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Interlibrary Loan & Item Request Services

Use this guide to learn about and access interlibrary loan and item request services at the Palo Alto University Library as part of your research process..

STEP 2: SUBMIT A REQUEST

 

Detailed submission instructions are provided at the top of each Tipasa request form. Used the tabbed information below for an explanation of the form structure and for specific help with each of the three forms.

Tipasa Request Form Structure

 

Review the instructions at the top of your selected request form before filling it out, so you understand the requirements. This will help prevent any misconceptions about our services as well as any unnecessary delays in processing your request. These instructions are also provided on the ILL Policies page of this guide, for your reference. Continue reading this page for a general overview of the request form structure.


Instructions for Requesting Materials through ILL (ILL requests only):

ILL Request Processing: This section covers the schedule for ILL services. It also specifies limits on ILL request submission counts, provides links to your library account and ILL portal, and includes contact information for the PAU librarians and the ILL staff.

ILL Request Fulfillment: This section explains the ILL fulfillment process and timeline, as well as how to manage your notification settings.

ILL Deliveries: This section explains the process for downloading your electronic deliveries and provides information regarding download limits and request expiration dates.

Article Copy Request Form: This section appears only on the article copy request form and provides basic information for filling out the form for requesting electronic delivery of a journal article copy.

Chapter Copy Request Form: This section appears only on the chapter copy request form and provides basic information for filling out the form for requesting electronic delivery of a book chapter copy.


Instructions for Requesting Other Items (non-ILL requests only):

This information only appears on the "Other Items" request form and consists of a single section that provides all the details you'll need for requesting an item from the PAU Library when an ILL request isn't an option. Please read it carefully before filling out and submitting the form.

 

Required Fields

 

Required fields contain citation information that's essential for a PAU librarian to successfully process your request.

 

About My Item Section: Your request will not submit if you leave a required field blank in this section. When a request is auto-filled from the databases or library catalog, most of the required fields will be filled out for you on the form that opens, but some information might be missing. Whether you're completing an auto-filled or manual request, required information might be unavailable to you. If so, you may enter "NA" in the blank required field; otherwise, the form won't submit. Please be aware that requests submitted with missing and/or inaccurate information generally take longer to identify and locate from a viable source.

 

About My Request Section: All required fields in this section must be completed in order for your request to be processed once we identify and locate the requested library material. Use the dropdown menu to indicate if you'll accept non-English materials, then add a note to indicate the language(s) you'll accept. A request for a non-English publication will be cancelled otherwise, as translation services are not available. You will also ned to indicate the date after which the material will no longer be needed; once this date passes, your request will be cancelled automatically in the Tipasa system.

 

Research Tip: Some materials published in a non-English language have English abstracts, which can be misleading. However, if an article or chapter is not available in English, the article or chapter title will usually be enclosed [in brackets like this]. When searching in the PAU databases and library catalog, you can verify the language of publication by clicking on the title in the results list to open the full record, which should list the language of publication if other than English.

 

My Address and Contact Information: All required fields in this section must be completed in order for the PAU Library to contact you about your request. Your address and contact information will auto-fill from your library account, because you'll already be signed in.

 

Optional Fields

 

Optional fields collect information for confirming the item being requested, which speeds request processing. Please fill out the optional fields if you have the requested information at your disposal.

 

About My Item Section: For journals and journal articles, the most useful piece of optional information is the International Standard Serial Number (ISSN). The ISSN is a unique identifier that allows for precisely tracking a serial publication through the ILL system. An ISSN is 8 digits in length and should be entered with a hyphen in the middle. A journal can have multiple ISSNs, depending on how many formats are available (e.g., print vs. electronic). If at least one ISBN is not listed on an article request form, the ILL staff will have to look one up, which delays processing. 

 

For books and book chapters, the most useful piece of optional information is the book's International Standard Book Number (ISBN). An ISBN is a unique identifier that allows for precisely tracking a book within the ILL system. An ISBN can be a 9-digit or 13-digit number, and it can be entered with or without any hyphenation. A book can have multiple ISBNs, depending how many formats are available (e.g., hardback vs. paperback vs. electronic). If at least one ISBN is not listed on a chapter request form, the ILL staff will have to look one up, which can delay processing.

 

Some books will have one or more ISBNs as well as one or more ISSNs, because they were published in a book series. If that's the case, please report both types of numbers when filling out a chapter request form, if both are available, to help us provide you with optimal service.

 

About My Request Section: Please add any notes that might assist the ILL staff in locating the materials being requested and/or providing you with assistance.

 

My Address and Contact Information Section:  You're phone number will auto-fill if it's already listed in your library account. If not, you can add it manually, but you'll need to go to your library account ("Profile" tab) to set up notifications if you want your ILL deliveries sent via text. Otherwise, ILL deliveries will only be sent to you via email as well as to your library account's ILL portal ("Request" tab). A PAU librarian will follow up via email regarding item requests.

 

Submission

 

Click on the button at the bottom of the request form to submit.

 

Submission Tip: Your request will not submit if you leave a required field blank, so be sure to double-check the form to see if there are any issues.

 

Submission Tip: Your request will not submit if you already have 15 active requests in the Tipasa system, to ensure the system doesn't get overloaded. A request is live from the time it's submitted until the time it's cancelled or filled. If you need to submit more than 15 requests within the same time frame, please prioritize your submissions. Otherwise, there's no limit on the number of Tipasa requests that are allowed, and Tipasa services are always provided free of charge.

 

 


 

Help: Article Copy Request 

 

Fill out the article copy request form as shown below.

 

About My Item

 

ILL Article Request Form: About My Item

 

 

About My Request

 

 

Article Copy About My Request

 

 

My Address and Contact Information

 

 

ILL Request Contact Information

 

 


 

Help: Chapter Copy Request

 

Fill out the chapter copy request form as shown below.

 

About My Item

 

ILL Chapter Request Form: About My Item Part 1ILL Chapter Request Form: About My Item Part 2

 

 

About My Request

 

 

Chapter Copy About My Request

 

 

My Address and Contact Information

 

 

ILL Request Form Contacts

 

 


 

Help: Other Items Request

 

Fill out the request form for other items as shown below.

 

About My Item

 

Other Items Form My Item (1st half)Other Items Form My Item (2nd half)

About My Request

 

Other Items Form My Request

My Address and Contact Information

 

ILL Request Form Contacts

 

 


 

GETTING HELP: Having trouble finding what you need? Having trouble with access? You can rest assured, because the PAU librarians are here to assist you! Please email us at librarian@paloaltou.edu and provide the details so we can respond to you in the best way possible. We're happy to communicate with you about a question or concern via email, or we can set up a phone call or Zoom session if that would be helpful. No request is too big or too small, so please reach out at any time!