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GIL Express

GIL Express is a service being offered at all libraries within the University System of Georgia (USG). The service is an innovative resource sharing initiative that allows students, faculty and staff access to all eligible circulating material at all USG libraries. GIL Express is available to all eligible patrons through both an on site (walk up) service and a remote requesting service.

Who's eligible: All currently enrolled students and currently employed faculty and staff who are in good standing at their Home Library are eligible to use GIL Express.

Scope: Printed books (monographs) that are normally lent for the standard loan period at the Holding Library are available to be borrowed through GIL Express. Exceptions include, but are not limited to:

• Reserve materials
• Reference materials or other materials that do not circulate without special permission
• Materials housed in any Special Collection
• Bound journals
• Journal articles
• Popular or browsing titles that have a shortened loan period
• Material that the Holding Library designates as not eligible for GIL Express loans

Circulation Rules

Loan Period: All GIL Express material has a 28-day loan period for all patrons. Two online renewals are allowed unless the material has been recalled.

Recall Fines: If a University System of Georgia library chooses to charge recall fines for materials checked out through GIL Express the fines will be $2.50 a day for each recalled item. Recall fines apply to all patrons.

Statewide vs. Local Policies: All USG Libraries have agreed upon most of the policies that govern GIL Express. There remain some policies, such as the number of items that may be borrowed from a specific institution, that are set locally. This means that the Holding Library (the library that owns the material you wish to borrow) and the Home Library (your library) have control of certain policies. These local policies are available from each library.

Key Definitions

• Holding Library: The specific library to which borrowed material belongs (when not the Home Library).
• Home Library: The library with which the patron is affiliated. "Home Library" refers to the campus rather than to any individual library on campus.
• Pick-up Library: The library to which a requested item is delivered for pick-up by the requesting patron.
• Visited Library: The library from which a remote request is placed or to which an item is returned (when not the Home or Holding Library).
• A picture ID card is required to use GIL Express at any USG library. The preferred form of identification is a current, valid picture ID card that is issued by the patron's Home institution. Also acceptable is a government issued current, valid picture ID such as a driver's license or a Georgia ID card, a US passport or a US military ID.
• The Universal Catalog contains the holdings from all University System of Georgia Libraries in a single, unified database. It has real time links to holdings and item information from the contributing catalogs. GIL Express remote requests may be made only through the Universal Catalog. Items that do not circulate through GIL Express are included in the Universal Catalog. These items may be available for in-library use at the Holding Library.
• USG: University System of Georgia

How To Use GIL Express

On-Site Requesting: To use walk up GIL Express at any USG library, simply go to the library of your choice and select the materials that you wish to check out. When you check out the material the system will verify that you are eligible to use GIL Express. If you do not have a patron record in your Home Library's patron database, you will not be able to check out material using GIL Express.

Remote Requesting: Search for the desired book in your local catalog. If you do not get a match you will be shown a "Redirect" option that will allow you to go directly to the Universal Catalog and will re-execute your search.

     ... or you may

Search the Universal Catalog directly for the desired book. When you find an item that matches what you want to borrow, click on the request button at the top of the screen.

1. Select your Home institution from the drop down menu
2. Enter your patron barcode/institutional ID number
3. Enter your Last Name
4. Click on the button "Logon for USG GIL Express"
5. Reenter your patron barcode/institutional ID number on the Request form
6. Select your choice of Pick-up library from the drop down menu
7. Submit request
8. Be sure to logout at the end of your session

Picking Up Material that You've Requested: When the materials that you have requested are received by the library that you selected as your Pick-up Library, that library will notify you that the materials are available. When you pick up the materials that you've requested, the Pick-up Library will check them out to you. The record of the check out transaction will be with the Holding Library (the library that owns the materials).

What Identification is Required: An institution issued picture ID that is current and valid is preferred. Verification of the information will be made through the online GIL Express system. Your Home Library is responsible for keeping the patron database current for that institution. If your Home Library does not have you in their patron database, you will not be able to use GIL Express.

Keeping Track of Your Material: You can easily track the material you have requested or checked out from your Home Library, through GIL Express. From any screen in your local catalog, from any other USG GIL catalog or from the Universal Catalog you can click on "My Account" at the top of the screen. You will be asked to sign in to ensure that the privacy of your records is protected. Once your information is verified you will see the material that you have checked out from your Home Library, the status of any requests that you've placed and any outstanding fines and fees that you may have. If you have material checked out from other USG libraries through GIL Express you will see those libraries listed in alphabetical order after your Home Library. Under each Holding Library will be a listing of items you have checked out through this service. You will also see any fines and fees that you owe at other USG libraries.

Viewing All of the Material You have Checked Out: To protect your privacy, the GIL circulation client at each USG library can only display what you have checked out from that specific library. You are the only one who can view all of the material that you have checked out and/or requested through GIL Express. It is your responsibility to keep track of the material and to renew or return all of it by the correct due dates.

Returning GIL Express Material: GIL Express material may be returned to any USG library. The material will be discharged at the time it is returned. All material should be returned by the due date or when it is recalled.

Overdue Material: If you have GIL Express material from any of the USG libraries that is overdue, your borrowing privileges will be blocked. This block will be effective at all libraries including your Home Library and you may be blocked in your home institution's Registrar system.

Updating Your Address: Please make sure that all of your information, including your current email address, is correct so that you may receive timely notifications from all USG Libraries. Email is the preferred method of notification. You are responsible for notifying your Home library of your current address and for checking your mail. Failure to receive notification from a library does not absolve you of your obligations to any USG Library, including your Home Library.