Frequently Asked Questions About 

USC Lancaster's Medford Library ILL Express!

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Contents

  1. What is ILL Express!?
  2. Why did you change to the new system? What benefits do I get out of this change?
  3. Are there any disadvantages to the new system?
  4. Why do I need a username and password to use ILL Express!?
  5. What if I forget my password?
  6. What Web browser do you recommend?
  7. How can I use the system if I don't have Web access?
  8. Is security a problem if I use a public workstation?
  9. Why don't I see all my older requests when I look at my request history?
  10. What is Electronic Delivery?
  11. Who do I contact if I have problems with or questions about ILL Express!?
  12. Why does my browser say that you're sending a cookie? What's in it?

 


What is ILL Express!?

ILL Express! is the system used for placing and tracking interlibrary loan requests at Medford Library of the University of South Carolina Lancaster.  Students, faculty, and staff of The University of South Carolina Lancaster and current community patrons of Medford Library are all eligible to use ILL Express!

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Why did you change to the new system? What benefits do I get out of this change?

  1. You will find it easier to submit your interlibrary loan requests. With ILL Express!, you enter your name, address, and other personal information into the system only once, at the time of your first request.
  2. Your request will be handled more rapidly and accurately.
  3. You can get information about the status of your request through the Web at any time from any location without having to call the Library. 
  4. Library personnel are able to serve you better because all data about your request and its handling are stored in a searchable database, allowing us to respond quickly to your inquiries. We are also able to gather statistical information about the performance of the libraries that lend to us, enabling us to make better decisions when choosing a lender to supply an item.
  5. In a near-future enhancement of ILL Express, you can get many of your photocopies more quickly through Electronic Delivery. 
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Are there any disadvantages to the new system?

Some people might have preferred to submit their requests on paper or verbally.  Others might find it troublesome to have to log into ILL Express! and to have to use and remember a username and password.  ILL Express! will formalize the process but will enhance delivery and at-your-fingertips information for the users and will reduce the amount of repetitive information you might have submitted in the old way.

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Why do I need a username and password to use ILL Express!?

By having you choose a username and password, we can give you access to information about your interlibrary loan requests through your Web browser. We can also allow you to edit your personal information such as your address or phone number.

Your username can be anything you like, such as your name, abbreviations, or an alphanumeric code. Your password also can be anything you like. We recommend that you follow good security practice and choose a password that is different from those you use to access other systems. However, no one but you will know your password, not even the library staff. The password you set is stored in an encrypted file.

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What if I forget my password?

In the event that you forget your password, please contact Medford Library at (803) 313-7060. We can then reset your password allowing you access into the ILL Express! system. If we reset your password, please change it once you are back in the ILL Express! system.

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What Web browser do you recommend?

You need a Web browser that can handle forms, tables, and, preferably, one that can handle frames. We recommend either Netscape Navigator version 4.6 or greater or Microsoft Internet Explorer version 4.0 or greater. Both are available for the Windows 3.x, Windows 95 or NT, and Macintosh O/S operating systems. Netscape Navigator is also available for several types of UNIX, and Internet Explorer is available for Solaris.

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How can I use the system if I don't have Web access?

There are computers with Internet access available for your use in Medford Library.  

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Is security a problem if I use a public workstation?

Yes. 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:

  1. Access the ILL Express! system only from your personal computer or an otherwise secure workstation.
  2. When using a public access workstation, exit from the Web browser before you leave the workstation. This prevents the Back button from accessing the pages you were working with.
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Why don't I see all my older requests when I look at my request history?

Only the requests you submitted through ILL Express! will be in the database. Older ILL records do not contain sufficient information to allow them to be imported into ILL Express!.

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What is Electronic Delivery?

Many libraries ship photocopies of articles to us in electronic format. If you have selected electronic delivery of articles as a delivery option, we will make it available to you through your ILL Express! account immediately when it is checked in at the library.  From there you can view or download these articles for a period of 30 days.  They will appear in PDF format, which can be read with Adobe's Acrobat Reader, available for free from Adobe

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Who do I contact if I have problems with or questions about ILL Express!?

You can stop by the Library for assistance 8:00 a.m. to 4:30 p.m., Monday through Friday.  You can also reach us by telephone at (803) 313-7060, or by e-mail at ILLUSCLAN@gwm.sc.edu

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Why does my browser say that you're sending a cookie?  What's in it?

The Active Server Pages technology that we use to provide live reporting for the web sends a Session ID to be stored on your machine. You can refuse this cookie and still be able to use the ILL Express! system without any problems.

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Register for ILL Express!

Logon to ILL Express!

ILL Policies and Procedures

ILL Express! Help

ILL Home Page