the item. Submit your request.

An image from ILLiad (Interlibrary Loan Service @ SRU) of a Journal Article Request with several descriptor fields (Title of Article, Volume Number, Journal Title, etc.) filled in.

 

 

4. You're done! You will receive an e-mail in your SRU mail when the article has been found and delivered to you. There will be a link you can click on to access your article and instructions to go to the library and pick up the material if it is a book. Should you want to check the status of your requests or review articles you've received, you can do so by logging into ILLiad and using the options under "View".

This image displays the screen that is shown in ILLiad after logging in. The information on the left column under the "View" heading is circled, indicating that this is where the student can go to retrieve their article when it is digitally delivered or review their requested articles that have not yet been delivered.