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Get it@ISU

When you've found a good information source, you may be provided with a few options for accessing it.

Similar to Quick Search records, Google Scholar and databases may provide you with several options, such as:

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Most item records in scholarly databases include or link to the full text of the item, but some do not. In these cases, look for a Get It@ISU button or Check for full text link. The appearance and location of this button or link vary on different databases.

Click on the link, and the library's system will check our subscriptions to access the full text of your article. You may need to log into the library account first.

Item record showing red Get It@ISU button at the bottom — *Use the Get it @ISU to request the item.*

The Get It@ISU or Check for full text link will get you to the full article if the library has online access. Otherwise, you will get a "Request Article from Interlibrary Loan" link to request the article.

Don't forget to log off if you use one of the Library's shared, public computers. If you do forget, anyone passing by has access to your email, printing allowance, and any social media you logged into. If you find someone else's private information running or stored on a shared computer, the ethical thing to do is to sign out of their account before you proceed.

Interlibrary loan

Interlibrary Loan (ILL) will get you access to items the ISU Library does not own, or to items that have already been checked out. This service lets the ISU library borrow materials from other libraries for free. Below are three simple ways to use Iowa State University’s ILL service:

Common ILL Requests

If you aren’t sure how to get started with ILL, the simplest way might be to use the Get it@ISU tool. If there are no links available for online access, the Get it@ISU button will generate a “Request access through interlibrary loan” link. Using this link should auto-fill the ILL request form with details about your item, such as the title, journal, volume and issue number, and pages.

You can also submit an ILL request directly by filling out a request form on the ILL webpage. Just log in with your NetID and fill out the form with the citation information you have for the item you want. You can also have items delivered to your library, where you can pick them up at the front desk.

In most cases, you’ll get books within 5-7 days and articles within 1-3 days. Because this process takes time, be sure to plan ahead and start searching for sources at least a week before your paper’s deadline, just in case you might need to request something through ILL.

FastTRAC libraries

Another easy way to get books from other libraries is to check FastTRAC through Quick Search. Near the top of the Advanced Search screen, two buttons give you a choice between ISU Library, FastTRAC, and Selected Partner Libraries.

Course reserves

Sometimes, you may be told to read a book or article for your class, without your instructor giving you a copy. If your instructor says the item is on reserve, you might not have to search for it!

You can access Course Reserves directly in Canvas by clicking the Course Reserves link in the left menu. If this link is not available, ask your instructor where you can access your materials before delving into the library to search on your own.

Key takeaways

If you can't find the full text of something you want, try using the Get it@ISU button first. If that doesn't get you access to the material, use Interlibrary Loan (ILL) to get access to items the ISU Library does not own, or to items that have already been checked out.