Common Questions-Requesting Library Materials

These questions and responses focus on access to the NAL collection and include information on user eligibility, copy or loan requests, registration, delivery of materials, and fees/billing.

 


Eligibility to Request


 

Q: Who is eligible to request materials from the NAL collection?

A: The following groups are eligible to directly request materials from NAL:

  • USDA Employees

  • Libraries, organizations, and associations

All others must submit their requests through the interlibrary loan service of a library.


See the Eligibility section of the Request Library Materials page for additional information.


Submit a Request


 

Q: How do I submit a request for a loan or copy of materials from the NAL collection?


A: Eligible customers may request materials via an NAL Catalog (AGRICOLA) request form or a blank web request form. Libraries may also request materials through the Online Computer Library Center (OCLC) or DOCLINE. See How to Request Materials from NAL for detailed instructions.

 

Q: Do I need to know the NAL Call Number to submit a request?

A: Including the NAL call number will expedite request processing. If you submit a request from an NAL Catalog (AGRICOLA) book or article record, the NAL call number will automatically transfer to the request form. For detailed instructions on how to submit a request through the NAL Catalog, see How to Request Materials from NAL.


 

Q: How do I find the NAL Call Number?

A: Search the NAL Catalog (AGRICOLA).


 

Q: What if I want to request something and I can't find it in the NAL Catalog (AGRICOLA)?

A: There is a blank request form available online. You will need your Patron ID to login to the form. We recommend that you bookmark the login page for future reference.

 

Q: What is my document delivery Patron Identification (ID)? How do I obtain an ID?

A: Eligible customers can register for a Patron ID on the Offsite
Registration page. This page also provides information on how to contact us if you forget your Patron ID.


 

Q: Can I submit a rush request?


A: NAL does not accept rush requests. However, turnaround time on most requests averages two business days from receipt of request.


 

Q: Can I hand-carry my interlibrary loan request to NAL and ask that it be filled that day?


A: Individuals affiliated with any of the following groups may request to borrow materials while visiting NAL:


 


See the Borrowing Materials section on the Request Libraries Materials page for additional information.


All other visitors may use materials onsite only. To borrow materials you must submit requests through the interlibrary loan service of your local library, such
as a public library or a university library. Your library will send a request to NAL.
NAL fills most requests within two business days of receipt.



 

Q: How can I reserve audiovisual materials for a future show date?

A: NAL does not offer advance booking services. We loan most audiovisual materials for 28 days (loans are limited to North America). NAL's turnaround time for processing loan requests is two business days of receipt, and all loans are delivered by Federal Express next (business) day delivery service. NAL recommends submitting requests one to two weeks ahead of time if you want to obtain audiovisual materials for a specific show date.


 

Q: Does NAL provide translations?

A: NAL does not provide translation services; however, we provide a list of commercial vendors. This list is for information only--it is not meant to be comprehensive and should not be interpreted as an endorsement by USDA or NAL.


Access Electronic Journals


 

Q: Are there electronic journals that I can access through NAL?

A: USDA employees have desktop access to several thousand electronic full-text journals and newspapers via the the Digital Desktop Library for USDA (DigiTop).

Articles from these journals may be saved or printed by you for your personal use (see DigiTop Terms of Use for more details). Prior to submitting photocopy requests to NAL for journal articles please try to locate the journal issue you need in DigiTop. If the journal article you need is not available in electronic form then submit your photocopy request using the web request form (see How to Request Materials from NAL).


Delivery of Materials


 

Q: Does NAL loan materials outside the United States?


A: NAL does not loan collection materials outside of North America; however, copies of materials may be provided in lieu of loan. There is a limit of 50 pages per item (30 pages if sent electronically).


 

Q: How does NAL deliver materials to requestors?


A: NAL will send materials by e-mail post to Web, e-mail attachment, Ariel, Fax, and mail to eligible customers. See the Delivery Options section on the Request Library Materials page for more details.


 

Q: How do I indicate which method of delivery I want?

A: The default delivery method is e-mail post to web. When you register for a Patron ID, you can indicate on the registration form your preferred delivery method (open Offsite Registration page). In addition, when you submit a request for documents using the NAL Catalog (AGRICOLA) form, you can indicate in the notes field of the form the delivery method you would prefer.


 

Q: I would like to receive my documents in PDF--will they be in color?


A: No, currently the documents are scanned in black and white and then converted to PDF. If you need the copy be in color, please contact us with your requirements.


 

Q: What does the e-mail notification look like for documents sent as PDFs?

A: If you select "E-mail Post to the Web" as your delivery method, you will receive an e-mail message that contains a uniform resource locator (URL or Web address) for the requested document (the message could contain several URLs if you are sent more than one document in the message). If you select "E-mail Attachment" as your delivery method, you will receive an e-mail message that contains a PDF attachment.


 

Q: Why is "Relais" in the sender address of the e-mail notification?


A: NAL is using the Relais Enterprise system from Relais International, Inc. to process requests and deliver materials.


 

Q: If I request that my document be sent as a PDF posting or e-mail attachment, will my colleagues in other agencies also be able to access these documents?


A: Documents sent as PDF e-mail attachments or postings to the web fall under the same 'fair use' copyright guidelines as those sent via fax, Ariel, or regular mail. They are intended for the research purposes of the person who requested them. All USDA employees can request materials from NAL. Researchers in other non-USDA agencies should submit requests for materials through their agency libraries or information centers.


 

Q: Since the PDF posting expires in two weeks, what happens to documents that are sent while I'm on extended leave or on a detail with no e-mail access?


A: If you anticipate being away for an extended period, indicate on your document request that you want to temporarily change the delivery method to fax, regular mail, or e-mail attachment (Note: PDF attachments can be very large and your alloted mailbox space could fill up). If you're away unexpectedly and the two-week period has passed to access the PDF documents posted to the Web, you'll have to resubmit your requests.


 

Q: When I click on the URL to open the PDF document, why do I get a message saying the document is no longer there?


A: You can access the PDF document on the web a total of five times or for two weeks, whichever comes first. If you have exceeded these limitations, you will have to resubmit your request for the document.

 



If you have not exceeded the limitations on access, your e-mail system may be filtering out part(s) of the URL provided in the e-mail message. Instead of clicking on the link, highlight it, and copy and paste it into the address window of your browser, as you would paste any URL that you wanted to open in the browser. After pasting the address, hit enter to open the document. If you're still unable to access the document, contact us providing the "BOR-" or "REG-" number of the document (the BOR- or REG- number will be provided in the e-mail notification) and we'll repost it or send it to you by another method. You should also check with your e-mail or systems administrator to see if the e-mail settings allow HTML e-mail.

 

Q: When I click on the URL to open the PDF document, why does my browser open and freeze before the PDF can open?


A: If Acrobat Reader is configured to open up within the browser's window, using an older version of the browser could interfere with the PDF document opening. Check the version of the browser and update it. Also make sure you're using the latest version of Acrobat Reader.


 

Q: When I click on the PDF attachment, why doesn't it open?


A: Some e-mail programs, such as Groupwise, will not automatically open the PDF attachment file contained in an e-mail message. Right click on the attachment file and select Open with..., then select the program Acrobat Reader from the program list (it may be abbreviated). If you're still unable to access the document, contact us providing the "BOR-" or "REG-" number of the document (the BOR- or REG- number will be provided in the e-mail notifications) and we'll resend it as an attachment or send it to you by another delivery method.


 

Q: How can I save the PDF?


A: To save a PDF attachment:


  1. Right-click on the attachment file and choose Save Target As from the pop-up menu.

  2. In the Save As dialog box, select a location for the file, and then click Save.

  3. Open Acrobat Reader, select File, Open and open the saved PDF
    file.

To save a PDF that was posted to the Web:


  1. Click on the URL in the e-mail notification to open the document.

  2. Select File, Save a Copy (make sure you select the save function in Acrobat Reader, NOT the Save as function under File in the browser window).

  3. Select the location where you want to save the file and enter the file name.

  4. To view the saved PDF, open Acrobat Reader, Select File, Open and select
    the saved PDF file.

 

Q: Why can I view the PDF document, but not print it?


A: Check your version of Adobe Acrobat Reader--it should be the highest version available. To download the highest version, see information on Adobe on the right side of this page.



Also check that you are selecting the Print function in Acrobat Reader, and not the Print function under File in the Netscape or Internet Explorer window.


Fees/Billing

 

Q: Are there any fees for copies or loans of NAL material?


A: Yes, for a complete list of fees, see User Fee Policy.


 

Q: Is prepayment required?


A: No, you will be invoiced (note: libraries submitting requests through OCLC may choose to pay fees through OCLC's Interlibrary Loan Fee Management Service (IFM) rather than being billed). See User Fee Policy for additional Information.


Visiting NAL

 

Q: Are the stacks at NAL open for browsing?


A: NAL has closed stacks. Special exceptions may be made on a case-by-case basis. Contact the Access Services Librarian at 301-504-6041 or Contact Us prior to your visit to inquire about obtaining stack access privileges.


 

Q: Can I request material from the stacks?


A: You can submit requests for materials to be pulled from the stacks using the NAL Catalog (AGRICOLA) on any of the computers in the Reading Room. Up to 35 items may be requested per day.


 

Q: Can I borrow material when I visit NAL?


A: Individuals affiliated with any of the following groups may request to borrow materials while visiting NAL:


 

See the Borrowing Materials section on the Request Libraries Materials page for additional information.


All other visitors may use materials onsite only. To borrow materials you must submit requests through the interlibrary loan service of your local library, such as a public library or a university library. Your library will send a request to NAL. NAL fills requests within two business days of receipt.


 

Q: Is there a fee for photocopies onsite?


A: Visitors should inquire at the Service Desk (301-504-5755) for the latest information on photocopy fees.


 

Q: Can I use a personal scanner onsite?


A: Requests to use personal copying/scanning equipment will be reviewed on a case by case basis.Contact the Access Services librarian at 301-504-6041 or e-mail us prior to your visit to inquire about using personal copying/scanning equipment onsite at NAL.


NAL Collections


 

Q: How can I locate a particular USDA publication?


A: There is no single place to obtain publications produced by USDA. Many publications produced in recent years are available for free on the Web, some are available in microfiche or on CD-ROM, and many are only available in print. See I Want to Find USDA Publications which provides additional information on locating USDA publications.


 

Q: Where can I find information on a rare book that might be in the NAL Collection?


A: Check with Special Collections for information on rare books and manuscript
collections.


Return to Request Library Materials.