Tips for Successful Requests

• Follow Copyright & Fair Use guidelines when requesting items
  • Request one chapter at a time
  • Request 50 pages or less
• Include as much information as possible
  • Including ISSN, ISBN or DOI information will produce faster processing time which may result in receiving requested materials more quickly.
• If you know the DOI of an article, use the DOI Resolver.

Frequently Asked Questions

How long will it take to get my request?
Estimated delivery times vary depending on the type of request and whether or not UB owns the item. If UB does not own an item we must borrow it from a partner institution, which takes time. Typically, items arrive within:

• Books or media owned by UB: 3-7 business days
• Books or media not owned by UB: 7-10 business days, longer for high demand or rare items.
• Journal articles or book chapters available at UB: 3-7 business days
• Journal articles or book chapters not available at UB: 7-10 business days, longer depending on the lending institution

Why is one of my Delivery+ book due sooner than my other library books?
If UB does not own a book or other requested item, we will obtain it from another college or university. Because we do not own these books, we are unable to determine their due dates. Due dates and renewals for non-UB items are determined by the lending institution. UB-owned books delivered through Delivery+ can generally be held for 16 weeks.

I requested a book chapter and got a notice that the entire book is ready for pickup on the hold shelf. What happened?
If your request includes a large number of pages, it may exceed copyright and fair use guidelines. In this case, the library will convert your scanning request into a physical item request and make the entire book available for you to pick up in the library.

Why was my item placed on the hold shelf when I requested a personal delivery to my home/office?
When you have overdue books that do not belong to the University at Buffalo Libraries (i.e., we obtained them for you from another institution), personal delivery is suspended. Any new personal delivery requests will be rerouted to a library hold shelf until the overdue items are returned. Upon receipt of the item(s), personal delivery is reinstated.

I requested the supplemental material for an article but only received the article. How can I be sure I get the supplementary data?
Article requests are processed automatically, so any note made requesting supplemental material may be missed. Please enter requests for supplementary data in the article title field and page number field.

I am an alum. How can I place a Delivery+ request?
Unfortunately, only current UB students, faculty, and staff are eligible for our Delivery+ service.