Collaborative Approaches to Resolving Difficult ILL Borrowing Requests: Using a Working Group and a Wiki for Knowledge Sharing

Interlibrary loan borrowing staff at the University of Arizona Main Library, who handle difficult interlibrary loan requests, are taking a collaborative approach to obtaining unique, difficult-to-locate materials. A working group within the document delivery team meets weekly to share examples processed during the preceding week to increase the fill rate of challenging interlibrary loan requests. The group also established a wiki for the purpose of sharing resources that have been used to solve difficult requests. The wiki serves as an advanced interlibrary loan training resource that can be accessed by a greater number of staff, enabling them to gain the skills necessary to process difficult requests.     

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.     

共享有限资源：Minitex模式的发展

介绍和分析美国明尼苏达州的Minitex馆际借阅系统30年来的发展历史。该系统的独特之处在于：将明尼苏达州、南达科他州、北达科他州的200多家图书馆连成为一体，利用各参与图书馆的资源为三州的学者、公众、政府机构和专业图书馆提供馆际借阅、文献传递、集团采购等服务。这一图书馆网络不仅使得所有参与图书馆的馆藏得到了更充分的利用，而且为资源相对有限的中小型图书馆提供了更强大的服务能力。Minitex模式对国土大、人口多、图书资源紧缺的国家和地区如中国来说特别具有启示意义。     

Introducing the RUSA STARS Rethinking Resource Sharing Checklist Version 2: How Your Library Can Become a STAR!

The American Library Association's (ALA) Reference and User Services Association (RUSA) division, Sharing and Transforming Access to Resources Section (STARS) Rethinking Resource Sharing Policies Committee, has unveiled an updated version of the STARS Checklist. This article will discuss how the checklist can help to shape your library's resource-sharing policies. The ALA RUSA STARS Rethinking Resource Sharing STARS Checklist provides library staff an opportunity to review and reflect on the policies and processes that comprise the resource-sharing services they provide. The checklist helps libraries save money, impress administration, and serve patrons to their fullest potential. This article offers a review of the STARS Checklist, including its history and guidelines for its implementation.     

The Florida State Libraries Resource Sharing Initiative: Unity Among a Disparate Group

This article discusses the development of a new resource sharing program within the Florida State University Libraries called UBorrow. Background includes information on similar programs and the use of Integrated Library Systems in this type of program. There is discussion of the pilot project which reviewed and selected the delivery system for this new program. Discussion also includes lessons learned concerning UBorrow's preliminary implementation and how unity in this service was created among a disparate group.     

Unfulfilled: A Story of Users and Library Request Services

The current technology models for library request services present significant challenges for the user’s experience from discovery to delivery. Applying user-centered design and e-commerce modalities may allow libraries to create more engaging and useful request services for all users. The authors suggest six design principles to improve user’s experience with library request systems and offer practical applications of these principles based upon two case studies at The New School Libraries and New York University Libraries. Both cases utilize APIs currently available, suggesting that libraries may leverage current models to create a better experience for their users.     

Cooperative Remote Storage: Challenges for Resource Sharing

Cooperative storage involves two or more libraries sharing space within a facility. Kansas State University leases space at the Library Annex, a remote storage facility owned and operated by the University of Kansas. Various challenges are involved in maintaining access to remotely stored materials for resource sharing and document delivery purposes. The authors, staff members of the Interlibrary Services Unit at Kansas State University, discuss variables affecting access to remote materials and share their experience working within a cooperative storage model.     

Current Trends in Research Resources from Russia,Eastern Europe,and Eurasia: Implications for Reference Services and Resource Sharing

ABSTRACT

In the last 20 years, national, regional, and academic libraries and other cultural institutions in Russia, Eastern Europe, and Central Asia have introduced subject portals, research databases, journal repositories, digital collections, research guides, and indexing resources, which scholarly communities outside these regions rely on to advance their research portfolios. In order to address the significant developments in scholarly communication and the proliferation of academic content, this article discusses recent trends in online research resources and strategies for incorporating these resources into research consultations. In addition, as these extensive networks of online resources continue to proliferate, possible models for collaboration with national and regional libraries are needed to strengthen existing partnerships with Slavic librarians outside these regions.     

Successful Scholarly Communication at a Small University: Integration of Education,Services, and an Institutional Repository at Valparaiso University

Beginning in 2011, the Christopher Center Library Services (CCLS) unit at Valparaiso University (VU) started implementing new scholarly communication services utilizing two different components: (1) the education and training of library staff in scholarly communication trends and issues; and (2) the implementation of ValpoScholar, VU's institutional repository (IR) and its associated services. These components allowed for new skills to be developed, new services to be delivered, and the library's digital collections to grow with minimal impact to existing services. This model may provide a framework for other small institutions interested in adding scholarly communication services to their existing library services.