Students at a Distance

Guide for Students at a Distance

Visit our LibGuide with extended information for students who are studying at a distance.

Students at a Distance

Students at a distance are Wheaton College students who:

  • Are currently enrolled in a Wheaton course or program (or who are registered as thesis continuation), and who live more than 50 miles from campus and inside the United States.

Scanning and Mailing Services

Buswell Library will:

  • Scan and email articles or book chapters.
  • Mail books to a United States postal address at no charge to the student.
  • Provide ReturnMyBooks service at library.wheaton.edu/returnmybooks.  

Note: All library services are provided in compliance with copyright law.  

Requesting Scanning or Mailing Services

Students at a distance should take the following steps to obtain needed materials:

  • First, use the Library Search interface to find journal articles or book chapters.
  • Then, use your Wheaton College ILLiad account to place requests for scanned journal articles or book chapters.
  • For access to print books, it may be faster to gain access to the resource at a local public library or other nearby academic institution. Learn more about how to do this
  • If you are not able to access the resources at a local public library or other nearby academic institution, place a request for Buswell items by emailing buswell.delivery@wheaton.edu. For items not-owned by our library, please use the request options in the Library Search interface to request the item via I-Share or ILLiad.
  • Once your items are available at the library, you will receive an “Item Available” email notification. Forward that email to buswell.delivery@wheaton.edu, directing the library to mail the item to you.  Please include:
    • Your name
    • Mailing Address
    • Your phone number
    • The item title(s)
  • The library will then ship you the requested item(s) and you will receive an email with tracking information.

Shipping and Scanning Tips

  • Due dates for items requested through interlibrary loan do not include extra shipping time.
  • When shipping items back to Wheaton College, remember to allow sufficient shipping time for items to be received by their due dates.

Using Other Libraries

  • As a Wheaton College student you have in-person borrowing privileges at any I-Share library. You can check out items at any I-Share library, provided that library permits visitors. Contact the library to confirm their current policies.
  • If you live near an Atla reciprocal borrowing member library, your Wheaton Student ID card will allow you to borrow items there.  Check the Atla Reciprocal Borrowing Map.
  • If you live near any academic library, investigate their policies for services to guest patrons and take advantage of their interlibrary loan service if available.
  • Visit your local public library to request items through their interlibrary loan service.