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Request a Book from the Goddard or Lindsell Libraries

Policies:

It is in the best interests of all students located at least 75 miles from any branch of a GCTS library to establish a relationship with their local public library's Interlibrary Loan (ILL) services.* If the closest and most available resources can be found at either Goddard Library (in Hamilton, MA) or at the Lindsell Library (in Charlotte, NC), all eligible GCTS students are welcome to request that a limited number of books be sent to them by mail.

Borrowers Eligible for Mail Requests:

  • Charlotte Masters and Doctor of Ministry students living in the continental United States
  • Jacksonville students living in the continental United States
  • CUME students (in Boston, MA) 
  • Semlink students (enrolled in online correspondence courses)
  • Hamilton Doctor of Ministry students living in the continental United States

All students using library services are subject to library policies of each branch, including fines.

Borrowers Ineligible for Mail Requests:

  • GCTS Alumni
  • Students within 75 miles of CUME, Charlotte, or Hamilton branches, or commuting to those campuses at least once a week.

Items Available for Loan by Mail:

  • Circulating items in the Goddard Library and the Lindsell Library (e.g., items marked in the catalog as "Hamilton - Goddard . . . Circulating Collection . . . Available" or items marked "Charlotte . . . Circulating Collection . . . Available")

Items Not Available for Loan by Mail:

  • Reserve and Reference Items
  • Audio Cassettes
  • Video Cassettes
  • CD's
  • DVD's
  • Any items in the Center for the Study of Global Christianity collections (marked "Hamilton - C.S.G.C." in the online catalog)
  • Any item that has been deemed too fragile or 'rare' by the library staff.

Instructions:

To request up to six books, find their availability in our Online Catalog. A book eligible to be sent will display as “Location: Hamilton - Goddard Circulating Coll…Available” or “Location: Charlotte Circulating Coll…Available”. 

NOTE: Items in the "Hamilton - C.S.G.C collections" (the Center for the Study of Global Christianity collections at the Hamilton campus), Cassettes, Video tapes, CD's and DVD's will not be sent by mail.

Copy and paste the Title, Author, Location and Availability into:

  1. The library's contact form. (You will be prompted to enter your contact information and given an opportunity to copy and paste the book information and indicate which campus from which you are requesting the books.)                    OR
  2. An email sent to glibrary@gcts.edu (for items at the Goddard Library) or to hllibrary@gcts.edu (for items at the Lindsell Library). Also include your name, your student ID number, and your mailing address.

Depending on your location, you will be notified by email or phone when books have been sent directly to you or are available for pickup at your nearest GCTS library branch. Regardless of your location, books must be returned by mail directly to the lending library and postmarked before or on their due date. 

Attention Charlotte students: If you live or work within a 30 mile radius of the Charlotte campus or commute there weekly, please note this in your email request.    

* Reasons are as follows:
  • Time: Mail from longer distances takes more time and your local ILL service will get the books you request from the nearest locations.
  • Availability: Goddard, like any academic library, is limited by the situation of many patrons (usually classmates) requesting the same materials at the same time. Interlibrary Loan through a public library will spread the demand out among libraries that do not have to support as high a demand for the book(s) you desire, which means your request is more likely to be filled.
  • Continued Access: It is always a good idea for students to become familiar with public library resources in their own area. These resources will be available to the student after graduation from GCTS.