• Circulation Services
• Acquisitions
• Interlibrary Loans
  • CHEC ILL Services (Claflin, OCTC, and SCSU)
  • Distance Education
• Reference Services
• Library Instruction
• Other Services
  • Computers
    • Faculty/Staff Lab
    • Reference Area Computers
    • Student/Alumni Lab
  • Fax Machine
  • Photocopying Services
  • Restrooms
  • Seminar/Conference Rooms
  • Study Rooms

Acquisitions

Interlibrary Loans (ILL)

What items are borrowed?
Items not owned by the Miller F. Whittaker Library are borrowed from other participating OCLC libraries and periodical sources. These include but are not limited to:

• Theses
• Dissertations
• Books
• Journal articles
• Microforms

• Students
• Faculty
• Staff
• Community users

How long will it take?
It takes as long as 3-5 working days to initiate, receive, process, and disseminate an interlibrary loan item to a user for in-state borrowing. Out-of-state borrowing takes 5-15 working days.

Notification of arrival
The library cannot guarantee an exact date for receipt of materials. When your requests are received, processed, and ready for circulation, the ILL staff will notify you by phone. If you cannot be reached by phone a written notification will be sent.

Renewals
Some interlibrary loan items can be renewed. You may call in to renew or come in person.

How much will it cost?
The cost for an interlibrary loan can range from $0.00 - $36.00+. This depends upon the policies of the lending library. Express, same day, and special delivery services are more expensive. For example, the amount of $36.00+ is the cost of the a soft-back copy of a thesis or dissertation from UMI which includes rush delivery. The cost for an article can range from $0.00-$24.00. This includes UMI's cost for a rush request and fax.

Community Higher Education Council
Students, faculty, and staff at South Carolina State University, Claflin University, and Orangeburg-Calhoun Technical College, have access to library holdings from each others collections. As part of the Alliance 2020 project, agreements have been formalized to allow access to borrow books and journals in these libraries. In each library, photocopies may be made for a small charge; however, borrowing privileges vary among institutions.

Distance Education Students
SCSU students can submit an Interlibrary Loan request for information they locate from other sources to the librarian at the University Center of Greenville. She will send this information on an ILL form to the Interlibrary Loan Unit at SCSU. If the
material(s) cannot be supplied from the Whittaker Library, the loan request will be submitted online to libraries across the country.
If the request(s) can be filled, the item(s) will be sent to the librarian at the Greenville University Center. If they cannot be supplied, the librarian at the Center will be notified.

ILL restrictions will apply to students using the Center as to other participating ILL libraries regarding the loan of certain materials from the Whittaker Library to include: 1) restrictions on reference materials (i.e. will provide photocopy); 2) loan of current dissertations (i.e., must be at least ten years old); and 3) the in-house use of some microfilm.  

Electronic ILL Form (In Testing)

For further information see the distance education brochure (Bridging the Distance Between You and Information Service).

PASCAL Delivers:
PASCAL Delivers is South Carolina's virtual academic library.  It enables students and faculty at SC's institutions of higher learning to request books from any academic library in the state and receive those books at their home institution in just a few business days.

ILL Hours:
Monday-Friday 8:30 a.m. - 12.30 p.m. 1:30 p.m. - 4:30 p.m.
For more information call (803)536-8637.

Reference Services

Online Reference Assistance
Online search assistance through e-mail is provided for quick reference, factual information, or information concerning South Carolina State University.  Extensive research questions cannot be handled through e-mail and instead require a visit to the library.  You will be notified if your question cannot be answered through the online service.

Other Services

Computers

Faculty/Staff Lab
A SCSU faculty/staff lab with 5 computers is located on the second floor of the library.  This lab provides Internet access, e-mail, Microsoft Office Applications (Word, Publisher, Excel, PowerPoint, etc.), the online catalog, and all the library's Web-based databases.  Please inquire at the Circulation desk for access to this lab.  The lab is open during the regular library hours.

Reference Area Computers
The 11 computers in the Reference Area are available for use by all library patrons.  These computers provide Internet access, e-mail, the online catalog, and all the library's Web-based databases.  Students are asked to limit computer use to 1 hour.

Student Computer Lab
A student computer lab with 15 computers provides Internet access, e-mail, Microsoft Office Applications (Word, Publisher, Excel, PowerPoint, etc.), the online catalog, and all the library's Web-based databases. The lab is staffed to provide training and troubleshooting. The lab is open during the regular library hours.  Only SCSU students and alumni users will have access to this computer lab.

Computer Policies:

Attention:  The general public has access to all library resources (print and electronic).  Computer access is available at the Reference Area and is limited to 2 hours per day.  A driver's license, or some form of picture id, and your signature are required.

Attention:  Persons under the age of 15 are not allowed to use any computers in the library (No Exceptions).  This is in accordance with the following directives:

• SC Code 20-7-10
• SC Code 10-1-205
• US Public Law 106-554
• US 114 Stat. 2763A-336

Copies of these directives are available at the Reference & Information Desk.

Fax Machine
The library has a fax machine which can be used for sending and receiving moderate to large volumes of documents.

Photocopying Services
Effective immediately, the library will no longer provide free photocopying services to faculty, staff, students, and the general public.  Nor will the library provide photocopying services for patrons as long as the copying machines are operable.  It is the responsibility of the patron to make their own copies.  In the event that both machines are inoperable, the library staff will assist you with making copies to the best of our ability.  There are two coin-operated copying machines on the 1st floor of the photocopying room.  The cost is $.15 a page. Change may be obtained from our coin changer located in the photocopying room.

Restrooms
Public restrooms are located on the second, mezzanine (third floor), and the lower level of the library. These facilities are accessible to the physically challenged.

Seminar/Conference Rooms
Rooms for group or seminars are located on the first and second floors. Reservations must be made in advance by calling the Circulation desk at (803)536-8645.

Study Rooms
The rooms designated for student/faculty study are located on the second and third floors.