Document Delivery FAQs - Miller Nichols Library ILL@UMKC

ILL@UMKC Interlibrary Loan

Miller Nichols Library ILL@UMKC

Document Delivery FAQs

Frequently Asked Questions

What is the Document Delivery?

As we begin our renovation and in anticipation of moving many of our materials into the Robot (Automated Storage/Retreival System), we would like to make access to library materials as simple as possible. Document Delivery is the first new service that we will provide to accomplish this goal. If you need to photocopy an article or chapter from materials that are available in print in Miller Nichols Library, we can retrieve the material, scan and deliver it to your desktop.

Requests for Document Delivery service can be placed through ILL@UMKC, just like you would place a request for Interlibrary Loan. If the materials you need are not held in print by Miller Nichols Library, the libraries will try to borrow or photocopy the material from another library through Interlibrary Loan (ILL). Document Delivery is available to current UMKC faculty, faculty proxies, staff and members of the Community Information Program. Items requested from Document Delivery should be available in under three business days. Every effort is made to ensure the shortest possible receipt time.

Who can use Document Delivery?

  • Document Delivery services provided through ILL@UMKC can only be used by UMKC faculty, faculty proxies and staff that use Miller Nichols Library as their primary library, as well as members of the Community Information Program (and are for research purposes only). Other UMKC faculty, faculty proxies and staff, UMKC students, Friends of the Library, UMKC alumni and students from other campuses may visit the library in person to make photocopies using University Libraries photocopying and printing services. If you are unsure of your eligibility for this service, please feel free to contact us.

What can I request through Document Delivery?

  • Use Document Delivery to order articles in journals and chapters from books available in print at the Miller Nichols Library.
  • Items available electronically through the University Libraries should be retrieved through our electronic databases; Document Delivery requests for materials available electronically will be cancelled and we will send directions for you to retrieve the article yourself.
  • Use Interlibrary Loan to order articles in journals not available at the Miller Nichols Library, UMKC Law Library or Linda Hall Library.
  • Use Interlibrary Loan to order books not available at Miller Nichols Library, UMKC Law Library, Linda Hall Library or MERLIN or MOBIUS libraries.

Request limits and copyright guidelines

Please read before making requests.

UMKC's Miller Nichols Library is required by law to follow the same Fair Use guidelines you would be required to follow if you came to the library in person. Our office may refuse to accept a request if, in our judgment, fulfillment of the request would involve a violation of Copyright law (Title 17, United States Code). Additionally, to limit potential copyright violations, we have established the following guidelines:

  • We will copy no more than one article or book chapter from any journal issue or book.
  • Individual requests will be limited to 40 pages.
  • A photocopy must not consist of too much of an entire item (book or journal issue). We cannot copy an entire special issue of a journal, for example.

Please request judiciously and be mindful of copyright laws when requesting photocopies. If a request is canceled for copyright reasons, or if you are concerned that your request may violate copyright, we recommend that you visit the library to view the material in person or to check it out. For more information on copyright and intellectual property laws, try visiting the links below.

How much does Document Delivery cost?

  • For UMKC faculty, faculty proxies and staff, Document Delivery does not cost anything. The library absorbs any costs incurred, including those associated with photocopies, scanning and staff costs.
  • Members of the Community Information Program should contact the Community Information Program Coordinator at 816-235-1528 for a list of fees associated with the service.

How long will it take and where do I pick up my Document Delivery items?

  • Barring an event that interrupts service (whick will be announced on the ILL@UMKC homepage), all materials will be delivered to you within three business days from the initial request.
  • You will be notified by email or phone when your item is available.
  • Articles will be delivered electronically to UMKC affiliated users. In the rare case we cannot deliver an article electronically, a paper photocopy will be sent through campus mail or held at the Access Services Desk to be picked up. All articles for Community Information Program users will be held at the Access Services Desk to be picked up unless prior arrangements have been made. Photocopies are yours to keep. Electronically delivered articles will remain available on our server for two weeks.

What if I need the article right away?

Document Delivery should not take more than three business days, and we cannot guarantee a shorter delivery time. Here are some tips if you need something in less than three business days:

  • The fastest way to obtain your material is to go to the library and check out the book or copy the article you need.
  • Do not order unnecessary materials. This sounds obvious, but you would be surprised at how many people order everything they have found on a topic and then evaluate them later. It will help everyone if you can evaluate the articles from your search and only order the pertinent items. If you would like more information about evaluating citations before ordering your documents or if you would like instruction on how to perfect your searching skills, please email or call the MNL reference desk at (816) 235-1534.
  • Check other local libraries that are convenient to you. Most of their catalogs are also available online. After determining which library has the materials you need, you can go to the library and check out or copy it yourself. If you hope to access the electronic resources at another library, be sure to call first to ensure that you are eligible to use their resources.
  • Use a commercial document delivery service. These services cost money, but if you absolutely need an article for a grant you're writing or a paper you're presenting, paying for document delivery may be your best bet to ensure next day service. In most document delivery services you can order on-line with a credit card and have your article faxed to you by the next day. Examples of document delivery companies include Infotrieve Online (www.infotrieve.com) and the Canada Institute for Scientific and Technical Information (CISTI) (http://cisti-icist.nrc-cnrc.gc.ca/main_e.html).

How do I logon to ILL@UMKC?

  1. Go to the ILL@UMKC logon screen.
  2. Enter your UMKC email username and password
  3. Click "Logon to ILL@UMKC."
  4. If you have not placed an interlibrary loan request recently, you will be asked to provide your personal information. You will only have to do this once. Fill out the form with your most current information, making sure to include your UMKC email address and campus address (if you have one), and click "Submit Information."

How do I request Document Delivery materials via ILL@UMKC?

  1. Sign in to ILL@UMKC.
  2. In the menu on the left side of the page, select the type of request you want to place (article or book chapter).
  3. Fill out the form as completely as you can; items marked with an asterisk (*) are required.
  4. Include an OCLC, ISSN or ISBN number, if you have one.
  5. Include any special instructions.
  6. Select "Yes" next to "Is this item available in print at Miller Nichols Library?"
  7. Read the statement of Copyright and Financial Responsibility.
  8. Click "Submit Request"

How do I request via Research Databases?

Requests can also be placed directly from many of the library's research databases. ILL@UMKC access has been activated in databases from:

For FirstSearch databases:

  1. Confirm that the journal issue/book is available in print at Miller Nichols Library
  2. Follow the link to "Miller Nichols Library ILL"
  3. Logon to ILL@UMKC using your email username and password.
  4. Check the information in the form that opens and make any additions or corrections.
  5. Select "Yes" next to "Is this item available in print at Miller Nichols Library?"
  6. Click "Submit Request."

For Ovid databases and all other databases that link through Serials Solutions:

  1. Confirm that the journal issue/book is available in print at Miller Nichols Library
  2. Follow the link to Serials Solutions.
  3. Click on the "Miller Nichols" Interlibrary Loan request form link near the bottom of the page.
  4. Logon to ILL@UMKC using your email username and password.
  5. Check the information in the form that opens and make any additions or corrections.
  6. Select "Yes" next to "Is this item available in print at Miller Nichols Library?"
  7. Click "Submit Request."

Databases that do not link to Serials Solutions (including ProQuest databases) and that are not mentioned above cannot request directly through ILL@UMKC. To request articles from these databases, follow the directions above in How do I request Document Delivery materials via ILL@UMKC.

Please check the MERLIN catalog and Serials Solutions for articles before placing your request. Include any notes about the item or special instructions in the form. Most articles are delivered electronically.

Note: ERIC documents with an accession number beginning with "ED" are available on microfiche at the Miller Nichols Library. These can be requested via Document Delivery on a limited basis depending on the length of the material. Contact Us if you have any questions.

Step-by-Step directions with screen shots in PDF format

How do I check the status of a Document Delivery request?

  • Log in to ILL@UMKC
  • Search for your request using the search box
  • Or, find your request in the menus listed under "View" on the left side of the ILL@UMKC screen.
  • Click on a transaction number for more detailed information.
  • See our Transaction Statuses Interpreted page for definitions of the "Status" in your request.
  • If you have any trouble or still have questions, contact the Interlibrary Loan office.

Step-by-Step directions with screen shots in PDF format

How can I be secure when using ILL@UMKC on a public computer?

Web browsers cache information and create a history file on the local workstation. This allows a subsequent user of the workstation to access the system under your name using the browser's Back button to recall a page from the cache, or by finding a page with your personal information in the browser's history file. If you are concerned about the security of your interlibrary loan requests, you can take the following steps:

  • Access ILL@UMKC only from your personal computer or an otherwise secure workstation.
  • When using a public access workstation:
    1. Delete from the history file those pages that contain your personal information.
    2. Exit from the Web browser before you leave the workstation. This prevents the Back button from accessing the pages you were using.

Contact Us

University of Missouri-Kansas City
Miller Nichols Library - ILL
800 E. 51st St .
Kansas City, MO 64110
Phone: 816.235.1586
Fax: 816.235.5531

E mail:
Miller Nichols Library Interlibrary Loan