Interlibrary Loan Services Research Articles

Marketing of Library and Information Services in the College Libraries of Hasanpur: A Study

This paper describes about the marketing of library and information services in the college libraries of Hasanpur: A study. The study analysis the library products and its services, Inter library loan services to its users, marketing of information services, income sources to the library, services provided for users, users are denied access to information products/services when fees are charges and computerized literature search should be part of the free normal library services. The result of the study shows that the More that 50% of the users agree that they are satisfied with the Marketing of Library and Information Services.

의학도서관의 단행본 장서구성을 위한 이용자 연구: A 의학도서관 대출기록을 중심으로

The aim of this study is supporting efficient development of library collection and improvement of library service for users by analyzing utilization patterns of library collection using circulation statistics of medical library users. With this purpose, circulation statistics were extracted from 90,420 cases of circulation records in A library for recent 3 years (from 2012 to 2014). Specifically, circulation data categorized according to status and subject, loan data of most popular books and use data of inter-library loan service were collected and analyzed. Subject groups of this study are undergraduate students, graduate students and incumbent hospital employees including faculty members, training members and nondoctor members. For the result, medical library users intensively lent materials of Technology (Applied Sciences), Literature and Social science areas. Especially, the demand of the materials of literature was higher than the demand of the other subject areas compared in the base of collection development.

학술정보 상호대차 서비스 현황 및 변화 분석: 2004년-2014년 KERIS 데이터를 중심으로

본 연구는 2004년에서 2014년까지 11년간의 KERIS 상호대차 트랜잭션 데이터를 대상으로 서비스 현황과 기간별 변화를 분석하였다. 연구 결과 발견한 주요 사실은 다음과 같다. 첫째, 4년제 대학도서관의 신청과 제공건수 사이에는 밀접한 상관관계가 있었으며, 타 관종의 경우 거의 관련이 없게 나타났다. 둘째, 상호대차 대상 자료는 주제별로 살펴보면 사회과학 분야 및 문학 분야가 상위를 차지하고 있었다. 언어별로는 영어 자료가 절반 가까이 차지하고 있었다. 셋째, 신청건수가 제공건수보다 많은 기관이 전체 중에서 약 60%를 차지하였으나, 4년제 대학도서관의 경우는 비교적 균형을 이루고 있었다. 넷째, 2012년을 기점으로 KERIS 상호대차 서비스는 모든 면에서 지속적으로 성장하고 있음을 보여주고 있다.

Assessing the value of ILL to our users: a comparative study of three US libraries

Purpose – This study aims to combine the patron perception of the interlibrary loan services offered in three libraries: an ARL campus, a small private liberal arts campus, and a large state public library. The goal was to have a vehicle for gathering both satisfaction and value information for each of the services provided by a resource-sharing operation to cross-analyze patron perceptions, satisfaction and value placed on resource sharing at each institution. Design/methodology/approach – A survey was created to gather the information desired, and it was designed to be completed in less than 15 minutes. The survey wording was adjusted depending on the individual participating organization to provide appropriate text for the local patrons. However, the basic content was similar for each library. The survey included an optional field where the patron could enter their name to allow follow-up as desired. It also included an open question to capture anything else the previous questions did not. Findings – This case studies finding include recognition of recurring features found valuable to library patrons utilizing all three institutions: access, speed and people. Each library was able to identify areas of strength and areas to improve upon within their services. Each library also gained insight into their patrons’ perceptions of the resource-sharing services offered. This insight is being used for further assessment studies, as well as to implement changes on each local campus. Originality/value – This study provides insight and data into resource-sharing assessment as related to patron value. As the literature review shows, no studies of this kind have been done recently or across the institutions included: small private academic, large research academic or large public library.

Interlibrary Lending in Mexican, Caribbean, Central American, and South American Libraries

This article reports on a survey to Mexican, Caribbean, Central American, and South American libraries about interlibrary loan services and activities. It builds on previous studies and reports in an attempt to address a void in current interlibrary lending literature concerning Latin American libraries’ interlibrary lending services.

The Big Deal, Interlibrary Loan, and Building the User-Centered Journal Collection: A Case Study

Finding the right balance between ownership of journals and access to the content of nonowned journal articles is a challenge to all research libraries coping with static budgets and increasing subscription costs. The Iowa State University (ISU) Library has implemented an evaluation model utilizing both cost-per-use data and interlibrary loan (ILL) cost figures to determine the overall cost benefit of two Big Deals, ultimately leading to the breakup of both. Interlibrary loan cost thresholds were utilized to subscribe to journals on an individual basis. Funds saved from the breakups were applied to the addition of new subscriptions identified as in high demand by interlibrary loan requests from the Iowa State University community. The use of interlibrary loan cost and use data was an important component in breaking up both Big Deals and adjusting the journal collection to be more in tune with user demand and contributing to a continued drop in demand for ILL service.

A scheme to improve the international inter-library loan service in the National Library of China

Purpose – The purpose of this paper is to propose a scheme to promote and improve international interlibrary loan (ILL) service at the National Library of China (NLC). The NLC is the center for international ILL in all of China, but as user needs change in response to the rapid development of information technology, it is necessary to investigate how to recast the international ILL service of the NLC. Design/methodology/approach – The paper uses a systematic case study approach. First, a brief introduction to international ILL practice in the NLC is given. Second, issues that concern request communications, copyright and payment methods are analyzed. Next, a scheme to modernize and improve international ILL is proposed as a response to the aforementioned problems. Finally, new challenges to international ILL are analyzed. Findings – The NLC should make the following efforts to improve international ILL service: enhance and expand the number of request transmission methods, update the legacy ILL and document delivery system, create a Chinese interlibrary loan alliance and fashion more reasonable copyright and payment policies. In addition, it should foster sustained innovation to meet the ongoing challenges to international ILL in the information age. Originality/value – This paper offers practical solutions for Chinese libraries engaged in international ILL activities.

The view from interlibrary loan services: Catalyst for a better research process

The view from interlibrary loan services: Catalyst for a better research process

The Devil is in the Details: Exploring Individual Usage of Interlibrary Loan

This article seeks to explore the impact of individual patrons on the interlibrary loan (ILL) service, based on their request volumes. In this study the author sought to gain a better understanding of the number of requests patrons were placing individually and see if an in-depth analysis would highlight potential areas of concern or identify patterns that had gone unnoticed. The author explores the frequency of individual patron requests and their rates of cancellation. In the process, the impact of a small number of high-volume repeat patrons on overall ILL activities and statistics is identified and explored.

Library Homepage Design at Medium-Sized Institutions

This study sought to describe and analyze the homepages of academic library Web sites at 313 medium-sized bachelor's and master's general institutions. The authors evaluated an unprecedented number of library homepages for the presence of 118 design elements and reported common and uncommon design practices at these libraries. They found 21 elements present on at least half the homepages studied. Seven of these occurred on at least 80 percent of the pages studied: links to the university homepage, library hours, images, portals by subject or links to subject guides, links to interlibrary loan services, “about” sections, and catalog searches. This study serves as a baseline for the current practices of homepage design for a large population of libraries. The results of this survey indicate trends and common design elements for library Web site design and show which elements Web designers and librarians at medium-sized libraries should consider including on their Web pages. Findings are compared with a similar study conducted in 2010, and this study in turn may provide a comparison point for future research. The study also reports characteristics of the implementation of discovery services for this population of libraries in unprecedented detail and provides descriptive information about homepage links to social media sites and mobile applications.

Revisiting interlibrary loan best practices: still viable?

Purpose – This paper seeks to evaluate the impact of the Group Interlibrary Loan Best Practices instituted by the Greater Western Library Alliance (GWLA) Libraries in 2002 and to examine whether these best practices are still viable today. The authors aims to provide an updated discussion on current best practices in both GWLA and other highly effective library consortia. Design/methodology/approach – The authors use a case study approach to identify areas where interlibrary loan best practices have improved service amongst the GWLA Libraries. In addition, the practices of other high performing consortia are included to further the discussion. Findings – The GWLA Libraries found that the best practices implemented in 2002 improved service by decreasing turnaround time and increasing patron access to alternate format types. Other library consortia are also using similar group best practices that improve resource sharing. Research limitations/implications – This article focuses mostly on the beneficial outcomes of the best practices and limits discussion of the problems and pitfalls encountered. Originality/value – Readers will gain an understanding of how instituting group best practices can improve interlibrary loan service and recognize the benefit of library groups.

Digital Resource Sharing Platform and Its Application in Interlibrary Loan Service

As the existing building pattern of digital library no longer meet the needs of constructing new urban agglomeration, a platform for sharing digital resource was proposed. The platform perfectly provided user-transparent interlibrary loan service of inter-city, which greatly facilitated the city residents and promoted the process of building a new urban agglomeration.

Follow-Up Study on Free Document Delivery and Interlibrary Loan Service Demonstrates Customer Satisfaction and Generates Improvements

Objective – Texas A&M University Libraries have delivered free documents and interlibrary loans for ten years via the Get it for me service. This study explores whether the needs of customers are being met, areas for improvement, acceptable turnaround times, why some resources are never picked up, preferred format and steps to obtaining resources, places searched before submitting a request, and whether users ever purchased resources after obtaining them through Get it for me.
 
 Design – Online questionnaire. 
 
 Setting – Large academic library system located in Texas, United States.
 
 Subjects – Researchers used responses from 735 registered users of the Get it for me service (12% undergraduates, 49% graduate students, 21% faculty, 15% staff, 1% distance education, 2% other).
 
 Methods – The authors emailed all currently registered users of the Get it for me service (n=23,063) inviting them to participate in a survey. The survey ran for two weeks, with no follow-up emails sent. 
 
 Main Results – The return rate of 3.18% (n=735/23,063) surpassed the participant goal to achieve a confidence level of 95%, with a confidence interval of 4%. Researchers found that 79% of respondents are satisfied with turnaround time, with 54% of respondents desiring items within three days. Expectations increased with position in the academy. Time is the significant factor in users not retrieving ordered items; items are no longer needed after deadlines pass or other related materials are found. Responses revealed that 55% of users prefer print to e-books, although 70% of participants would accept an e-book version if print is not available. Participants were evenly split between reading documents online and printing them to read offline. About one quarter of respondents bought or suggested that the library purchase an item requested via Get it for me. When participants encountered a problem, 55% of respondents would contact library staff and 45% would check the service FAQ. Of those that contacted staff, there is a 94% satisfaction rate. Overall, 95% of respondents checked the libraries’ online catalogue for availability, 83% looked in e-journal collections, and 74% checked Google or Google Scholar. Get it for me was complimented on its user-friendly interfaces and policies, and the money and time it saves its users. In terms of criticism, users requested better quality scanned documents, longer interlibrary loan times, and a PDF instead of a link when an article is found by staff.
 
 Conclusion – The author concludes that the document delivery and interlibrary loan services delivered by Get it for me are meeting the expectations of users, with 99% of respondents reporting that the Get it for me service meets or somewhat meets their needs. Areas that required improvement were identified and strategies put in place to improve service. This questionnaire can be applied to other libraries to assist them in learning about document delivery and interlibrary loan service users and their expectations.

Analysis of BALIS interlibrary loan service management

Purpose – The purpose of this paper is to review and assess the first five years of BALIS interlibrary loan service and propose directions for future service development. Design/methodology/approach – The authors use a case study approach to review the consortium's service offerings and clientele, assess challenges encountered in the first few years of service, propose service improvements, and make recommendations for the development of future strategic alliances. Findings – There are some shortcomings of the system that limit the expansion of interlibrary loan services such as the low satisfaction rate and the high shipping costs. Originality/value – This paper updates an earlier study of BALIS ILL services published in 2011.

Google Expectations and Interlibrary Loan: Can We Ever Be Fast Enough?

Users’ expectations of interlibrary loan services have been shaped by their experiences with search engines that provide uncomplicated interfaces and immediate full-text delivery. Libraries must not only allow for discovery of materials but must also meet users’ expectations that mirror their experiences in these online environments. The continual challenge for libraries is to provide ever-faster delivery times, both through innovative services and by taking advantage of technological advances. Even though delivery times continue to decrease, the user satisfaction gap that exists between immediate electronic content delivery upon discovery and waiting to receive materials from interlibrary loan remains.

Web services in interlibrary loan transactions: the Spanish GTBib network

PurposeThe purpose of this paper is to report on the use of web services to transmit requests and documents in the interlibrary loan (ILL) services of Spanish universities.Design/methodology/approachThe paper describes the problems involved in the use of email for communication between ILL services and presents a solution based on SOAP/XML technologies using standard protocols such as ISO 10160/10161, the OpenURL protocol and the NISO circulation interchange protocol (NCIP).FindingsThe solution presented provides real data on ILL transactions and on the use of options for communication between services, and will be used to further develop the gathering of statistical data on the service.Practical implicationsThis technology provides instant confirmation of receipt of messages, eliminating the uncertainty of using email. It also synchronizes the status of requests between the requesting and supplying institutions at all times.Originality/valueAlthough the use of web services in ILL transactions is suggested in the NCIP, their practical application has been limited and isolated. This paper describes their implementation in Spain in practically all university libraries, the National Library and many medical libraries.

Bringing interlibrary loan services under a single sign‐on umbrella

PurposeThe purpose of this paper is to transform a user‐authentication process for a document delivery and borrowing service into a simplified and unified logon access method consistent with other library services by leveraging a University Lightweight Directory Access Protocol (LDAP).Design/methodology/approachData fields were analyzed from the Texas A&M University Libraries' interlibrary loan and document delivery application (ILLiad) to determine the unique information that was critical to maintain account security and historical usage. As an added feature, plans were made and implemented to provide account authentication with another system entity through the use of Shibboleth software.FindingsThe campus LDAP proved a popular added feature. Since the implementation of the new authentication and authorization methods, usage of the service has increased even though the number of actual live accounts has decreased. Account security and user affiliation statistics were greatly improved.Practical implicationsMore efficient authentication and authorization processes increased the effectiveness of the document delivery service. Use of the LDAP protocol and Shibboleth software enhanced the authentication process for both the library and the user. Eliminating the need for a separate set of credentials for use of the document delivery service reduced the potential for password fatigue.Originality/valueThe creation and implementation of different technologies to further refine migration and systematic processes. A guide to the steps taken to facilitate moving from one authentication method to a more advanced system leveraging Shibboleth and .ASP for quality assurance.

An assessment of user satisfaction on library services: a case study of undergraduate Biology students at the University of Jaffna

The paper discusses the results of the user satisfaction survey conducted in the Jaffna University library among the undergraduates of general degree bioscience students in August 2010. The objectives of the study were to assess the library user satisfaction regarding the currently available information sources and services and to identify the unmet needs of the undergraduates for the future developments in the library. Self administered questionnaire survey was conducted among these undergraduates. The study revealed that the library retains as essential component to facilitate the general degree bioscience undergraduates’ learning and research activities. The study clearly enumerated that the efficiency of some of the presently available services such as photocopying services, interlibrary loan services, selective dissemination of information and current awareness service were not met the undergraduates’ expectations. . The findings of the survey leave plenty of scope for improvement in library activities. Journal of the University Librarians Association, Sri Lanka, Vol. 16, Issue 1, January 2012, Page 34-45 DOI: http://dx.doi.org/10.4038/jula.v16i1.5196

Viewpoint–participation–technique: A model of participative requirements elicitation

Requirements elicitation is an early phase process in systems development that captures user needs and represents them as a set of requirements. In view of increasing demand for products and services that target mass markets, requirements analysts have begun emphasising the need for participation of end users and customers during elicitation. This article proposes the viewpoint–participation–technique model of requirements elicitation that integrates functions for strategizing elicitation participation and selecting elicitation techniques. A step-by-step approach to using the viewpoint–participation–technique model is then presented, and the model is illustrated through a case study of the elicitation process for an interlibrary loan service. The article also discusses some applications and limitations of the viewpoint–participation–technique model and concludes by identifying possible future research directions.

Evaluating Library Support for a New Graduate Program: Finding Harmony with a Mixed Method Approach

In 2008, the University of Southern Indiana began to offer a new Doctor of Nursing Practice program via distance education. For the first three years, two librarians at the David L. Rice Library evaluated how well the library supported the study and research of students enrolled in the program. The research project incorporated multiple methods of assessment, including an examination of usage statistics generated by the electronic resources supporting the program, a student satisfaction survey, a review of the students' use of the library's interlibrary loan and article delivery services, and a citation analysis of the references appended to formal papers submitted as part of the required coursework. A significant amount of data was generated from the four methods used in the research, and the findings based on these data have impacted and will continue to impact the library's support of the program, including instruction, collection development, and expansion of services.