Interlibrary Loan (ILL) is a free library lending service available to current TxState students and employees. ILL borrows items from other libraries that the Alkek Library does not own. Use ILLIAD, the online interlibrary loan request system, to order your ILL items. Typical turnaround for a book is 1-2 weeks nad must be picked up at and returned to the library. Articles are sent to requestors via email.
Contact & Pick-up Info: 512.245.4893 Items can be picked up at the Checkout Desk on the 3rd floor of the Library.
GRADS and FADS are related services for graduate students and faculty. If we own a journal in print, ILL staff will scan the article for you and email the document out to you.
A TexShare card is free for all current Texas State students and employees and provides borrowing privileges at participating libraries.
Libraries subscribe to various types of periodicals, such as scholarly (some of which may be peer-reviewed, blind peer-reviewed, editorial review) popular, or trade publications. Choosing which to use depends on your topic, the type of writing you are doing, your assignment, and the sources your professor wants you to use. Many databases offer the option to limit to "Scholarly Journals" or "Peer Reviewed". If you're not sure if a journal is considered scholarly/peer-reviewed, check Ulrich's by looking up the title of the journal.
What is a peer-reviewed journal?
A scholarly journal is peer-reviewed when manuscripts are sent to experts, sometimes anonymously (blind peer-reviewed), in the related field. They make recommendations to editor for publication, rejection or revision. These journals are generally thought to be of the highest quality.