Do Off-Campus Students Still Use Document Delivery? Current Trends

ABSTRACT

The tremendous increase in the availability of full text electronic resources has been particularly beneficial to distance education students who do not have easy access to print collections. However, Western Michigan University (WMU) has been experiencing a decrease in requests for traditional document delivery of print based materials. This article presents a case study of WMU document delivery services for the distance education community. A survey was also conducted of libraries serving distance education programs to determine whether other institutions are also experiencing a decrease in usage of document delivery. Survey results show a more universal trend toward decreasing requests for delivery of print based articles; book requests are also decreasing but not at the same rate. The article concludes with some possible reasons for the decrease in usage of document delivery for distance education.     

Electronic Document Delivery of Journal Articles

Abstract

In 2001-02, The University of Texas Health Science Center at San Antonio (UTHSCSA) Library tested and implemented secure Web ordering and delivery of journal articles, using Prospero for interlibrary loan, photocopy service, Circuit Librarian service, and document delivery between library branches. The goal was to deliver photocopied and interlibrary loan journal articles faster than campus mail, U.S. mail, or the courier service. In December 2001, eight staff began delivering articles electronically to one remote site as part of the Library Electronic Article Delivery (LEAD) pilot project. Electronic desktop delivery has since expanded to serve two branch libraries and UTHSCSA, San Antonio, and South Texas healthcare professionals. By reviewing the basis and describing the three phase pilot project, the author hopes to articulate the implementation of a new electronic service in a medical library.     

Streamlining Document Delivery and Interlibrary Loan Services for Distance Learners

Abstract

Technological advances in the processing of interlibrary loans have enabled libraries to deliver materials electronically to users. Delivery is especially beneficial for distance education students for whom typical interlibrary loan services are often not a viable option. The author conducted a survey of libraries that serve distance education students to determine which systems and processes, used in traditional interlibrary loan, are transferable to the delivery of materials from the “home” institution to off-campus students. To complement the survey, the results of a case study of experiences at Western Michigan University (WMU) are presented. WMU uses ILLiad and SFX systems to facilitate the request and delivery of interlibrary loan and document delivery requests to students both on and off-campus students.     

Selecting Electronic Document Delivery Options to Provide Quality Service

Abstract

Providing electronic document delivery (EDD) services to off-campus students can be a challenge. Methods of delivery that work well for one group of users might not work at all for another group. Knowing and using the different EDD service options to accomplish the goal of providing quality service to students results in a win-win situation. Student expectations of timely delivery of material are met and the department develops a reputation of dependable quality service. Library users have raised expectations from the 24/7 services available through the World Wide Web. Providing EDD of information to the researcher's desktop helps the library meet these needs and expectations. However, the options for desktop delivery can also be overwhelming, so knowing how and why different software and delivery methods work enables the practitioner to control the outcome of the transaction. This control over the service also ensures that quality service expectations are met by the library since the practitioner has the ability to use a variety of delivery options to the user's desktop.     

The Relais Document Delivery System: An Innovative Model for Resource Sharing

ABSTRACT

This paper describes the Relais document delivery system, which enables libraries to fully automate their interlibrary loan and document delivery processes. Relais has been successfully implemented at the U.S. National Library of Medicine and a predecessor system, IntelliDoc, was successfully implemented at CISTI (Canada Institute for Scientific and Technical Information). Three central capabilities are described in detail: the use of a scanning workstation to digitize requested documents, the ability to support an array of delivery methods, including electronic delivery, and the ability to retrieve detailed data on requests processed by Relais.     

Document Delivery in Academic Fee-Based Information Services

Summary

Academic libraries traditionally provide document delivery services to the campus-based community. Academic fee-based information services accept document requests from corporate, industrial, and professional clients who are willing to pay for a value-added service that includes rush handling, delivery to a third party, or locating an item with a vague citation. The Purdue University Libraries' Technical Information Service (TIS) has grown into a successful venture by developing staff with specialized skills to identify, locate, obtain, and distribute increasingly difficult document orders with short turnaround times. There are advantages to the parent academic library, especially the Interlibrary Loan (ILL) unit, in having a fee-based service to which time-consuming, unusual or expensive requests can be referred. With the potential to increase these advantages comes the need to define clearly the respective roles of these units.     

EBSCODOC vs. CARL UNCOVER: A Comparison of Document Delivery Services at the University of Evansville Libraries

ABSTRACT

From Jan.-April 1996, the University of Evansville Libraries compared the EBSCODOC and CARL UNCOVER document delivery services in the context of fulfilling article requests that were not completed using the OCLC/ILL subsystem as well as in providing “rush” service. Both services had comparative strengths and weaknesses. EBSCODOC's strength was its comprehensiveness; its weakness was speed of delivery. CARL UNCOVER's strength was the speed and reliability of delivery; its weakness was a 41% rate of fulfillment. Recommendations include further testing of full-text document suppliers in order to identify the best service or services to completely meet the needs of academic libraries.     

User satisfaction survey and usage of an electronic desktop document delivery service at an academic medical library

In June 2000, the Biomedical Library at the University of South Alabama introduced Prospero, an electronic desktop document delivery service. From June 2000 to November 2002, Prospero delivered 28% of interlibrary loan requests and 72% of document delivery requests. In November 2002, the library conducted a user satisfaction survey of the Prospero service. Forty-two surveys were used. Fifteen responses were received from affiliated faculty, staff, and students, who generally expressed satisfaction with the service. Twenty-seven responses were received from unaffiliated users, comprised of medical libraries, individual users, and businesses. Based on the survey results, the library deemed the Prospero service a success. To better support users, the library's Web page was updated to include hardware and software requirements for successful use of the Prospero service, as well as screen shots of the Prospero process.     

Interlibrary Loan and Electronic Reserve Haikus

ABSTRACT

The Interlending Section, University Library System, Chinese University of Hong Kong provides centralized, charging back interlibrary loan services. Overseas document delivery vendors are essential to the Interlending Section in satisfying the information needs of its users. Based on nine considerations, the Interlending Section seriously and carefully selects a few overseas document delivery vendors that are able to satisfy nearly 90% of photocopy requests in 14 days. Such performance matches that of the local sources. The considerations used by the Interlending Section are cost and pricing structure, response and efficiency, fill rate, specialty, in-house collection, royalty arrangement, charges other than document cost and royalty, method of payment, and means of request transmission.     

Always Yes,Never No

ABSTRACT

The “difficult” requests submitted by the research library users prove document delivery vendors could hardly replace interlibrary loan librarians. “Difficult” requests ask for the “grey literature” not traded commercially and not kept in libraries. They require the special attention and professional knowledge of the interlibrary loan librarian. Besides usual bibliographic and reference tools, the Internet, e-mail, and the search engines have to be employed to solve them. The help of those responsible for the production of the literature in question is significant. In tackling “difficult” requests, interlibrary loan librarians may further add value to their services by facilitating sharing between scholars or researchers. Five actual cases are presented to illustrate how the “difficult” requests were tackled and solved.     

Document Delivery and Collection Development

Abstract

Libraries ate working with new formats and new modes of delivery for users. After identifying the availability of these, and what the locally owned collection can provide, librarians must then determine which mode of delivery best suits their users’ needs, ownership vs. access, impact of these decisions, and funding to support these decisions. As the authors of this paper consider the current setting, they address these issues as they relate to their institution, including the use of user's document delivery requests as a selection criteria.     

Reference as an Access Service: Collaboration Between Reference and Interlibrary Loan Departments

ABSTRACT

Academic libraries increasingly rely on Interlibrary Loan (ILL) departments to obtain research materials. This adds to the workload of ILL at a time when many libraries are experiencing budget cuts and dwindling staff. Collaboration between ILL and Reference can assist ILL by providing searching expertise. Collaboration is facilitated by the paperless environment provided by ILL management software. Patrons benefit from increased fill-rates and reduced turnaround time for ILL requests. Reference benefits by exercising creative searching for difficult-to-find materials and gaining exposure to new reference sources and online catalogs. These benefits are explored through analysis of fill-rates, sources from which materials were ultimately obtained, sources used by the Reference Department, and interviews with staff.     

Interlibrary Loaning Special Collections: A Test Run for the University of California

ABSTRACT

In June of 2001, the University of California Libraries initiated a pilot project that enabled library patrons to direct request items held in the University of California Special Collection Units. The pilot ended the need for patrons to initiate most requests for unique items in person through the Special Collections department and allowed patrons to self-determine the need for a unique item when searching the shared UC-wide catalog, Melvyl®. The following article discusses the process used to handle the requests, includes perspectives from the two units overseeing the requests, evaluates the overall success of the pilot and offers considerations for implementing a similar service elsewhere.     

Known Knowns and Known Unknowns

Abstract

Health care professionals often request information delivered stat. Patient treatment is urgent. Any hospital library, large or small, that uses Internet document delivery (IDD) systems can place information in the hands of the health professional faster. Libraries that use Internet document delivery technologies can provide health care professionals with information more quickly. Ultimately, it could reduce the length of a hospital stay and reduce health care costs. However, hospital libraries are faced with significant barriers that prevent them from utilizing electronic document delivery systems. docMD successfully overcame barriers and allowed small and/or rural hospital libraries to take advantage of the benefits of electronic document delivery that larger libraries have enjoyed for over a decade. It provides health professionals affiliated with smaller hospitals an equal opportunity to access professional literature quickly in order to make quicker, well-informed patient care decisions. The docMD pilot project investigated, eliminated the barriers and provided IDD services to eleven small and rural hospital libraries using a centralized document mediation center. This paper provides background information, describes the creation of the docMD service delivery model and discusses possible future project outcomes.     

A pilot project to investigate commercial document suppliers

In the winter of 1993/1994, the Pennsylvania State University (Penn State) Libraries began a project to test several of the emerging commercial document suppliers. The purpose was to evaluate their responses in terms of speed, efficiency, quality, and cost effectiveness. The testing was done in four science branch libraries at University Park. In each of the branches (Earth & Mineral Sciences, Engineering, Mathematics, and Physical Sciences) requests that were submitted for Interlibrary Loan (ILL) were reviewed. Those that qualified under the pilot project guidelines were sent to commercial suppliers of documents, instead of through the normal ILL work flow. Compiled data indicated that the cost of each item and the time taken to supply items were less than that required for ILL. The pilot project suggests that when integrated into ILL work flows, acquiring items through commercial document delivery suppliers would assist in making the process less costly and more efficient.     

Changing Strategies for Information Delivery: Theory into Practice

ABSTRACT

Many events over the past decade have jeopardized the library's ability to fulfill its basic mission resulting in a shift of information delivery paradigms. Interlibrary loan, document delivery and resource sharing have become essential rather than peripheral and funding patterns are reflecting this philosophical shift. There is renewed interest in cooperative collection development and multiple options for meshing document delivery with an existing ILL program. Within this environment under a redefined mission statement, the Rasmuson Library, University of Alaska Fairbanks, addresses these shifting paradigms and has implemented a program to meet the information needs of its patrons.     

Pioneering Document Delivery

Summary

The provision of materials through document delivery has become a critical issue for all libraries as die costs for materials skyrocket. This workshop described examples of pioneering document delivery from Maryland and Canada. The presenters provided examples of a public and a commercial document delivery system.     

The ARIEL Document Delivery System: A Cost-Effective Alternative to the Fax

ABSTRACT

ARIEL is a high-speed, high-quality, cost-effective document delivery system that runs on the Internet. Journal articles can be sent from one place to another by scanning the article directly from the journal. The text and graphics are digitized into the computer, transmitted over the Internet, and printed on a laser printer at the receiving end. Developed in 1990 by the Research Libraries Group of the Research Libraries Information Network, ARIEL is becoming the document delivery system of choice for a rapidly growing number of users in the U.S. and abroad. The key advantages which ARIEL has over the fax are: (1) no long-distance phone charges; (2) high image resolution; (3) original source can be scanned; (4) can send and receive documents at the same time; (5) does not require dedicated equipment; and (6) documents can be stored and forwarded at a later time. In the very near future, ARIEL software will incorporate MIME (Multi-purpose Internet Mail Extensions) technology which will enable documents to be transmitted to the screen via e-mail from one individual to another. This paper describes the hardware and software requirements, the cost of getting started, and one library's experience, as part of a pilot project, with the ARIEL document delivery system.