Scan & Deliver FAQ

FAQ

What can I request through Scan and Deliver? How is it different from Interlibrary loan?

You can place requests for book chapters and print journal articles from material currently available in our collection. Interlibrary loan is a service for requesting material that is not owned or not currently available at the University of Chicago Libraries. These scans are for personal research purposes only, not for presentation or for use in commercial works.

How long does Scan and Deliver take? Where can I check the status of a pending request?

You will usually get an email with your download link within 4 days. If we can't find the material in our collection, we will route it to Interlibrary loan, which may take longer.

You can check the status of your Scan and Deliver and Interlibrary loan requests by logging into the Interlibrary Loan System.

What is the quality of the scans?

The scans are 300 dpi PDFs, as legible as possible depending on our source. We scan images in grayscale or color where applicable. Higher quality scans are not available through Scan and Deliver. These scans are for personal research purposes only, not for presentation or for use in commercial works.

How do I view the items I've requested?

When a document is ready you will get an email with a link to a PDF. Click that link, or log into the Interlibrary Loan System for a full list of your requests. Note that files are only available for 30 days after the email; save the file in a separate location, such as your hard drive or a cloud storage service, such as UChicagoBox. Requests for duplicate material are not provided.

How many requests can I make?

You may place up to 200 requests per quarter, but the Scan & Deliver service may only be able to process 5 requests per person per day, depending on staffing and overall request volume.

What are the copyright and policy limits?

Due to copyright guidelines established in consultation with University Legal Counsel, the Library will not scan more than:

  • Up to two chapters from a book (amounting to no more than 20% of the entire book). 
  • Up to two articles from an issue of a periodical or newspaper (amounting to no more than 20% of a single issue). 

The copyright law of the United States (Title 17, U.S. Code) governs the making of the photocopies or other reproductions of the copyright materials. Under certain conditions specified in the law, library and archives are authorized to furnish a photocopy or reproduction. One of these specified conditions is that the photocopy or reproduction is not to be "used for any purpose other than in private study, scholarship, or research." If a user makes a request for, or later uses, a photocopy or reproduction for purposes in excess of "fair use," that user may be liable for copyright infringement. The University of Chicago Library reserves the right to refuse to accept a copying order, if, in its judgement fulfillment of the order would involve violation of copyright law.

In addition, the Library has some policy restrictions that allow us to continue this free service: 

  • Staff will not copy material placed on Law course reserve or held in the Hanna Holborn Gray Special Collections Research Center.
  • Staff will scan up to 75 pages of a requested chapter as long as this does not exceed the above copyright policy.
  • Staff will process one chapter or article per request. Please submit requests for two articles or two chapters as separate requests.

Something's wrong with my scan, how do I get it fixed? 

If you notice any problems with your document, such as missing pages, lack of end-notes, or illegibility, reply to the notification email or contact Scan and Deliver staff with the transaction number and a description of the problem.