The Caltech Library System Document Delivery service is designed to move information from libraries to users as quickly as possible. Due to the high volume of requests being generated for both educational and research materials the Document Delivery service has evolved several general rules so that staff can provide users with information as efficiently as possible. This brochure attempts to clearly lay out the procedures involved in Document Delivery as well as define these general rules so that users can make effective use of the service.
Books take longer to receive than photocopies.
Within three working days of placing a request material will be delivered or the user will receive a status notification. Requesting Rush Service incurs an additional charge. The Caltech Library System Document Delivery service is structured such that requests for materials are first matched against the Libraries' holdings. If the material needed is not in the Caltech Library System's collection, the request is forwarded to the Interlibrary Loan Office for delivery to Caltech from an outside vendor or library. JPL requests for materials not at Caltech are sent to the JPL Library for processing.