MOBIUS is one of our Interlibrary Loan (ILL) services. It is a network of over 70 libraries and library systems across the American Midwest. These libraries, which include Smiley Memorial Library, agree to list their materials in the MOBIUS catalog, an enormous catalog containing close to 10 million total items. You can request something from the MOBIUS catalog using your Eagle Mail. MOBIUS libraries also share a courier service that can more quickly get physical materials between libraries. A MOBIUS request for a book takes 3-5 business days; using our ILL form can take up to twice that amount of time.
But MOBIUS is not the only ILL service you can use. Our ILL form is for when you need something that you cannot find in any of our catalogs, or databases, nor in the MOBIUS catalog. At that point, a librarian uses a specialized system to see if there are other libraries worldwide that might be able to to fulfill your request. If they can, a physical item will be sent in the mail, while a digital item such as an article will be sent electronically. This is a separate, more widespread system than MOBIUS and thus takes more time.
MOBIUS |
ILL Form |
|---|---|
| Physical items (books, DVDs, sheet music, etc.) | Physical items and digital items (articles, scans, etc.) |
| 70+ Midwestern libraries | Libraries worldwide |
| One shared catalog | Library staff searching many catalogs for you |
| Sign in and request automatically with Eagle Mail | Use a separate form which contacts Library staff |
| 3-5 business days |
2-4 business days for articles 7-10 business days for books |
| Physical items arrive by courier to the Library |
Digital items are sent to your Eagle Mail. Physical items arrive by mail to the Library. |
660-248-6271
library@centralmethodist.edu
