Purchase and use of monographs originally requested on interlibrary loan in a medical school library

Abstract

A survey was carried out to test the assumption that interlibrary loan (ILL) requests for monographs represent a more transient user need than direct purchase recommendations. Four selection criteria were identified and the ratio of time in stock to the number of loans recorded on the due date labels during three calendar years was calculated for books in each of these four groups. The frequency of loan recorded for each selection criteria was as follows—in descending order: (1) new editions of titles already held, (2) titles originally requested on ILL, (3) titles selected by library staff, and (4) titles recommended by academic staff. The only factor which could be identified as possibly contributing to the markedly different scores recorded by groups 2 and 4 above was the greater proportion of full-time research (i.e., nonclinical) staff in group 2. ILL requests from academic staff for monographs may therefore be a more accurate predictor of future use than direct purchase recommendations received from these staff. Results also indicate that academic and library staff possess conflicting views about the nature of the book collection.