To help patrons access research materials quickly and efficiently, the Miami University (MU) Libraries will launch a pilot of a Home Delivery service in the Fall 2020 semester. Through this service, current Miami University students, faculty, and staff can request to have physical items (e.g., books, DVDs) found in the MU Libraries’ collections or requested via OhioLINK or Interlibrary Loan (ILL) delivered to homes located in the United States via the US Postal Service (USPS).
 
 

Delivery Range

Items requested via Home Delivery can be delivered to homes in the United States. Items cannot be shipped to P.O. boxes. International shipping options may be limited. A member of the library staff will contact patrons who place international shipping requests if they cannot be fulfilled.

Normally the MU Libraries’ Home Delivery service is limited to patrons who live more than 30 miles from any MU campus library (King Library, Wertz Art & Architecture Library, Amos Music Library, Gardner-Harvey Library [Middletown campus], and the Rentschler Library [Hamilton campus]). However, during the time of the COVID-19 pandemic, the 30 mile distance requirement will be suspended.
 
 

Placing Home Delivery Requests

Prior to placing Home Delivery requests, you must complete the online Authorization Form.

When requesting items from the MU Libraries collections or OhioLINK choose “Home/USPS” as the pickup location.

Items available in the MU Libraries general circulating collections or through OhioLINK are eligible for Home Delivery. Non-circulating materials such as those designated as “Reference” or “Reserve” are not eligible for Home Delivery.

The library may decline to send items that are discovered to be in fragile or deteriorating condition or that are oversized. In these situations, a member of the library staff will follow-up with the patron to discuss alternate options for obtaining access to the work.

If you order something from ILL, and would like the item delivered to your home, contact the library using the information found below once you receive notification that they have received your requested item(s).

Keep in mind that turn-around time for your receipt of materials depends on many factors and cannot be guaranteed. For example, some materials need to come from off-campus to the MU Libraries to be processed for Home Delivery, and this can add three to seven or more days to normal USPS Media Mail delivery times, that are usually 2-8 business days. Please plan accordingly and place requests in a timely manner.
 
 

Delivery Process

You will receive an email when the library has your requested item ready for delivery. Items will then be checked out to you and packed for shipping. Please note that if you request multiple items for home delivery at one time, library staff may wait to process your shipment until all of the materials are available.

Items are delivered by USPS Media Mail. You will receive an email notification with a tracking number when the item(s) you have requested have has been processed for shipment. Some of the loan period time will be lost while materials are in transit to you. For this reason, you may wish to pick up items with short loan periods, such as videos and DVDs, at one of the MU campus libraries, or use King Library’s Curbside Pickup service, Hamilton’s Curbside Pickup service, or Middletown’s Curbside Pickup service.

Patrons living in Ohio can use OhioLINK’s Pickup Anywhere service to have OhioLINK items delivered to an OhioLINK member library near them.
 
 

Returning Items

There are a few options to return items:

  • MU Libraries and OhioLINK items may be returned to any of the libraries or book drops found on the Oxford campus or on the Regional Campuses.
  • MU Libraries and OhioLINK items can be returned through campus mail: however, it is done at the patron’s own risk as the MU Libraries cannot be responsible for items lost or damaged in campus mail. Patrons are asked to return items through campus mail in the packaging they received them in. As items returned through campus mail will not be taken off a patron’s record until they actually arrive at the circulation desk, patrons should account for transit time when returning items this way to avoid accruing overdue fines.
  • Patrons living in Ohio may return MU Libraies and OhioLINK items to any OhioLINK member library. As items returned this way will not be taken off a patron’s record until they actually arrive at the lending library, patrons should account for transit time when returning items this way to avoid accruing overdue fines.
  • Contact the library when you are ready to return your item(s). We will email you a prepaid USPS postage label for you to print and affix to the package. You can then send the package back to us through USPS.
  • NOTE: ILL items MUST be returned directly to the MU Library that obtained the item for the patron. This can be done via drop-off at the library or one of its book drops, via campus mail, or using any mail carrier (contact us for a return label). As items returned by campus mail or mail carrier will not be taken off a patron’s record until they actually arrive at the lending library, patrons should account for transit time when returning items this way to avoid accruing overdue fines.

Contact the library with any questions about Home Delivery service.