INTERLENDING AND DOCUMENT DELIVERY: A REVIEW OF RECENT LITERATURE: II

Abstract

In the USA, location of material has improved with new automated methods, but delivery of documents is still a problem, and many small libraries cannot participate in the new bibliographic networks. The OCLC interlending subsystem and those of RLIN and UTLAS (in Canada) are giving high satisfaction rates and improved speeds of supply, though they are less favourable to the borrower than interlending through on‐line circulation systems. The National Library of Medicine is planning an automated interlending system, with emphasis on serial requests. UTLAS envisages greater use of local minicomputers in distributed networks. Statistics from New Zealand illustrate growth and patterns of interlending. A survey in India demonstrates the need for an agreed policy on interlending between university libraries. Relative costs of different supply centres are looked at from a Belgian viewpoint. Information on tracing and obtaining conference literature in chemistry is presented in a handbook in the FRG. The possibility of setting up an electronic document delivery system in the European Communities is examined. Finally, the need for improved worldwide provision of publications and some possible solutions are discussed.