| Email Post to Web | Articles are posted as PDF files on an NAL web server and the requester is sent an email message with the URL at which the requested document can be found (a sample email message from the Frequently Asked Questions page). PDF (Portable Document Format) is a universal file format that retains all the fonts, formatting, and graphics of any source document, regardless of how the document was created. To view the document you need to have a PDF viewer, such as Adobe Acrobat Reader, installed on your computer. Acrobat Reader is available for free from Adobe. It is recommended that you have the latest version of Acrobat Reader installed. This delivery choice is limited to documents of 30 pages or less. |
| Email Attachment | Articles are scanned as PDF files and delivered to the requester as email attachments. A PDF viewer such as Adobe Acrobat Reader is required to view documents delivered via this method. The average page size for PDF documents can vary from 50 to 150+ KB, resulting in a large file attachment. If delivery of large files is a problem within your local e-mail system, e-mail post to web delivery may be a better alternative. This delivery choice is limited to documents of 30 pages or less. |
| ARIEL | Articles are delivered via Ariel, a commercial software package which sends and receives documents as TIFF or PDF files over the Internet. Ariel must be installed on the requester's workstation in order to use this delivery method. Ariel is produced by Infotrieve and information on obtaining and using Ariel can be found at the Infotrieve site. |
| Fax | Articles are delivered to your local fax machine. This delivery choice is limited to documents of 30 pages or less. |
| Articles are delivered by express mail. | |
| Materials which are incompatible with electronic delivery (such as loans of books or other original materials, articles longer than 30 pages, or articles which cannot be effectively scanned due to large page size) will be delivered by mail. | |
Before submitting a request to NAL, confirm that you are eligible for services by reviewing the appropriate page for your patron group:
Format your request according to instructions provided on: "Request Information".
For USDA employees and customers from eligible food and nutrition programs: if you do not have a document delivery patron ID number, submit your request without it. NAL will create a patron record for you based on your request and send you your patron ID number and a form to select your preferred delivery method. Include this patron ID number after your name on any future requests. This will enable NAL staff to identify your preferred method of delivery and ensure that all of your requests are filled using that method if possible. If you want a specific item delivered by an alternative method, add a note to your request (for instance, "deliver this article by e-mail attachment") and NAL will use the specified method for that request.
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Delivery Services Branch National Agricultural Library, rm. 300 Beltsville, MD 20705 (v) 301-504-6503 (f) 301-504-7593 contact us Updated 27 Jan 2003 |