What is Document Delivery?
Document Delivery, also known as Interlibrary Loan or ILL, is a service provided by the GVSU University Libraries that enables current GVSU Students, Faculty, Emeritus Faculty, Retirees, and Staff to access resources from other libraries, when possible. When searching for resources, you might find that some resources are only available if purchased. If you see this, don’t panic! The GVSU University Libraries will pay up to $20.00 on your behalf for each item requested (this is almost always enough to get the item to you without charge). Items may take 1-2 weeks for delivery either in-person (physical resources) or via your GVSU email account (online resources).
How do I access resources?
If you’re searching within the GVSU Databases for a specific journal article or other online source and find that it’s unavailable, you can use the Document Delivery system to request the resource from another library. If you’re logged in to your GVSU account while searching for resources, the system will usually pre-fill the request form for you. Otherwise, you’ll be asked to log in (using your GVSU username and password) and fill out the form manually. If you’re looking for a print book, DVD, CD, sheet music/score, or other physical resource that’s unavailable, you can also search using the Michigan eLibrary (MeL), which is free through the GVSU Libraries.
Resources available through Document Delivery:
- Articles not available online.
- Books, videos, DVDs, and Theses that GVSU does not own or that are lost.
Resources that cannot be borrowed through Document Delivery:
- Textbooks
- Rare books
- Complete issues of journals
- Genealogy
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