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Library Services and Resources for Summer Online Courses: Accessing Library Collections

Accessing Library Collections from Off Campus

Students are able to access library materials while studying remotely via MUSCAT Plus and library databases. When accessing library resources from off campus, users will be prompted to sign in using their campus credentials for authentication. 

For 24/7 access to primary source materials from Special Collections and College Archives, please visit GettDigital Collections.

The following tutorials explain how to find and access different library resources from off campus:

How to Borrow Books from Off-Campus

Students studying off campus can submit requests for library-owned books or interlibrary loan books to be shipped to their home address (continental US only). 

The books will be shipped to you with a pre-paid UPS return label. To request an individual chapter from a book, see the "Requesting Musselman Library Book Scans" instructions above.

  1. Find the book or DVD you want using MUSCAT Plus.
  2. Sign in to your library account and click "Get library copy."
  3. Click the “Send Request” button.
  4. You will receive an email confirmation when your requested items are checked out to you.
  5. Reply to the check-out email with your home address.
  6. The item will be shipped to you via UPS with a pre-paid return label. 

Watch our Muss-To-Go tutorial to see how it's done.

Requesting Musselman Library Book Scans

Students can request scans of individual chapters within library books. For copyright purposes we can't scan entire books, but scanning a chapter or two (up to 10% of the book) is acceptable.   

Finding book chapter information

Many of the books in MUSCAT Plus have chapter information.  Search MUSCAT Plus, click on a book's title, and look for a Contents section:

You might also find book content information in worldcat.org (bottom of the book's page) or by using the "Look Inside" feature on amazon.com.

Requesting a book chapter scan

  1. Go to MUSCAT Plus.
  2. Click the Sign in button in the top-right corner.
  3. Click Gettysburg College Students, Faculty, and Staff and use your campus username and password to sign in.
  4. Search MUSCAT Plus for the item you want scanned.
  5. Click the item's title in the search results


     
  6. In the "Find this in the library" section, click Get a scan of a chapter or pages.


     
  7. Fill in as much information as possible and click SEND SCAN REQUEST

     
  8. Read the copyright notice.  If you need to adjust your request to meet the copyright restrictions, click the BACK button.  If your request meets the copyright restrictions, click I AGREE WITH THE TERMS.

     
  9. You will be notified via email when your scan is ready.

Interlibrary Loan Services

Gettysburg College students, faculty, and staff are able to request books, book chapters, and articles from other libraries through Interlibrary Loan.

For step-by-step instructions on how to make a request, renew an item, and more, see our guide to Interlibrary Loan services.  

You will receive an email when:

  • Journal article(s) or book chapter(s) are available in your MUSCAT Plus account for download
  • Book(s) are available for pick up or for shipping to your home (U.S. addresses only as we are unable to ship internationally)

Questions? Email illform@gettysburg.edu for assistance.  

Troubleshooting

If you're having trouble signing in, or accessing a certain database or article, try clearing your browser cache and cookies, then restarting your browser session. (Old cookies/cache can sometimes interfere with authentication.)

Instructions to clear browser cache/cookies for:

If you've cleared your browser's cache and cookies, but are still having trouble with access, email ask@gettysburg.edu and we'll do our best to help (or refer you to IT if that's necessary).

If you encounter a problem while searching in MUSCAT Plus, please use the form to Report a broken link or incorrect information, which is found on the entry page for the catalog item under the Cite, Email or Print section:

Image of the link to Report a broken link or incorrect information in MUSCAT Plus