If the Library doesn't have materials you would like to access, you can make requests to access those materials through a few different methods.
If you need temporary access, you can request to borrow items from another library through Interlibrary Loan. If you want the new item to be added to our library collection, you can make a Purchase Request. Purchase Requests are only completed when the Library's budget is open.
If you cannot access an item through our library, and you want temporary access to that item, please make an Interlibrary Loan Request. There are generally no fees associated with Interlibrary Loan items that the Marx Library can get from Alabama libraries or from libraries with which we have reciprocal agreement.
We partially decide what journals we will buy based on Interlibrary Loan requests. If you need to request articles from a journal, we are more likely to buy that journal when deciding the budget for the year.
You may receive physical or electronic items through ILLiad.
You can request:
Requests for items that we own (electronic or print) will be routed to our Document Delivery (Copy Service) service or Book Valet service. Check the SOUTHcat Catalog and Our Journal List before submitting an ILL request. Items owned by the Marx Library can be copied through our Copy Service. Always include complete citation information when making a request.
NOTE: The Biomedical Library handles Interlibrary Loan requests for faculty and students of the Colleges of Medicine, Nursing and Allied Health.
The library will only fulfill requests where the user has signified YES to the copyright restriction. The copyright law of the United States (Title 17, United States Code) governs the making of photocopies or other reproductions of copyrighted material. Under certain conditions specified in the law, libraries and archives are authorized to furnish a photocopy or other reproduction. One of these specified conditions is that the photocopy or other reproduction is not to be "used for any purpose other than private study, scholarship, or research." If a user makes a request for, or later uses, a photocopy or reproduction for purposes in excess of "fair use," that user may be liable for copyright infringement. This institution reserves the right to refuse to accept a copying order if, in its judgment, fulfillment of the order would involve violation of copyright.
Purchase Requests should be made with your discipline librarian. Purchase decisions can be complex and depend on budget. Interlibrary Loan request histories are used in purchase decision-making.
Typically, book funds are available from December to May.
Marx Library prefers to purchase the e-book version of a book.
Rush Cataloging Requests are for items that have been purchased and have arrived at the library, but the item has not been cataloged yet. Items must be cataloged before they are placed on library shelves or allowed to be checked out. A Rush Cataloging request has a turn-around of a week. An item that has gone through Rush Catalog will be held at the Circulation Desk for seven days after you are notified that the request has been completed.