Frequently Asked Questions

There are two ways to request the Full Text of an article if it is unavailable in the Library's digital collections:

1. You may complete an Interlibrary Loan Request by filling out our online request form.

2. You may also use the interlibrary loan request form link within our databases as you're searching. Look for the “Request this item through interlibrary loan” link. This will transfer the article’s citation information into a request form. Complete the form with your contact information and submit. Here's what the link looks like:

The MSJ Library hours change depending on the time of year.  To see our current hours, visit the Library's Hours Calendar page.

Your "LIB #" (sometimes referred to as library barcode or AllCard #) is part of your MSJ Library login credentials used to access the various library databases and MSJ/OhioLINK/SearchOhio borrowing available to MSJ students and staff/faculty. Your "LIB #" is printed on your MSJ AllCard. This card is your school photo ID card and doubles as your library card.  If you have not gotten your MSJ AllCard, stop by Campus Security in the Seton Center (513-244-4226). You can also look up your Library Barcode by logging in securely to myMount. Learn more about the Lions AllCard.

Interlibrary Loan is a service that obtains books, articles, and other materials not available in the Mount St. Joseph University Library's collections, through the Library’s databases, or through OhioLINK or SearchOhio. Physical interlibrary loan items, such as print books, generally arrive within 10-14 days; articles arrive electronically in a PDF format sent to your MSJ email account. This service is available for Mount students, faculty, staff and Sisters of Charity with a valid ID card. Read more about Interlibrary Loan Guidelines.

Before submitting an interlibrary loan request, search for needed books and articles using:

• FOCUS MSJ Library catalog
• OhioLINK Central Library Catalog, and/or SearchOhio
• Databases A-Z
• EBSCO Full Text Publications Finder

Need help determining if what you need is already available? Research Help is available.

Typically patrons use Interlibrary Loan to request journal articles and print books not available in the Mount St. Joseph University Library's collections, through the Library’s databases, or through OhioLINK or SearchOhio. In addition, other types of media can be requested, such as DVDs and CDs.

Before submitting an interlibrary loan request, search for needed books and articles using:

• FOCUS MSJ Library catalog
• OhioLINK Central Library Catalog, and/or SearchOhio
• Databases A-Z
• EBSCO Full Text Publications Finder

Need help determining if what you need is already available? Research Help is available.

For more information about the MSJ Library's Interlibrary Loan service, visit Interlibrary Loan Guidelines.

If you are an MSJ instructor, you may put items on reserve for your course (including electronic books) by filling out our online course reserves faculty request form. You can also stop by the Library in-person to fill out a request form and drop off course materials if you wish to put your personal copies on reserve for your students to use.  (Note: putting items on reserve for your class is different than placing request holds for items you wish to check out.)

For questions about the MSJ Library's Course Reserves, please contact Bridget DuMont, Head of Reference & Instructional Services, at bridget.dumont@msj.edu or 513-244-4880.

Items you have requested from the MSJ Library Collection, OhioLINK, SearchOhio, or Interlibrary Loan (ILL) can be picked up from the MSJ Library's Circulation Desk.

More information about requesting items can be found on the "How to Request Items" page. If you have questions about requesting and borrowing, email us at library@msj.edu or call us at (513) 244-4216.

If an article is not available as full text or a book is not available from the MSJ Library, OhioLINK, or SearchOhio, patrons may use our online Interlibrary Loan Request Form to submit requests.

Alternatively, many of our article databases have a built-in form to request articles that are not full text. When using the Library's article databases, look for the "Request this item through interlibrary loan" link.

Once you've submitted an Interlibrary Loan request, you can check the request status by sending an email to interlibraryloan@msj.edu.

Need help determining if what you need is already available? Research Help is available.

Items may be returned in-person at the Library Circulation desk in MSJ Library’s Lobby or in the Circulation Desk book drop any time the Library is open.

There are also two drop off locations directly outside the Library’s interior and exterior doors where items can be returned at any time.

Visit the "Research Help" section of our website where you'll find four options for getting personalized, in-depth research assistance from our librarians.

In addition to research help from an MSJ librarian, a large collection of self-guided Subject Guides provide research starting points for a number of topic areas.

The ISS department sets policies for student printing on campus.  As described in the ISS "Student Printing Policies" document on myMount, "Additional electronic printing/copying funds may be purchased with cash or personal check at the [Circulation Desk] in the Library or in Fiscal Operations by credit card, cash, or check during their normal hours of operations. Funds that are added by the patron will carry over to the next semester and be drawn against after the MSJ provided funds are used. Unused personally added funds cannot be refunded."

Please note: the MSJ Library is unable to process credit cards at this time; you can pay by cash or check at the Library.  Fiscal Operations, however, can accept credit card in addition to cash or check.

The MSJ Library puts on Course Reserves copies of print books, videos, and other course materials at the request of instructors. The service provides students an opportunity to freely access available textbooks and other course materials. Instructors determine the checkout length for their course materials. For more information regarding Course Reserves, please visit the Course Reserves section of the Library's website.

For questions about the MSJ Library's Course Reserves, please contact Bridget DuMont at bridget.dumont@msj.edu or 513-244-4880.

For items borrowed via Interlibrary Loan items (ILL):
Renewals depend on the lending institution. Most libraries permit one or two renewals of interlibrary loan items, or else assign a long loan period without renewals. You can renew your item by sending an email to interlibraryloan@msj.edu. If the item is not eligible for renewal, we will let you know.

General rules for renewals:

• MSJ students may renew OhioLINK books 6 times (for an extra 21-day period per renewal), and media 3 times (for an extra 7-day period per renewal).
• MSJ faculty, staff, and Sisters of Charity may renew OhioLINK books 6 times (for an extra 42-day period per renewal), and media 3 times (for an extra 7-day period per renewal).
• Visiting patrons (OhioLINK, SearchOhio, residents of the State of Ohio) may renew OhioLINK books 4 times (for an extra 21-day period per renewal), and media 1 time (for an extra 7-day period per renewal).

More information can be found at "Borrowing Guidelines."

The guide "Finding Full Text" available on the Library's web site lists the ways you can tell if an article is Full Text.

Yes, in some situations, there are fines for overdue items or charges for replacement copies of lost or damaged items. After you've borrowed an item, be on the watch for friendly email alerts from the MSJ Library that will remind you when to return items so you can avoid fines. In instances where items are not returned, overdue notices will be sent to your MSJ email account. If the overdue item is still not returned, then you will receive a bill for the item.

Fines in general:
MSJ Library, OhioLINK, SearchOhio items: $0.50/day until item is returned
Interlibrary Loan items:  $1.00/day until item is returned

More information about fines and other fees can be found on the Borrowing Guidelines section of our site.  If you have a specific question about fines you might have on your library account, feel free to contact us at library@msj.edu.Or direct questions about fines to Josh Zeller, Head of Access Services, at joshua.zeller@msj.edu or 513-244-4882.