From Document Delivery to Distant Learning: An Interlibrary Loan Perspective

ABSTRACT

Depending upon the context and how institutions employ it, the term document delivery can mean several things. In some cases, it refers to access of articles via commercial vendors or via full-text databases. Yet for others, it may be a delivery of physical items (such as library books) directly to the faculty member's department or office. For the University of Florida Smathers Libraries, document delivery is a unique service unit administered under the Interlibrary Loan operation, and it is through this element that the distance learning service component was created. The intent of this article is to present a view of a distance learning service model that interlibrary loan and other librarian practitioners may find beneficial when considering the establishment of such a service.     

The Road Not Taken: SFX,ILLiad, and Interlibrary Loan Submission Methods

In Fall 2008, the interlibrary loan office at the College of Staten Island began to use ILLiad and SFX OpenURL to fulfill borrowing requests. Four years later a review showed that patrons used SFX to submit borrowing requests less than half the time. The majority of patrons’ borrowing request submissions were still being entered manually. We decided to review patron submission methods and see what impact this was having on transactions. We also explored possible patterns in order to encourage SFX usage and improve patron services. Reasons for this behavior are suggested and future solutions are explored.     

The Invisible Employee: Success and Fragility of Automating Interlibrary Loan

Libraries and their interlibrary loan departments have enacted different methods for improving processes and services to create greater efficiency and less waste. Techniques range from holistic, and expansive process improvement projects to leveraging the ability of request management systems to automate processes and services successfully. This article explores the effect of automation on the output of a sample interlibrary loan department and points out possible challenges that this automation success may create in the future.     

Developing a Data Narrative: Analyzing Trends in an Academic Interlibrary Loan Department

Between 2010 and 2015, interlibrary loan request rates at Albertsons Library at Boise State University were observed to be in decline. This study details the efforts to explore this trend and to determine a cause using existing data available through the OCLC Atlas ILLiad Web Reports interface. A simple but effective method to analyze these substantial reports is presented and practical examples of analysis conducted at Albertsons Library are discussed. By looking at factors such as usage patterns, new user registrations, and cancelation language, the decrease in borrowing and lending requests was confirmed and attributed primarily to decreases in graduate student ILLiad registrations and a lending ebook deflection implemented in 2015. Additional, focused qualitative assessment and updates to user interfaces were recommended as a result of the study.     

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.     

Examining Change Within Interlibrary Loan

Technological innovations have changed the interlibrary loan landscape, leading many of its practitioners to wonder what the future holds for interlibrary loan. Examining the way in which change is discussed can reveal some insecurities on the part of interlibrary loan workers and can also provide direction as to where interlibrary loan is going.     

Special Deliveries: Towards a Methodology for Generous Fulfillment of Special Collections Interlibrary Loan Requests

This article explores the implementation of special collections interlibrary loan policies and procedures at the University of South Florida (USF), focusing particularly on the development of policies related to physically loaning published materials, and traces the development of these policies through a pilot project to routinized implementation. Particular attention is paid to developing mutually beneficial workflows between special collections and interlibrary loan departments, creating transparent policies for the criteria under which requests are or are not filled, and technical considerations for implementing special collections loans. Through this case study, we highlight the potential for collaboration in the fulfillment of special deliveries.     

Interlibrary Loan Assessment: Assessing Services in a Small Private College Library's Interlibrary Loan Department

Assessment is a required component of strategic planning and decision making in any library. Interlibrary loan surveys can provide data regarding user satisfaction levels for accuracy, thoroughness, convenience, and turnaround time. As interlibrary loan librarians at D'Youville College, we believed that our patrons were satisfied and impressed with the library's recent service improvement initiatives. However, we did not have any concrete data that would help drive future strategic decisions. We were short on staff time and resources and wondered how a small library staff could create an assessment tool and then analyze the results.     

国外电子书馆际互借经验与启示

采用光沉积-液相化学法调节电子流向,构建了直接Z型TiO₂/Ag/Ag₃PO_{(4 )}(TAAPO)光催化材料.通过扫描电子显微镜(SEM)、透射电子显微镜(TEM)、X射线衍射仪(XRD)、X射线光电子能谱(XPS)、紫外-可见漫反射光谱仪以及光致发光(PL)光谱仪等手段对其进行表征,并对其在可见光照射下催化降解环丙沙星(CIP)的性能进行了研究.结果表明,当水体pH为3.0,催化剂分散浓度为0.3 g/L,CIP的初始浓度为15 mg/L时,光催化降解体系能够取得最佳的去除效果.在该组条件下,光照120 min CIP的降解率约为99%,并且在经历4个循环后仍然保持了良好的降解效果.在光催化降解CIP的过程中,主要反应活性物种为超氧自由基(·O₂     

Scan by Numbers: Interlibrary Loan Lending Statistics Shape Digital Initiative

In 2004, the Interlibrary Loan and Document Delivery Services Department at the University of Central Florida Libraries began forwarding requests to Special Collections for review and potential lending. After compiling three years of data, an evaluation of the requests showed 23% of the requested items were in the public domain. Interlibrary Loan (ILL), Special Collections, and Digital Services began collaborating to digitize ILL requests on demand and create a digital collection of materials requested via interlibrary loan.     

Book-Buying Through Interlibrary Loan: Analysis of the First Eight Years at a Large Public University Library

Purchasing recently published books rather than requesting them through interlibrary loan provides rapid service to patrons and builds the collection with relevant materials that circulate at least as much as books purchased through traditional methods. This article is a case study of how Joyner Library at East Carolina University has used interlibrary loan to purchase requested titles from 2006 through 2014 and provides an analysis of the results. The mechanics, changes, and successes along the way of the eight years of the service are discussed.     

Interlibrary Loan Fill Rates: The Audiovisual Conundrum

To execute an effective marketing campaign, especially one featuring a complex process, the library must combine marketing ideas with technological improvements that lower barriers to entry. In conjunction with the University Libraries’ Communications and Marketing Department, Texas Tech's Document Delivery Department embarked on a project to raise user awareness of Document Delivery and the services it offers. This case study examines how Texas Tech's Document Delivery Department lowered its barriers to entry for services and branded the service in order to raise awareness.     

对高校图书馆馆际互借和文献传递服务的思考——以四川大学图书馆为例

阐述了高校图书馆开展馆际互借与文献传递服务的必要性,分析了馆际互借与文献传递服务工作中存在的问题,并提出了改进措施。     

Interlibrary Loan Interoperability Experiment: A Nontechnical View

Accessing interlibrary loan requests from various resource-sharing software systems through a single interface has long been a promise of vendors—a promise not often implemented. Our region of New York State chose VDX for its hundreds of libraries, while the State University of New York at New Paltz, the major lender, is a participant in OCLC via ILLiad. Our staff required training and updates for both systems. This article describes our successful efforts to implement interoperability and the steps and missteps encountered to achieve compatibility between VDX and ILLiad.     

以实践评析BALIS馆际互借服务体系——以中国传媒大学图书馆为例

以中国传媒大学图书馆的BALIS馆际互借工作实践为基础,借助工作中的学习成果,以具体工作实例为切入点,总结分析了BALIS馆际互借服务体系的优势,并提出了BALIS馆际互借服务体系目前存在的待改进之处。     

Developing a Web API for Interlibrary Loan Copyright Payments

Wayne State University Libraries (WSUL) pays copyright royalties for Interlibrary Loan (ILL) copy requests that exceed National Commission on New Technological Uses of Copyrighted Works (CONTU) guidelines. Prior to 2011, submitting requests to the Copyright Clearance Center (CCC) required harvesting the necessary data from ILLiad and Innovative Interfaces’ Interlibrary Loan systems, validating the requests, and submitting a combined spreadsheet to CCC. A 2010 announcement from CCC indicated that they will no longer accept spreadsheets for invoicing. The alternative method of submitting requests involves using their web submission interface—which is time consuming and places a heavy burden on staff resources. In response, WSUL developed a .Net web-based application that automatically harvests, validates, and submits requests to CCC using their private application programming interface (API). The system interfaces with multiple ILL systems and submits payment lists automatically, removing the need to manually enter copyright orders. Initial estimates suggest a yearly reduction of over 500 hours in staff time when compared to the web submission method.     

Interlibrary Loan Meets Six Sigma: The University of Arizona Library's Success Applying Process Improvement

In 2004, the University of Arizona Library Document Delivery Team embarked on a strategic project to assess the service quality and cost of filling interlibrary loan journal article borrowing requests. The Document Delivery Team utilized a Six Sigma Define, Measure, Analyze, Improve, and Control process improvement method. Improvements that were implemented as a result of this study led to increased satisfaction, decreased turnaround time, and lower cost per delivered article. Customer satisfaction surveys were utilized to discover customer expectations and requirements and to evaluate the effect of improvements on the customer experience. Measurement of internal business processes and cost analysis tools were used to determine cost savings.     

On Our Own: Starting an Interlibrary Loan Service From Scratch

In August 2009, the Herbert Wertheim College of Medicine Medical Library opened its doors to students, faculty, and staff. One of the many challenges before opening the library was developing a unique and autonomous interlibrary loan service for its patrons. This article examines the decisions in choosing the best document delivery system, the management of funds, and the selection of holdings for a new medical library. Along with these decisions, there is discussion on the significance of costs, turnaround times, and challenges going forward.     

Interlibrary Loan Tsunami: Investigating the Rising Tide of Borrowing Requests at a Small Private University

Interlibrary loan borrowing statistics at Foley Center Library at Gonzaga University far exceeded those at other institutions in its affinity group. This study details an effort to explore the disparity by examining policies, statistics, and trends. A review of affinity group institutions’ interlibrary loan Web sites and a follow-up survey revealed minimal policy differences. Other factors examined included increases in electronic databases, enrollment, and usage patterns. The increased usage of interlibrary loan was warranted, yet workload management was still an issue. Subsequent procedure modifications resulted in a 23% reduction in article borrowing requests over a six-month period.     

Cooperation in a Multi-Faceted Reference Department: Blending Resources,Personnel, and Services of Reference,Instruction, Interlibrary Loan,and Government Documents

SUMMARY

Cooperative reference is a valuable approach to serving patrons as well as a means of expanding one's professional knowledge. Members of the reference unit actively participate in cooperative reference for answering patrons' tougher queries, bibliographic instruction, and reference collection development. The cooperative efforts of our unit have expanded our ability to find better information faster. Cooperative reference extends to all librarians within the University Library as each librarian serves in a rotation to staff the reference desk on nights and weekends. Some of the benefits of practicing cooperative reference are the following: providing a balanced and sometimes more complete answer to a reference question; increasing the knowledge of the reference staff by sharing experiences; and increasing morale and support for the reference staff. All of this is accomplished by doing what librarians do best: sharing. Successful cooperative reference relies upon good communication within the department, respect for colleagues, flexibility, and commitment to serving our patrons.