Document Delivery

How to get books and articles sent to you from the San Francisco campus library: video* / podcast. Returning books is easy using our online prepaid mailing label. Find out how with this video* / podcast.

Questions / Comments *Requires Quicktime

• Who is eligible
• What it is
• How it works
  • For all requests
  • Book requests
  • Article requests
• How to contact us

Who is eligible

USF affiliates who take, teach, or administer classes in the following programs or locations may use this service:

• College of Professional Studies
  North Bay, Sacramento, San Ramon, South Bay
  
  

• School of Education
  Los Angeles, North Bay, Sacramento, San Ramon, South Bay
  
  

• College of Arts & Sciences Sport Management
  Los Angeles area (Orange)
  

What it is

The Distance Learning Services Document Delivery Service sends you books and articles that you request in support of your classwork at USF. Most of the material comes from the Gleeson Library | Geschke Center collections. Items not available at USF may be obtained through a cooperative interlibrary loan system. The service is free for USF materials; interlibrary loan transactions may cost a small amount.

How it works

For all requests

• You may request as many items as you feel are necessary to support your research. However not all items in your order may be shipped at the same time. Large orders and orders requiring interlibrary loan will take longer to fill.
  
  
• Items are sent 2-day priority mail or 2-day UPS. Please contact us about other delivery options.
  
  
• You can help us by:
  
  
  • Selecting items that support your research
  • Prioritizing items
  • Checking their availability online or at USF
  • Giving a cancellation date
  • Planning ahead as much as possible
  • Consulting with a librarian to assess your choices.
    
    
• To check the status of your request, e-mail regional@usfca.edu or call 1-800-441-4355. We will respond within 24 hours Monday through Friday.

Book requests

Requesting

Use the book request form. This will prompt you to check Ignacio, the library catalog, to see if USF owns the book you need and if it should be available.

• If the book is available at USF:
  
  We will retrieve it, check it out to you, and mail it via 2-day priority mail or 2-day UPS.
  You can expect the book within 4 to 7 days of your request.
  The loan period is 30 days for students.
  The due date is stamped in the back of the book.
  
  
• If the book is not available at USF:
  
  We can borrow the book from another library. This may take an additional 10 days to 4 weeks.
  Books are usually free; you will be asked to authorize any charges.
  The loan period is determined by the lending library.
  The due date is written on the attached book band.

Returning

You can print a pre-paid Book Return Label to use when mailing materials back to Gleeson Library | Geschke Center via the U.S. Postal Service. There is no cost to you for this service. Packages may be dropped in any U.S. Post Office mailbox. Access the Book Return Label generator by entering your USFconnect username and password at the prompt.

The Regional Libraries do not accept Gleeson Library | Geschke Center book returns.

Renewing

To renew a book for another 30 days on or before the due date, call 1-800-441-4355; or use the Book Renewal Request form.
Give your name, contact information, and the titles of the books.
Not all books can be renewed.
We will confirm your renewals by phone or email.

Fines

Overdue fines of $.50 per day per book are charged for books returned past their due date.
Replacement and processing fees are charged for lost books.
Unpaid fines and fees can result in a University Hold on registration.

Article requests

Use the article request form for articles in magazines, journals, or newspapers. You will be prompted to:

• See if the article you need is available online.
  
  
• Check Ignacio, the USF catalog, to see if USF owns the journal you need. You can check availability of current issues by clicking on the latest issue received.
  
  
• You may wish to photocopy the article yourseIf if the periodical is held by the University of California, California State Universities, Stanford, or the State Library in Sacramento. Search library catalogs to find out. Publicly funded universities allow students to photocopy materials in their collections.

If the article appears to be available at USF:

We will photocopy and mail it via 2-day priority mail or 2-day UPS. You can expect to receive it within 4 to 7 days of your request. Short articles, under 10 pages, can be faxed. We can also email the article (which requires that you have Adobe Reader).



If the article is not available at USF:

We can get a copy of the article from another library. This may take an additional 10 days to 4 weeks.
There is sometimes a charge for photocopies; you will be asked to authorize any charges.

How to contact us

The Document Delivery Service is managed by Eric Shappy, with the assistance of a small team of student workers.

Questions or comments

Please contact us at regional@usfca.edu with any questions, comments, or concerns. We will respond to status checks on requests within 24 hours, Monday through Friday.