Get It! is a tool for requesting we borrow items from other libraries for your use (interlibrary loan), or for requesting we purchase items for our collections (acquisitions). 

Southwestern Students, Faculty, and Staff can use this service. 

Log in to Get it! with your SUeID and password.

Books, articles, and other materials not owned by the Smith Library Center can often be borrowed from other libraries for temporary use by current students, faculty and staff of Southwestern University.

We will attempt to borrow any materials needed but are unable to guarantee success for all requests.

Borrowed items are subject to any restrictions imposed by the lender, including:

• the loan period length
• “in library use only” restrictions
• whether or not renewals will be granted.

Photocopies and digital documents may be retained by the patron unless otherwise advised. All photocopy requests are subject to copyright restrictions.

You may request an article or book loan by logging on to Get It!.

Please check the WorldCat Local online catalog and the Online Periodicals link to verify library holdings before submitting an ILL request.

All ILL requests will be processed as soon as possible during regular business hours.

Patrons are encouraged to submit ILL requests as early as possible to ensure the timely arrival of their materials. 

The library cannot guarantee an arrival date or time for ILL materials. 

The time it takes to receive requested materials varies from loan to loan.

With our in-state courier service, books will sometimes arrive within two or three business days. Alternatively, if a book is difficult to borrow, it may take 3-4 weeks.

Some photocopies are received on the day they are requested while others take weeks to arrive.

All ILL items are requested from the nearest and fastest source available with some consideration given to cost.

There is no guarantee that any item can be obtained.

In dire situations, it is advisable to contact the Interlibrary Loan Coordinator by phone (512-863-1557), by email at peck2@southwestern.edu, or ask for ILL help at the InfoDesk.

The loan period is determined by the lending institution but is usually for two or three weeks.

Patrons must abide by the return date shown on the book band attached to each interlibrary loan item.

All materials may be returned to the InfoDesk unless otherwise advised.

If you wish to extend your borrowing period:

• The borrower must make a request for a renewal at least 3 days before the due date.
• This may be done by logging on the borrower’s Get It! account.
• Renewals are granted at the discretion of the lending institution, not Smith Library Center.
• If a renewal request is denied, the borrowed items must be returned immediately upon notification by e-mail or otherwise.

ALL ITEMS ARE SUBJECT TO “RECALL” BY THE LENDING LIBRARY AND MUST BE RETURNED IMMEDIATELY ONCE NOTIFIED.

If borrowed items have not been picked up by the due date, they will be returned to the lending library without further notice.

Any overdue fines will be passed to the borrower.

Interlibrary loan is provided free of charge to current students of Southwestern University.

Faculty and staff may use ILL without charge for any materials requested in connection with their duties at Southwestern University.

Materials to be used for non-SU related purposes will usually be provided without cost unless the library must pay additional fees in order to obtain the items. In these cases, the additional fees will be passed on to the requester for full reimbursement.

Patrons will be notified by e-mail when materials arrive.

Patrons may log on to their Get It! accounts to check on the status of their requests.

Books and Other Tangible Items

Unless the lending library places an “in library use only” restriction upon the item, patrons may pick up their loans at the InfoDesk.

Items designated “in library use only” may be asked for at the InfoDesk and used in the library during hours the library is staffed.

The paper book band attached to each returnable item will specify the date when the item must be returned. Do not remove this band. 

Photocopies

When possible, photocopies will be delivered electronically and will be accessible from the patron’s ILLiad account.

Photocopies will occasionally be mailed to the patron’s campus address. An e-mail will be sent to notify the patron in either case.

Patrons assume full responsibility for any ILL materials borrowed on their behalf.

In the event of lost or damaged items, the patron must pay for:

• replacement cost
• processing fees
• and/or fines billed by the lending institution.

Failure to pay damage or replacement costs, processing fees and/or fines may result in suspension of ILL services.

All amounts unpaid at the end of a semester will be referred to the Business Office.

Who may request acquisitions? 

Only current SU faculty, staff and students may place requests for library books and audiovisual materials.

Faculty may request periodical or database subscriptions. All requests must fit the library’s Collection Development Policy.

Three ways to request Books or AV Items:

• Log in directly to Get It! and type in your request information.
• Use the “Request via Get It!” button that you’ll see in the WorldCat Local online catalog as well as certain library subscription databases; this will automatically import most of your request information into the form for you.
• Find the link on the IS website under “About” or “Services” at the top of the page.

Requesting a new periodical or database subscription:

Since subscriptions entail annual expenditures into future fiscal years, new subscriptions require cancellation of existing subscriptions. Faculty members interested in exploring this can consult with their library liaison.

As soon as the item is requested, it will appear on the main page of your Get It! Account, under Outstanding Requests.

You will see status updates alerting you to the progress of your order, such as:

• Awaiting Purchasing Review
• Item on Order
• Item Received and in Processing

At this point, you should receive a notice in your SU email alerting to the fact that the item has been received and should be added to our collection shortly, and the item’s status will change to:

• Request Finished

Additionally, if the library orders the requested item, it will display in WorldCat Local online catalog with the designation “On Order.”

When it has been received in the building and is waiting for processing, it will have the designation “Not Available.”

Rush requests will be held for you at the InfoDesk after you are notified that they are ready for checkout. Notifications are provided via email to your SU email account.

Getting Notified about New Items:

If you want to be notified that a new item is ready for checkout, you may place a hold on the item in WorldCat Local. Sign into your account using the link located in the upper right corner.

Search for the record of the item you requested. On the right side of your screen, next to where the call number will be located, the PLACE HOLD button should appear. Submit your information to place the hold on the item and you will be notified when it becomes available for you to pick up.

Not usually.

The acquisitions staff carries out the ordering and purchasing of all materials for the library collection. The department has negotiated discounts up to 18-20 percent off retail prices and free shipping with certain vendors.

Faculty members who are interested in directly purchasing materials for the library and then being reimbursed must discuss plans in advance with the Director of Library Resources. All materials must conform to the library’s collection development policy and must be titles the library does not already own, and a spending limit must be agreed in advance.

It varies.

Many items can be ordered immediately through Amazon and may be cataloged and ready for use within one to two weeks.

Some items, such as international orders, independent films on DVD, or out-of-print materials, may take longer to acquire.

You may speed up the process if you provide contact information for a vendor for these items. The department’s Staff Links page includes a “Language Resources” list and other specialty vendors. Visiting the websites for these vendors may allow you to identify the specific in-stock edition that best suits your needs.

Providing us with information about the edition and the vendor that offers it will help us get the right book in the collection quickly.

Rush Requests

If an item is needed by a certain date, please let us know when you submit your request. Rush requests will always be handled as quickly as possible.