Graduate Student Library Services

Information for GAs & RAs |  Information for Faculty

For GAs & RAs

Congrats on becoming a Graduate or Research Assistant! The library is here to help you in your new role. We recommend you reach out to David Frank, Access Services Librarian, to set up an appointment to go over all the various services and ways the library can help you as a GA/RA, and with your own research.  

Loan periods and fines for overdue items are different for faculty and graduate students. Which is one reason we encourage you to read and take the steps below.  

Checking Out Books 

Please check items out to the person using the item. For example, if you are the RA for Prof X, and you are checking books out for her, then these items should be checked out on Prof. X’s account.  

In order to be able to do this, you need to be made a Proxy for the professor. Please have the professor email circulation@shu.edu to confirm that you are their GA/RA, that you should be made a proxy, and for how long. We will take it from there. 

If items are checked out on your account, you will be fined for overdue items regardless of whether or not the items were for the professor.  

Using Interlibrary Loan (ILL) and EZBorrow 

Unfortunately, there is no way to make you a proxy within our ILL or EZBorrow systems. You cannot use your own ILL account/login to place a request on your professor’s behalf. For this reason, we ask that professors make these types of requests directly themselves.  

Please note both services are available to GA/RAs for their own research, and we encourage them to take advantage of these services for their research and coursework.  

Requests made on your ILL or EZBorrow account cannot be checked out to another person. These items will remain in your name and be your responsibility, not that of your professor. You will be responsible for any and all late or lost charges for these items.  

For Faculty

Checking Out Books 

In order to make your GA/RA a proxy please email circulation@shu.edu to confirm that the student is your GA/RA, should be made a proxy, and for how long. We will take it from there. 

Interlibrary Loan (ILL) and EZBorrow 

Unfortunately, there is no way to make a GA/RA a proxy within our ILL or EZBorrow systems. In order to make requests you are automatically logged into your account when you sign in (assuming you are signed into SHU already). For this reason, we ask that professors make these types of requests directly.  

In EZBorrow – Search the shared catalog for EZBorrow Libraries and make a request. 

In ILL – This is easily done by searching in SHU books and hitting the “Request Item through Interlibrary Loan.” The fields will auto populate the request form in the new window that appears. 

Any ILL or EZBorrow requests made by a GA/RA cannot be transferred to a faculty member. They will remain in the GA/RA’s name and they will be responsible for any overdue or lost charges that may accrue.   

If you have additional questions please reach out to David Frank, Access Services Librarian.