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Category: Docs2Go & Interlibrary Loan

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While using the Himmelfarb Library, you may have come across terms like ILL and CLS. The acronyms may seem confusing at first, which is why we are happy to take the time to share more about what these two library services can offer you.

Consortium Loan Service (CLS)

Consortium Loan Service, or CLS for short, is a free service that allows our users to request books that are available within the Washington Research Library Consortium (WRLC). At Himmelfarb, we can borrow items from WRLC libraries, such as American University, or Georgetown, on behalf of our users and have them delivered to Himmelfarb. CLS books are usually delivered within 2-3 business days.

How do I place a CLS request?

  1. Search for the book you are looking for in the Himmelfarb catalog advanced search. Make sure that Articles + GW & Consortium Catalog is selected.
  2. Under “How to get it” click Sign In and use your GW Net ID & password to log in.
  3. Under “How to get it” click “Consortium Loan Service Request”
  4. Specify where you would like to pick the book up: Himmelfarb Library or the GW VSTC Library.

For additional information about CLS, please visit our CLS lib guide. 

Interlibrary Loan (ILL)

If you are looking for an article or book that is not available in our catalog or through CLS, Interlibrary Loan (ILL), is a fantastic option. Through our ILL service, we can request books and articles from libraries across the country. Articles normally take around 24-72 hours to be delivered. Books may take longer depending on how far away the lending library is from GW. For detailed information about our ILL service, check out our Interlibrary Loan and Documents2Go guide.

To make an Interlibrary Loan request, you will need to access our Documents2Go (Docs2Go) portal.

  1. Log in using your GW Net ID & password; make sure to leave out the ‘@gwu.edu/@gwmail.gwu.edu’ part of your net ID. 
  2. Selectthe “New Request” in the menu.
  3. Select the type of resource you want to request: article, book, or book chapter
  4. Provide as much detail  help us identify the exact resource you need’ Include the journal title, article title, page number, volume, or year, and author.
  5. Click ‘Submit Request’ when you are ready to place your request.

Once you’ve placed your request, we will do our best to find the resource from another library and as soon as we receive a PDF of the requested article or book chapter, you will receive an email notification informing you that you can access your article through your Documents2Go portal. Keep in mind that these articles disappear after 30 days on your account, so download them if you want permanent access to the material!

If the item you requested is a physical book, you will receive a notification informing you that the item is available for pick up at the Himmelfarb Circulation Desk or the VSTC Library depending on your requested designation. If you would like to learn more about these services, you can check out our research guide or contact mlbdoc@gwu.edu.

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We’d like to welcome everyone joining the SMHS, GW Nursing and GWSPH communities this month! Himmelfarb Library has a wealth of resources and services to meet your patient care, education, and research needs and you don’t need to visit the building to take advantage of most of what we offer. Our electronic collections are available 24/7 from anywhere, on campus or off campus when using VPN or web authentication services.  

Himmelfarb Resources and Collections

Himmelfarb has 125 databases to search, including PubMed, Scopus, and our library discovery service Health Information @ Himmelfarb. Health Information @ Himmelfarb enables users to search physical and electronic books, journals, articles, dissertations, and more from one search box.

To browse and access our collection of e-journals we recommend using BrowZine. BrowZine can be accessed on a browser or you can download the app to your IOS or Android device. You can assemble a personalized bookshelf of journal titles, follow your favorite journals, and be alerted to new issues with a table of contents.

We also recommend installing LibKey Nomad on your favorite browser for easy access to full-text when searching PubMed, Scopus, EBSCO databases, Google Scholar, Amazon, publisher sites, and more. Nomad will alert you to the full-text availability of articles and e-books from Himmelfarb and in many cases deliver a PDF with one click.

Himmelfarb provides a wide range of electronic book titles from Access Medicine, ClinicalKey, EBSCOhost, and R2 Digital Library. You can browse our e-book collections or view our special collections in Health Information @ Himmelfarb. We also have many print books! Our main book collection is on the basement level and most books can be borrowed for 3 weeks with up to 2 renewals.

If we don’t have what you need, we can get it for you through the Consortium Loan Service or Documents2Go. Consortium Loan Service provides free loans of materials from most of the academic libraries in the DC metro area. Documents2Go provides scanned article and chapter copies or physical book loans with up to 30 free requests for Himmelfarb users a year.

Clinical Tools and Applications

For those providing patient care, Himmelfarb has specialized apps and information services to support you. DynaMed, Lexicomp, and others are available to be downloaded as apps for easy access from your device. Check our App Shelf to browse for tools.

For residents specifically, we offer NEJM Resident 360. This resource contains interactive cases, videos, rotation prep materials, clinical pearls, morning reports, and more! To learn more about NEJM Resident 360 and our many resources for residents, check out our Residents and Fellows Research Guide.

Research Support

Himmelfarb can support you in your research from helping with literature searches or systematic reviews to organizing sources with RefWorks or Covidence. We can even assist with your data management and sharing plan if you are applying for NIH funding. See our Resources for Early Career Research Guide if you’re just getting started with research. Our Scholarly Publishing tutorials are a great way to learn about all aspects of the scholarly publishing lifecycle at your own pace. For more seasoned researchers, we offer a Research Profile Audit Service to get the most out of the various profile services, like ORCiD and SciENcv.

24/7 Access

For most of the academic year, the Himmelfarb Library facility is open 24/7. We will be observing shorter hours during the month of July - but will still be open nightly until midnight. Note that from June 12 to July 26, 2023 entry to both Himmelfarb Library and Ross Hall will be through the Himmelfarb courtyard entrance doors from 7pm to 7am Monday through Friday and on weekends. You need your GWorld badge to enter the library. There is space for quiet conversation and group work on the first floor and quieter spaces for study on the second floor. Reserve our study rooms in advance. 

Can’t come to the library? Our librarians can assist you via chat or phone (202-994-2850) during business hours or email us anytime at himmelfarb@gwu.edu. We look forward to seeing you in the library or assisting you remotely!

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Effective immediately, Himmelfarb Library will now provide 30 free interlibrary requests for the year for all GW Nursing, GWSPH, and SMHS patrons between January and December! The allowed amount will reset at the beginning of each fiscal year (July 1 to June 30).   We hope the change simplifies the service for users and allows them to maximize their use of Documents2Go’s interlibrary loan service!

Why the limit? 

Due to the expensive nature of research articles, we are unable to lift the current limit to the number of allowable free requests. We will do everything we are able to obtain your article in a timely fashion. 

Why the limit?

Articles are normally delivered within 24-72 hours.  If your article takes longer than a week to receive, feel free to contact us at mlbdoc@gwu.edu to receive an update on your request. 

Are there any other costs?

If you need to receive your requested article within 24 hours of creating it, you may designate your request as a “rush” request. Rush requests incur a $10 fee. After your acknowledgment of the additional cost, we will try to obtain your article within 24 hours. In the case that we are unable to obtain the article within the allotted time, you will not be charged. 

How can I submit requests? Access Documents2Go then log in using your GW User ID and password. For accounts created before May 22, 2022, your GW UserID is the portion of your email address prior to the “@.” For accounts created after May 22, 2022, your GW UserID is your GWID (G#). If you are unable to access your account or have any additional questions about our Interlibrary Loan service let us know by contacting mlbdoc@gwu.edu

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Attention all interlibrary loan (ILL) users! Our ILL Documents2Go will be down for planned service tomorrow on 11/8/2022. If you have any article or book requests that you would like to be addressed before the pending maintenance, please make your request before 11/8, or contact mlbdoc@gwu.edu if you have any additional questions.

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Whether you’re a new Himmelfarb Library user, or have been using the library for years, chances are there are things you don’t know about us. We’d like to take this opportunity to help you get to know us, or get reacquainted with us and all that we have to offer!

Getting Help is Easy! Just Ask Us!

Whether you need help finding a specific full-text article, identifying a resource for your research, formatting a citation, or have a more in-depth question about conducting a literature review, a systematic review or managing your data, our reference librarians have the knowledge and know-how to help! Stop by our reference desk, chat with us using the “Ask Us” button on our website, call us (202-994-2850), email us (himmelfarb@gwu.edu), or text us (202-601-3525) for help. We look forward to answering your questions, large or small!

Our Collections

Himmelfarb has extensive collections that include 125+ databases, 6,700+ ebooks, and 6,500+ electronic journals that are available 24/7 from on and off-campus! We also have thousands of print books in our basement level stacks that are available for check out. Most books can be borrowed for three weeks. But don’t worry - if you need more time, you can renew most items twice by stopping by or calling our Circulation Desk (202-994-2962), or logging into your library account. 

In the event that we don’t have an article or book that you need, we can get it for you through our Docs2Go (ILL) or Consortium Loan Service (CLS) programs. Check out our Borrowing From Other Libraries page to learn which option is best for you!

On-Site Access & Use

Masking is a Must!

Remember that masking is still required in the library in accordance with GW’s current mask protocols. Please wear a mask while spending time in Himmelfarb for your own safety, and for the safety of those around you. Hand sanitizer is also available throughout Himmelfarb.

Himmelfarb Tour

Take a quick virtual tour of Himmelfarb to help you get acquainted with our space! 

Study Rooms & IT Support

We have plenty of study rooms available on our second and third floors. Study rooms must be reserved and can be booked up to seven days in advance. The SMHS Technology Support Center is located on the third floor in the Bloedorn AV Study Center for all of your IT support needs.

Technology Resources

Himmelfarb’s Bloedorn Technology Center, located on our third floor, offers statistical software, including SPSS, Stata, SAS, NVivo, MATLAB, and Atlas.ti on select computers. We also have equipment such as digital camcorders and digital voice recorders for loan to support curricular development and activities, but these items must be reserved in advance.

3D Printing

Thanks to a generous grant from the GW Hospital Women’s Board, we are proud to offer free 3D printing! To learn more, check out our 3D Printing at Himmelfarb Guide.

Picture of a gray 3D printed heart.

Off-Campus Access

All of Himmelfarb’s electronic resources are available 24/7 from anywhere! Just login with your GW UserID and password, or via the GW VPN. If you have trouble accessing any of our resources, reach out to us (himmelfarb@gwu.edu) so we can help troubleshoot, resolve issues and restore access as soon as possible.

Services and Support

Instruction:

We have services to help faculty and instructors use and connect Himmelfarb’s resources in the classroom. Our Durable Links Service will check, fix, or create new links to our resources that work from both on and off campus so your students will be able to access materials from anywhere. Our Course Reserves service provides access to electronic, print, and streaming course materials. Do you use a book in a course that Himmelfarb doesn’t currently own? Contact Acquisitions Librarian, Ian Roberts, and we will consider purchasing items for use in your courses.

Research Support:

Whether you are a faculty member, researcher, or student, Himmelfarb can help you be successful in your research! Are you working on your Culminating Experience project? Himmelfarb librarians provide individual consultations to help get your project started - and keep it going. 

Are you working on a systematic review and could use some support? Check out our Systematic Reviews Guide for in-depth information on the process. Himmelfarb also provides access to Covidence, an online tool that streamlines parts of the systematic review process such as screening references, and creating and populating data extraction forms. You can also use our Systematic Review Service for additional librarian support!

Check out our tutorials for help with navigating databases, using specific software such as ArcGix, MATLAB, RefWorks, SPSS, or Camtasia, and for help with a wide array of research topics. Our Resources for Early Career Researchers Guide can help new researchers understand and navigate the research and publishing landscape. Check out our Scholarly Publishing Guide for information and resources related to publishing, researcher profiles, author rights, and measuring the impact of your research. Scholarly communications webinars and short tutorials are also available on this guide!

Himmelfarb Library Can Help!

Whether you are a student, faculty, or staff member, Himmelfarb Library has the resources and knowledge to help make your studies and research successful. From study space, extensive collections of resources, to expertise in systematic reviews and publishing, we have something for everyone! 

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In case you haven’t heard, Himmelfarb Library has a new electronic payment method for our Interlibrary Loan service! 

Have you ever received an invoice for your Interlibrary Loan (Documents2Go) requests? Receiving an invoice is an uncommon occurrence for most GW users, but in some circumstances, such as ordering a rush request (which incurs a $10 fee) or going over the Rule of 15 (which allows users to request 15 free articles in each half of the year, it is possible to accumulate a fee for ILL. We are excited to announce the implementation of TouchNet, a new platform that allows the electronic processing of payments for ILL invoices. Not only does TouchNet streamline the process of paying and processing an invoice as a whole, the straightforward process is convenient for both the library and the patron, and both recipients will receive an emailed copy of their invoice. 

In the event that you have received an invoice, you may remit payment through our TouchNet portal. We encourage all ILL users to take advantage of this method as payment will be processed in a timely manner at your convenience (for example, no waiting for staff to be available or to call you back). If you are unable to pay via credit card online, you can also call our ILL department at 202-994-286.

If you have not used ILL before, GW students, staff and faculty may access our Documents2Go portal and login with their GW UserID and password. Further information on both our Consortium Loan Service (CLS) and Interlibrary loans can be found on our new Research Guide. Invoices are sent out in the mail at the beginning of each month, so if you have any concerns about not receiving an invoice following your request right away, expect to see it in the mail at your registered address.  Additionally, you can reach out to our Interlibrary loan department at mlbdoc@gwu.edu with any questions you may have.  

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Sticky Note with "To Do" Scrabble letters above.
Photo by Breakingpic from Pexels

As Spring semester draws to a close, it’s easy to get overwhelmed with tying up loose ends, completing long to-do lists, and meeting last minute deadlines. Himmelfarb Library can help ease the burden by providing study space and scholarly resources to help prepare you for end of semester exams and assignments, and resources and services to help you prepare for next semester. Here are some things to keep in mind as the end of Spring semester gets closer.

Returning Books

If you have books checked out, whether they are Himmelfarb Library books, Interlibrary Loan or Consortium Loan books, be sure to return these items to the Himmelfarb Circulation desk. Himmelfarb is open 24/7 so stop by and return your items when it’s most convenient for you.

Renewing Books

If you need to renew an item, there are three ways to do so:

  • Online: Log into your library account with your GW NetID and password.
  • In Person: Stop by the Himmelfarb Circulation Desk and renew items in person.
  • Phone: Call the Circulation Desk at (202)994-2962

Check Your Accounts

Be sure to log into your library account to see a list of all items checked out to you. Check your Documents2Go account to make sure you don’t have any items due or owe any money for Interlibrary Loan requests. If you have Consortium Loan Service (CLS) related fees, contact the lending library to arrange payment. 

Studying at Himmelfarb

Are you looking for a quiet place to study? Or do you need a group study space? Himmelfarb has options for both! If you are looking for a quiet place to study, the 2nd and 3rd floors (with the exception of Bloedorn Technology Center) of the library are reserved for quiet study. Both of these floors are designated quiet zones. If you don’t mind noise while you study, or want to study with other people, the first floor of the library is not a quiet floor and can be a good fit for these preferences. 

Study rooms are also an option! Study rooms must be reserved, so be sure to make your reservations ahead of time. Most study rooms can accommodate up to four people and have large computer screens and white boards. White board markers and erasers are available for checkout at the first floor Circulation Desk.

Don’t forget that masks are still required inside Himmelfarb Library in compliance with GW’s indoor mask requirements!

Faculty End-of-Semester Items:

Embedded Librarian Service

Are you planning ahead for Summer or Fall semesters and would like to have a Himmelfarb Librarian embedded in your Blackboard course? Contact Tom Harrod (tph@gwu.edu) to make arrangements!

Course Materials 

Are you thinking of adding new books, articles, or other materials to your upcoming courses? Let us know what materials you are considering using. We are happy to look into print or online access options! Contact Ian Roberts (imroberts@gwu.edu) for assistance. And don’t forget to submit your Course Reserves requests for Summer semester.

Library Outreach

If you have residents or students that are new to GW and are interested in scheduling a brief orientation to Himmelfarb Library, let us know! We are happy to meet with your group and provide an overview of all Himmelfarb has to offer and answer any questions you or your residents or students may have. Contact himmelfarb@gwu.edu for more information.

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Your research is important, and we are here to help. What if Himmelfarb does not have the book or article you are looking for? The good news is that we have services designed to help you should these situations arise. 

ILL. CLS. Interlibrary Loan. Consortium Loan Service. Have you heard these terms before? If you have, awesome! If not, let us introduce you to them! We understand that the acronyms may be confusing, and want to take the time to share more about what these two library services can offer you.

Borrowing from other libraries

Interlibrary Loan (ILL) and Consortium Loan Service (CLS) provide materials that Himmelfarb does not currently have access to such as articles, book chapters, and books.  These services are available to our GW SMHS, SON, and SPH students, staff and faculty members. We understand that your research is important, and will do everything that we can to provide the books and articles that you need for your studies and research. 

Consortium Loan Service (CLS)

Consortium Loan Service, or CLS for short, is a service that allows our users to request books that are available within our local library consortium, the Washington Research Library Consortium (WRLC). What this means is that if Georgetown has a book that you would like to borrow, CLS makes it possible to borrow their copy. One benefit of borrowing books through CLS is that this is the fastest way for us to borrow books from other libraries within the D.C. area as materials arrive usually within 2-3 days. We rely on a courier service for the expedited delivery of books within 2-3 business days. For detailed information about our CLS service, check out our Consortium Loan Service Guide!

How do I place a CLS request? 

  1. Search for the book you are looking for in the Himmelfarb catalog advanced search. Make sure that Articles + GW & Consortium Catalog is selected.
  2. Under “How to get it” click Sign In. Use your GW Net ID & password to login.
  3. Under “How to get it” click “Consortium Loan Service Request”
  4. Specify where you would like to pick the book up - e.g. at Himmelfarb library or the VSTC library. You will be notified when your book is ready to be picked up at the designated library.

Interlibrary Loan (ILL)

If you are looking for an article or book that is not available in our catalog or through CLS, Interlibrary Loan (ILL), is a great option! Through ILL, we can request books and articles from libraries across the country on your behalf. Articles are normally delivered within 24-72 hours. Books may take longer depending on how far away the lending library is from D.C. For detailed information about our ILL service, check out our Interlibrary Loan and Documents2Go guide!

To make an Interlibrary Loan request, you will need to access our Documents2Go (Docs2Go) portal. 

  1. Log in using your GW Net ID & password. Make sure to leave out any ‘@gwu.edu’ part of your net ID. You will not be able to access your account if you include it.
  2. To make a request:
    1. Find the “Make a new request” menu item. 
    2. Select the type of resource you want to request : article, book, or book chapter.
    3. Please be as detailed as possible in order  to help us find the exact resource you need. Include the journal title, article title, page number, volume, or year, and author.
    4. Click the ‘Submit Request’ when you are ready to place your request.
  3. Once you’ve placed your request, we will do our best to find the resource from another library. 
  4. Once we receive a PDF of the requested article, or book chapter, you will receive an email notification informing you that you can access your article through your Documents2Go portal. Keep in mind, these articles disappear after 30 days on your account, so download it if you want permanent access to the material!
    1. If the item you requested is a physical book, once we receive the item, you will receive a notification informing you that the item is available for pick up at the Himmelfarb Circulation Desk, or at the Ashburn Library.

Does it cost money? 

The Consortium Loan Service is always free, and for Interlibrary Loan, we offer 15 free requests to all GW SMHS, SON, and SPH students, staff, residents and faculty members from the dates of January 1st to July 1st. Afterwards, we offer another free 15 starting from July 1st, to the end of December. This amount resets each calendar year. Any additional requests over the initial 15 will incur an additional $10.00 charge. We will contact you to confirm any charges, so you’ll never accrue charges without knowing about it. Rush requests, which guarantees article delivery within 24 hours,  will cost an additional $10. In the event that we are unable to fulfill a rush request within 24 hours, you will not be charged. 

How long does it take to receive my article or book? 

In most cases, we should be able to provide an article to you within 3 to 6 days. Depending on availability and rarity of the article, it may take us longer to receive a PDF for your request. If a request is taking longer than expected to fulfill, we will contact you. 

Books generally take anywhere from one to two weeks to receive, depending on the library’s location that ships the book to us, and the shipping method they use. Because of the unpredictable nature of book requests, we would recommend using CLS whenever possible to ensure a more timely arrival of any book requests. 

My CLS request was cancelled, what should I do now? 

If the book you are looking for is not available through CLS, the request will be cancelled. When this happens, we recommend submitting your request through our Documents2Go portal.  

If you have additional questions, or want to better understand the difference between these two borrowing services that Himmelfarb has to offer, don’t hesitate to reach out to us at mlbdoc@gwu.edu. 

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The Himmelfarb Library search box includes content ranging from books and book chapters, to dissertations, scientific reports, newspaper articles, and journals. If you’re looking for journal literature specifically, there are several methods you can use.

The first method is to use the Articles search scope. This will automatically limit all search retrieval to just article content. To activate this scope, click the down arrow next to the microphone icon to see all the search scope options and select Articles:

Himmelfarb Search box Articles scope screenshot

Articles scope includes articles from a variety of journal, magazine, and newspaper sources.You may need to use further limits, including selecting particular content types or limiting to peer review journals with the Availability filter on the left side of results.

Himmelfarb search box left column filters screenshot

These same limits can be used if you start in the default search scope and later want to limit your retrieval to a particular content type.

If you’re looking for content from a particular journal, use the Journal Search option. You can then search either the journal title or ISSN if you have it and can click through to the journal contents from the retrieved record.

Himmelfarb search box journal search for Lancet screenshot

To get to full-text of a retrieved article, use the Available Online link that appears in brief results or click the Download PDF link if present.

Himmelfarb search box brief results full-text options screenshot

To see all supplier options for getting to full-text, click the article title in brief results to open the full record, then see the View Online area to click through to full-text from a particular supplier.

Himmelfarb search box full record view online options screenshot

If there are no full-text options, use the Documents2Go link under How to Get It to order the article via interlibrary loan.  You can login to Documents2Go with your GW NetID username and password.

Himmelfarb search box full record view Documents2Go link screenshot

A scanned or electronic version of the document will be sent to you. It may take several days to a week to process.

If you need assistance with searching the library search box or other databases, contact reference staff via Himmelfarb Library chat.  For assistance with document delivery services, contact mlbdoc@gwu.edu.

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