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Frequently Asked Questions

Q. Is it necessary to establish an account in order to use NYPL Express?
A. No, an order may be charged to a major credit card.

Q. Can NYPL Express quote a billing or reference number on an invoice?
A. Yes, NYPL Express is glad to include on an invoice any special numbers you need to identify a project. Please mention any identifying numbers at the time you place an order. If faxing or emailing a request be certain to include the information.

Q. Will NYPL Express ship to a third party?
A.Yes, just give us the name and address or fax number of the other party when placing an order. Billing will be sent to your organization as usual.

Q. What do I do if I have not received or cannot open a file sent electronically?
A.With technical support groups continually updating e-mail security, sometimes the e-mail containing the link arrives at your company’s server but is not forwarded to your personal e-mail account. If you have not received your material first check your spam/junk folders.

In cases where people receive notification that the document has been delivered but cannot open it we recommend rebooting your computer. Doing so almost always solves the problem. Additionally, allow sufficient time for the document to download. If there is an interruption during downloading the file may get corrupted. If this should occur delete the corrupted file and download the file a second time.

If you do not receive your item when you requested it and have attempted to resolve the issue by utilizing the above recommendations please call us immediately.

Q. Can NYPL Express provide a copy of an article from a journal it does not hold?
A. Most often yes. When you request a document that is not in the collections of The New York Public Library, NYPL Express staff will eagerly track down the item. Our staff has developed an in-house database of over 150 sources from which we can obtain a document. With such a wealth of sources, almost any document is obtainable.

Q. How long will my research project take to complete?
A. It is often difficult to estimate the time a project will take. When speaking to a researcher you may request an estimate of the amount of time we think your project will take.

Q. Can I place a time/monetary limit on my research request?
A. You may place either a time or monetary limit on your request. However, please note that the limit placed may not be sufficient to fill your request completely.

Q. Will I receive an invoice?
A. If you have an established account, you will receive an invoice in the beginning of each month for prior transactions. If you are paying by credit card you will receive a statement.