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What is the Library Courier Service 

Requests for materials that are located at Newman Library are processed by the Courier Service and delivered to the appropriate branch library for pick up. Staff at branch libraries also process requests for pickup and delivery by the Courier Service.

Library Courier Service also retrieves books from the return bins located across campus. The bins are checked several times a day and books are checked in as they are received.

How do I request materials? 

To request items from Storage or the branch libraries, complete and submit the appropriate request form (see below). There is a limit of 15 items per person per day that can be requested. The request will be emailed to the library where the requested item is located. Once received, the item will be searched, pulled, and delivered to the library pickup location of your choice.

Who can use the Courier Service? 

The Library Courier Service is open to all patrons of the Virginia Tech Libraries. This includes all Virginia Tech faculty, staff, students (undergraduates and graduates), Virginia Tech Extension Agents and Virginia residents.

How long does it take? / What is the delivery schedule?

Storage material requests and on-campus branch library requests usually require a 48 hour processing time to be delivered to the selected on-campus pick up location. Occasionally requests may take up to 5 business days to process due to request volume or citation problems. There are no deliveries on Saturday or Sunday.

Items delivered from the Northern Virginia Resource Center in Falls Church usually take 7-10 days to be delivered to Blacksburg campus pick-up locations.

Deliveries are made to Newman Library and the other on-campus branches once a day with all deliveries completed by 5:00pm.

Where can I have my requests delivered to? 

Courier requests can be delivered to the Circulation Desk at any of the branches listed below.

On-Campus library branches

• Carol M. Newman Library. Located between the on-campus University Bookstore and Squires Student Center on University Mall.
• Art + Architecture Library. Located on the first floor of Cowgill Hall.
• Veterinary Medicine Library. Located in the Virginia-Maryland Regional College of Veterinary Medicine on Duck Pond Drive.

Off-Campus library branch

• Northern Virginia Center Resource Center. Located in Falls Church, Virginia. Items requested from this branch are delivered via UPS. Virginia Tech affiliated patrons who wish to have materials owned by other branch libraries delivered to the Northern Virginia branch should submit their requests using ILLiad. You can also choose to have these items mailed directly to your home address.

What materials can I request? 

Library material that can be checked-out (i.e. circulate) can be delivered to you at one of the library pickup locations. Items that can be requested vary for the branch libraries and Storage. Items requested from Storage vary depending on which library department owns the item. The Storage facility contains books, journals, Special Collections items, and media items. Items that are currently checked-out can be recalled, but should not be requested through the library courier service.

Books

Books that are located at any Virginia Tech branch library and are listed as Available on Addison can be delivered from one branch library to another branch library. Use the Branch book request form . Items that are checked out should be recalled through Addison where you can list the pickup location of your choice..

Articles

Articles in current, bound, or microformed journals located in any branch library can be photocopied and delivered to a different branch. You should verify that the article is not otherwise available online by searching the Journal Title Database. Use the Branch article request form . Once you have received your photocopy, you may digitize it using a scanner.

Journals

Current (unbound) journals do not circulate and are not eligible for delivery by the Courier Service. (Use the article photocopy service listed above.)

Bound journals circulate for only seven days, while items delivered by Courier can remain on the holdshelf for up to 10 days. In order to keep bound journals as accessible as possible, they will not be delivered by Courier and instead must remain in their original library. (Again, use the article photocopy service listed above.)

Storage material 

Books and journals that are located at Storage can be delivered to any University Libraries branch. Storage books and journals may be checked out. Use the Request items in remote storage process in Addison for these materials. For more information about the Storage Facility, please visit the .

Special Collections material in Storage 

Items from Special Collections that are housed at Storage can be requested using the Request icon found at the top of the item page. These items are not allowed to circulate and must be viewed in the Special Collections Reading Room. Special Collections will notify you when the material is ready for viewing. (Special Collections staff can assist in making photocopies of most materials.)

Media items in Storage 

There are media materials such as filmstrips, multimedia kits and phonorecords housed at Storage. Filmstrips and multimedia kits can be requested by faculty only. Phonorecords may be requested by faculty, staff, and students.

The best way to confirm where an item is located and if it is available, is to check Addison. If you need instructions on using Addison, please see the Addison help pages.