Answers to Frequently Asked Questions about ILL Express

  • What is ILL Express?

    ILL Express is the electronic system you use to request an item through Interlibrary Loan.

  • How is ILL Express better than traditional ILL systems?

    • 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.
    • Your request will be handled more rapidly and accurately, as problems relating to misinterpretation of hand-written requests are eliminated.
    • You can get many of your photocopies more quickly through Electronic Delivery.
    • You can get information about the status of your request through the Web at any time, from any location without having to call the ILL Department.
    • 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.

  • Why do I need to register?

    Registration has three purposes:
    • Entering your personal information into the ILL Express system means you will not have to supply the information again when making future requests.
    • Having your e-mail and regular mail addresses on file with Interlibrary Loan enables us to notify you promptly and deliver materials accurately when your request arrives at the library.
    • By specifying a Username and Password of your choosing, you will have secure access to information about your requests. You will also be able to review the list of items you have requested in the past.

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

    • Your username and password provides you with secure access to information about your interlibrary loan requests, as well as the ability 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.

  • What if I forget my password/username?

    • If you used the optional "Password Hint" feature when you registered, your hint will appear in the status bar when you attempt to login using a correct username and an incorrect password.
    • If you did not use this feature, please fill out this form Reset Password. You will receive an email with a link and instructions on how to reset your password.
    • If you forgot your username, please fill out this form Forgotten Username?.

  • How do I change my password?

    • Logon to the ILL Express system using your current username and password.
    • Once logged on, the Main Menu will appear. Scroll down and select the "Change Password" button located on the left side of the page.
    • Enter your current password and your new password.
    • If you want to use the "Password Hint" feature but did not enter anything when you first registered, you can enter it now.
    • Click the button "Submit Information".
    • The Main Menu will then reappear displaying a message confirming that your password has been successfully changed.
    • When you are finished using ILL Express, please exit by clicking the button labeled "Exit ILL Express System" at the top of the Main Menu.

    Remember: Passwords are case sensitive.

  • How do I change my user information?

    Logon to ILL Express using your username and password. You can change the following information by choosing "Change User Information" from the Main Menu:
    • Name
    • Library Barcode
    • Preferred Notification Method
    • E-Mail Address
    • Phone Number
    • Fax Number
    • Mailing Address
    • Department
    • Campus Mailcode
    • Status
    • Preferred Electronic Delivery
    • Preferred Article Delivery Method
    • Preferred Loan Delivery Method
    To save changes, click the "Submit Information" button at the bottom of the page.

  • How do I edit a request?

    • Logon to ILL Express using your username and password.
    • Click the button "View/Modify Outstanding Requests" to display your active requests.
    • Select the request you wish to edit by clicking the appropriate transaction number button at the left of the page. You will then see detailed information about that request.
    • Press the button "Edit Request" at the top right hand corner of the page to open a request form. To edit the request, enter the additional information in the appropriate fields.
    • Press the button "Submit Request" at the bottom of the page.
    • The Main Menu will then reappear displaying a message confirming that your request has been updated successfully.
    • When you are finished using ILL Express, please exit by clicking the button labeled "Exit ILL Express System" at the top of the Main Menu.
    Note:  The request can be edited as long as the status of the request has not passed the status of "Request Sent" (this can be determined by checking the status of the item at the bottom of the page. See ILL Express Explanation.)

  • How do I cancel a request?

    • Logon to ILL Express using your username and password.
    • Click the "View/Modify Outstanding Requests" button.
    • Select the request that you wish to cancel by clicking on the appropriate transaction number at the left of the page. You will then see detailed information about that request.
    • Click the "Cancel Request" button in the top right hand corner of the page. This will automatically cancel the request.
    • The Main Menu will then reappear displaying a message confirming the cancellation of your request.
    • You can resubmit cancelled requests from the "View/Resubmit Cancelled Requests" button.
    • When you are finished using ILL Express, please exit by clicking the button labeled "Exit ILL Express System" at the top of the Main Menu.

    Note:  The request can be edited as long as the status of the request has not passed the status of "Request Sent" (this can be determined by checking the status of the item at the bottom of the page. See ILL Express Explanation.)

  • What is electronic delivery?

    Many libraries send copies of articles to us in electronic format. ILL Express provides the option of electronic delivery of these articles in PDF format (Adobe's Portable Document Format).

  • How do I sign up for electronic delivery?

    This is always the default option so you don't need to sign up for it.

  • How do I know if my computer can receive electronic articles?

    You will need Adobe Acrobat Reader installed and configured to work with your Web browser in order to view, download, and print articles.  If you can read the sample page, then your computer has the necessary software installed to work with your Web browser. However, if your computer tells you the file type is unknown and asks if you want to save the file to a disk, then you need to install the Adobe Acrobat Reader software.

  • How do I get Adobe Acrobat Reader?

    Acrobat Reader is available without charge from Adobe Systems, Inc. Click the "Get Acrobat Reader" button to go directly to the download page.

  • How do I get my articles when they arrive?

    Logon to ILL Express. On the main menu, choose "View/Download Electronically Received Articles" button. This will give you a list of all items that you have waiting to view or download.

  • How long will articles remain posted to my ILL Express account?

    Articles posted to your account will remain available to you for 30 days from the date of posting. If, prior to this time, you no longer require the use of an article, you may delete it using the "Delete" button to the right of the article information.

  • How do I know which requests will be electronically delivered and which ones will not?

    ILL Express sends you an e-mail notification for each item received. That e-mail will include information about the delivery method.

  • What if I do not want electronic delivery?

    Electronic delivery is the ILL Express default. Paper delivery will be provided only if you choose a different shipping option when you submit the request.

  • 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 either Microsoft Internet Explorer, or Mozilla Firefox.

  • 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  ILL Express without any problems.

  • A user located at a company or site outside of OHSU is unable to view some of the ILL Express pages. What might be wrong?

    The user might be using a computer behind a firewall that blocks outbound access to port 443, the port used by the ILL Express Web interface. Suggest that the user ask his/her IT staff if the firewall blocks outbound access to this port and, if it does, to unblock it.

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

    Click here for more contact info.