How can I get books (and other items) that the library doesn't have?

You can use Resource Sharing/Interlibrary Loan (ILL), to access items from libraries around the world that aren't available at the Cal Poly Humboldt Library. This service is available, for free, to current students, staff, faculty and emeritus faculty/staff

Estimated delivery varies pending on the lending library. Digital article/chapter requests are usually delivered within 24-48 hours. Physical loans are estimated to take 4-7 business days.

Visit our Resource Sharing/Interlibrary Loan page to learn more. 

Please email resourcesharing@humboldt.edu if you have any questions. 

OneSearch

When you are signed into OneSearch, you can request items that aren't in our collection by choosing the 'expand your search' option:

Screenshot of 'expand your search' options, located next to the search bar and at the top of the list of results.

Many items outside our library are discoverable through OneSearch and can be requested by clicking 'Get it for me from other libraries' beneath the title and author info:

Screenshot of the 'Get it for me' link that is listed along with other information about the item in the search results list.

From there, you can choose to either request a physical copy of the item (e.g. an entire book) or an electronic copy (e.g. a chapter from a book):

Screenshot of the options to 'get a physical copy' or 'need a chapter' when viewing the item details (located after the export links and item title information)

Beyond OneSearch

If you don't see the item(s) you are looking for within OneSearch, you will need to fill out the Resource Sharing/ILL request manually. This may require finding more information about the item you are looking for to ensure that we know exactly what you want. You can try searching Google Scholar, Open Library, or WorldCat to find details like authorship, publishing date, volume, issue, page numbers, and more.

Answer

Topics

  • Last Updated Feb 07, 2025
  • Views 186
  • Answered By Amanda

FAQ Actions

Was this helpful? 0 0

Don't see your question here? Ask us!

About you.
Your status
Your Question

Note: This service is available to current Cal Poly Humboldt students, faculty, administrators and staff through their Cal Poly Humboldt email accounts. As time permits, we will answer inquiries from unaffiliated requesters about Cal Poly Humboldt history, Cal Poly Humboldt University Library services, or unique materials from our Humboldt County Collection.

Requesters can usually expect an answer to their question by 5:00 p.m. the next weekday.

Fields marked with * are required.