Answers to Frequently Asked Questions about deliverEdocs

Contents

  1. How is deliverEdocs better than traditional ILL systems?
  2. Are there any disadvantages to the electronic system?
  3. Why do I need a username and password to use deliverEdocs?
  4. What if I forget my password?
  5. What Web browser should I use?
  6. Is security a problem if I use a public workstation?
  7. Why don't I see all my older requests when I look at my request history?
  8. What is Electronic Delivery?
  9. How do I get my articles when they arrive?
  10. Who do I contact if I have problems with or questions about deliverEdocs?
  11. Why does my browser say that you're sending a cookie? What's in it?

How is deliverEdocs better than traditional ILL systems?

  1. You will find it easier to submit your interlibrary loan requests. With deliverEdocs, you enter your name, address, and other personal information into the system only once, at the time of your first request.
  2. You can get information about the status of your request through the Web at any time from any location without having to call the ILS Staff. You can also renew your loaned item through the web. But you have to renew the item on or before the due date.
  3. You will get your articles more quickly through Electronic Delivery.
  4. You will get an e-mail notification if we will be unable to acquire your requested item(s).
  5. Library personnel are able to serve you better because all data about your request and its handling is stored in a searchable database. We are able to respond quickly to your inquiries about your request. 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.
Back to Top

Are there any disadvantages to the electronic system?

Some people might find it troublesome to have to log into deliverEdocs using a username and password. We believe this is less trouble than traditional paper and electronic systems which require you to enter your personal information with each new request.

Back to Top

Why do I need a username and password to use deliverEdocs?

Your username and password allows us to give you secure access to information about your interlibrary loan requests. We can also enable 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. No one but you will know your password, not even the library staff. The password you set is stored in an encrypted file.

Back to Top

What if I forget my password?

In the event that you forget your password, please contact the Interlibrary Loan Office at 979-845-5641 for EVANS/PSEL/QATAR/WCL patrons or 979-845-7428 for Medical Sciences Library patrons. We can then reset your password allowing you access to deliverEdocs.
Please change your password once you logon after the first time to deliverEdocs .

Back to Top

What Web browser should I use?

You need a Web browser that can handle forms, tables, and, preferably, one that can handle frames.  We recommend Microsoft Internet Explorer.

Back to Top

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

Why don't I see all my older requests when I look at my request history?

From time to time we purge older records from deliverEdocs. Our policy is to keep requests online for several years order to comply with record keeping requirements of the copyright law.

Back to Top

What is electronic delivery?

Many libraries ship photocopies of articles to us in electronic format. In the past we printed these articles before delivering them to you. Now, through deliverEdocs, we will deliver these articles to you electronically in PDF format (Adobe's Portable Document Format).

Back to Top

How do I get my articles when they arrive?

Logon to deliverEdocs. On the main menu, scroll down to View Requests section, and click View/Download Electronically Received Articles. This will give you a list of all items that you have waiting to view or download.

Back to Top

Who do I contact if I have problems with or questions about deliverEdocs?

Back to Top

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 web pages and  deliverEdocs without any problems.

Back to Top