Interlibrary Resource Sharing and Document Services at Jacob Burns Law Library

Copies of circulating Burns Law Library material

• Students and faculty submit a request through the interlibrary loan system accessed via JACOB, the library catalog. Faculty only - if they prefer, can choose to send an email to docservices@law.gwu.edu instead of using the ILL system.  Using the ILL system is preferred, because if the item cannot be located at Burns the staff can easily submit it to another library.
• Faculty: If you choose to send an email include full details, including title, publication year, beginning and ending pages.
• Students: No copies will be made from materials that are on course reserve/reserve books, other books, and/or study aids needed for a class. Scans will not be provided from material with the location of  CRES (Course Reserve)/Reserve.
• Students: Limited to 20 images per day.
• Copyright policy and restrictions apply to all requests. 
• Copies are emailed to your @law.gwu.edu address
• Generally, scans will be provided within 24 hours but may take longer based on workflow.  

Copies via Interlibrary Loan

• ILL: If there are any copyright fees attached to obtaining this item, it will be the responsibility of the the student patron to pay the fees before the request will be processed.  You will receive an email with relevant details. 

Loans for Burns Law Library items

• Most circulating items are available to be checked out.
• Course Reserve, Reserve and other non-circulating items are not available
• All circulation policies apply.
• Students and faculty submit a request through the interlibrary loan system accessed via JACOB, the library catalog. Faculty, if they prefer, can choose to send an email to docservices@law.gwu.edu instead of using the ILL system.  Using the ILL system is preferred. If the item cannot be located at Burns the staff can easily submit it to another library.
• Students: Items are held for 10 days.  After that they are re-shelved.
• Faculty: If you choose to send an email include full details, including title, publication year, and author.
• Shipping: If you are a distance education student you may request items be shipped.  

Loans via Interlibrary Loan and CLS

• Interlibrary Loan:
  • Loan requests are being processed. Note: Many libraries continue to be closed. We will try to get the item but there is no guarantee we will be able to locate an open library willing to ship.
  • Received items are available for pick up or shipping. See shipping section below for criteria. 
• CLS:  Any request sent through CLS is unmediated.  This means the ILL staff do not see the request as it is sent directly to the lending library for their review.  If the request is cancelled the staff have no way of knowing the reason. If you need the item, it is suggested  you submit an ILL request. 

 Pick up (Grab & Go) for Burns, ILL and CLS items

• Student and library staff:  The Grab&Go pick up location is next to the reference desk in the Reference Commons room. 
•  All students must retrieve requested items at the Grab&Go location within 10 days from receipt of the pick up email. If you are a distance education student (as verified by the Records Office) you may request shipping of the books.  
• Faculty and law school staff: Pick up your items at the circulation desk.  The circulation staff will retrieve the items. 

Returning books to the library

• Return books to the circulation desk or the book drop located outside the door. 
• If you are a distance education student who has borrowed books ship them to the library via a tracking service (UPS, FedEx, etc.) at your expense. 

Interlibrary resource sharing is available to faculty, students and staff of the law school.  The service obtains material for you from institutions all over the world, if the material is not available at the Jacob Burns Law Library, Gelman Library or Himmelfarb Medical Library. Lending of material by other institutions is a courtesy.  Therefore, returning the items on time is important.  Late fees are assessed for books returned after the due date.   

Contacts:

• ill@law.gwu.edu (best method)
• 202.994.4156

Current law students, faculty and staff automatically have an account in the interlibrary resource sharing system.  

• Access your ILL  account by inputting your law school email userid and password in JACOB.
  • Click on the ILL button on the top menu of the JACOB catalog page. 
• Request ILL material by using the GW Law Library WorldCat Discovery catalog, locate the material and click on "request the item." 
  • Use the signin button (top right) to access your ILL account.  

• The staff makes every effort to get the material as quickly as possible.  However, since we are dependent upon a lending library it make take up to 3 weeks for a lender to either fulfill or deny the request.
• Copyright fees are the responsibility of the patron.  The Interlibrary Resource Sharing staff will alert you, via email, if a request requires payment of copyright.  
• Overdue fees are assessed at $3.00 per day.  They will not be waived. In addition to fees, excessive overdue can result in loss of ILL privileges, loss of library circulation privileges and/or a hold on your law school account.  Please work with us and return items on time.  

Borrowing items from other libraries is a privilege.  Therefore if items are lost and/or damaged fines and fees will be incurred.

• An item is declared lost if overdue 3 weeks or sooner if it is the end of the semester.
• An invoice will be sent to you for the replacement cost (plus processing fees) and overdue fees. 
• If you find the book prior to payment of the invoice, please return asap.  All fees except overdue fees will be waived.
• If you find the book after the invoice has been paid, there will be no refund. You can add the book to your collection. 
• Unpaid invoices will result in blocks placed on your library accounts.  And, if necessary, a hold will be placed on your University account.
• Fees for damaged books will be determined by the lending library.  You may be responsible for replacement of the book.