Frequently Asked Questions about CSU+

What is CSU+

CSU+ is an additional service provided by Interlibrary Loan for students, faculty and staff to borrow books, media and now articles and book chapters not available to you at the University Library. This service provides material from any of the 22 CSU libraries as well as select libraries outside of the CSU.

Who may use CSU+ Services?

Students, Faculty and Staff may use CSU+.

How much does it cost to use CSU+?

There is no charge to request materials through CSU+.

What types of materials can be requested?

Books, media, articles and book chapters.

How do I request items via CSU+?

To request an item through CSU+, look up the title in OneSearch and make sure you are signed in so the request option will appear. When requesting to borrow a book the library does not own, there will be an option to request the entire book or a book chapter. For a book chapter request, the option to get a digital copy will show up.

New CSU+ request options for loan or book chapter:

• First option: Get a physical copy - Delivery estimated in 3 business days or Delivery estimated in 7 business days. Keep it for 112 days (Delivery and loan periods my vary depending on the lender). GET IT button activates request.
• Second option: Need a book chapter? - Delivery estimated in 24 hours via email and also available for download from your OneSearch account. GET IT button activates request. You may login to OneSearch to check the status of this request. If you do not receive a digital copy in 72 hours, please contact InterLibrary Loan.

CSU+ request option for articles:

Get a digital copy from another library (terms to be supplied). GET IT button activates request.

How long does it take?

The delivery estimations will appear on each request option. Depending on what library your item is located in, estimated time of delivery could vary between 3-7 business days for loans and within 24-72 hours for digital copies.

How will I know when my digital article/book chapter is available?

You will receive an email notification from Interlibrary Loan with a link to access a digital PDF copy, which will be available to you for 90 days and can be saved for your convenience. You may also check the status of your digital request from your Library OneSearch account where you may also download the digital copy.

Here's an example CSU+ status check screen. Title/Publisher: An Ounce of Prevention/The Grand Rapids Press, an author, Meehan, Chris, are shown. This is a digital article with publication date 1994-11-17, 3 pages. Status shows ILL. Sent, with estimated delivery: 08/31/2022, Request ID: 19461211-99. Diagram shows Requested, In process by lender, Sent. Download available for 90 days.

How will I know when my CSU+ item is available and where do I pick up my requested item?

Interlibrary Loan will notify you via email when your CSU+ loan has arrived. Interlibrary Loan materials may be picked up on campus using the Library’s Locker Pickup Service which is our default delivery option. Locker service is available 6:00am – 10:00pm, seven days a week. Your Interlibrary Loan item(s) will be held in the locker for 6 days. You may request more time to pick up your Interlibrary Loan item(s) from the Library lockers before the 6 days are up by contacting the Guest Services department at librenew@csun.edu or (818) 677-2274. If your loan is not picked up in 6 days Interlibrary Loan will return the item(s) back to the lending institution and you will need to submit a new request. If you do not wish to use the library lockers for pick up, you also have the option of picking up your CSU+ item from the front Guest Services desk. In order to change your pickup location, you must include 'Pick up in library' in the notes section when placing the request.

Where do I return my CSU+ Loan?

You may return items inside the Library during Library open hours or you may return the loans to one of the Library book drop bins* at any time. More information, including what types of items should not be returned to the book drops can be found in our Returning Library Materials/Book Drops page.

*Please note: Items returned to book drops are not cleared from your account until the items are inspected by the University Library staff, which can take up to a week to process.

How long is the loan period & are CSU+ items renewable?

The CSU+ loan varies depending on the lending library; if the loan is coming from a CSU, the loan period is 16 weeks. These materials are NOT renewable. If a CSU+ item is still needed after the loan period, the loan must be returned and checked in from your library account, then you may submit a new request for that same title again.

What if my CSU+ request gets cancelled?

If your CSU+ request is cancelled, please carefully review the cancellation notice, which will list the reason. CSU+ requests are typically cancelled if your "Not Wanted After" date has passed, the citation information is inaccurate, or the University Library already owns the title.