MINIMAL BIBLIOGRAPHIC CHECKING OF INTERLIBRARY LOAN REQUESTS

Abstract

An investigation of the effects of submitting inter‐library loan requests after only a minimal check on their bibliographic details was first proposed in the UK by the British Library Lending Division because both requesting libraries and the Lending Division were finding it increasingly hard to spend much time and effort on the checking of requests. It was thought that a practical recognition of this fact on both sides might reduce work without a significant effect on the service. A higher proportion of requests might have to be returned by the Lending Division, but the speed of response to the majority might actually be improved. To test this, three experiments were conducted in co‐operation with selected borrowers. The first of these studies, carried out in the Summer of 1979 with Durham University Library, was reported in the April 1980 issue of Interlending Review. The results were encouraging, and two further studies were carried out in 1980, one with Manchester Polytechnic Library and the other with Nottinghamshire Public Library. Full reports on these surveys have been compiled. This note brings together the results of this work and presents the general conclusions.