Access Library's Resources
Document Delivery

Rice Library does not currently provide document delivery services to students enrolled in distance education and/or off-campus classes for materials which are held in the library's collections but are not available in an online format. Students needing such materials may want to consider the following options.

• Option 1: Visit an academic library in your area and photocopy the articles from its print/microform collections. In some cases, the library might also permit you to use its electronic databases on site. Additionally, many publicly-funded universities and colleges will extend courtesy book borrowing privileges to citizens of the state. Should you use this option, it is recommended that you search the library's online catalog (via the Web) to determine whether the item you are needing is in the library's collection and is available for your use before you visit the library. Also, if you are unable to determine what the library's policies regarding services to a non-affiliated patron such as yourself are by visiting its Web page, it is strongly recommended that you telephone the library ahead of your visit to reduce the risk of disappointment and frustration. Ask questions about the library's specific location, hours of service, and services to non-students. Answers to these questions in advance of a lengthy drive to a distant library may save both time and money in the long run.
• Option 2: If driving to an academic library is not always possible, investigate the option of submitting interlibrary loan requests to your nearest public library. Make sure you have as complete a citation as possible to the item you are seeking before submitting your request. Also, bear in mind that there is usually a cost, and always a time-delay, associated with this service.
• Option 3: You may also submit your request to a commercial document delivery service. These services will accept your request electronically and allow for payment using your credit card. Whereas these services may be able to supply your request quickly, they are usually more expensive than a public library's interlibrary loan service. The price includes the cost of reproducing the article, the copyright royalties, and the delivery charges, which are based on the method of delivery chosen. Click here for a list of possible commercial services along with contact information.
• Option 4: You may want to check with your professor to determine if document delivery services are provided by the department or school offering the course you are taking.