Keywords
Citation
(2002), "Interlibrary loan/document delivery benchmarking study", Interlending & Document Supply, Vol. 30 No. 2. https://doi.org/10.1108/ilds.2002.12230bab.006
Publisher
:Emerald Group Publishing Limited
Copyright © 2002, MCB UP Limited
Interlibrary loan/document delivery benchmarking study
Interlibrary loan/document delivery benchmarking study
Keywords: Benchmarking, Interlending, Australia
Skilled staff and automation are critical for maximising the performance of interlibrary loan/document delivery (ILL/DD) operations, according to a report released in Australia by the National Resource Sharing Working Group. Users of ILL/DD services will benefit greatly from the implementation of the five key strategies identified in the study.
"The most efficient libraries streamlined their workflows, introduced automated systems, had well-trained staff, added and maintained up-to-date holdings information about their collection on a union catalogue, and utilised co-operative agreements with their main ILL/DD partners", explained Dr Toby Burrows, chair of the working group. "There is great potential for libraries to improve and expand ILL/DD services to their patrons without increasing the cost to their organisations."
The report is the result of nearly two years' work by the working group, with the assistance of more than 90 participating libraries from around Australia. National/state, university, special and public libraries provided detailed information about their ILL/DD operations as part of the largest study of ILL/DD undertaken in Australia.
The results of the study will be used to develop training and seminars on ILL/DD issues. A conference paper giving an overview of the study is published elsewhere in this issue.
The Interlibrary Loan/Document Delivery Benchmarking Study can be downloaded from the National Library of Australia's Web site at: http://www.nla.gov.au/initiatives/nrswg/benchmarking.html
Source: Tom Ruthven, National Library of Australia