What I don't know about ILL makes me ill
March 8, 2010 6:44 PM Subscribe
I want to learn more about modern interlibrary loans standards, software, processes, and the big players in Canada and USA. Where do I start?
At work I'm increasingly involved with ILL software vendors, document delivery suppliers, online catalogs, and online holdings like EBSCO A-Z. However since I passed on these courses during my MLIS, I feel like I'm winging it.
I have experience borrowing and using ILL systems, but not setting them up or evaluating them. Our current ILL system is meh and we may need to switch. I hear about OpenURL, Z39.50, OCLC, but I would like to know more about how they work & how they could be useful to us. Slide 4 of this presentation looks interesting but foreign: The future of interlibrary loan: how do we get there?
What I've found online so far seems to be pre-2007. Knowing about past and current systems is good, but I'd like something with recent trends.
Please link me to your favourite online resources & blogs about this! Books and courses (free or $) are welcome too. Many thanks in advance.
At work I'm increasingly involved with ILL software vendors, document delivery suppliers, online catalogs, and online holdings like EBSCO A-Z. However since I passed on these courses during my MLIS, I feel like I'm winging it.
I have experience borrowing and using ILL systems, but not setting them up or evaluating them. Our current ILL system is meh and we may need to switch. I hear about OpenURL, Z39.50, OCLC, but I would like to know more about how they work & how they could be useful to us. Slide 4 of this presentation looks interesting but foreign: The future of interlibrary loan: how do we get there?
What I've found online so far seems to be pre-2007. Knowing about past and current systems is good, but I'd like something with recent trends.
Please link me to your favourite online resources & blogs about this! Books and courses (free or $) are welcome too. Many thanks in advance.
In BC, for PubLibs there pretty much is only Outlook/Agent. It is funded through the PLSB (public libraries) and the ELN (academic). Does Ontario have some sort of provincial consortial system?
I know Vancouver Public and I think UBC switched over several years back to a terrible system called RSS.
posted by Razzle Bathbone at 2:47 PM on March 9, 2010
I know Vancouver Public and I think UBC switched over several years back to a terrible system called RSS.
posted by Razzle Bathbone at 2:47 PM on March 9, 2010
Response by poster: Hurray, thanks for responses so far!
Our library has mostly electronic resources (EBSCO), and about 100 researchers who order a LOT. We're not affiliated with an academic library so we're outside of consortiums.
I checked the book lists we get in CLA flyers & etc. but a lot looks older or not technical enough. Do you have any favourites? Maybe I should look up textbooks for LIS courses.
posted by SarahbytheSea at 4:27 PM on March 9, 2010
Our library has mostly electronic resources (EBSCO), and about 100 researchers who order a LOT. We're not affiliated with an academic library so we're outside of consortiums.
I checked the book lists we get in CLA flyers & etc. but a lot looks older or not technical enough. Do you have any favourites? Maybe I should look up textbooks for LIS courses.
posted by SarahbytheSea at 4:27 PM on March 9, 2010
Best answer: If I were you I would sign up for ILL-L and poke around in the archives to see if anyone has asked a similar questions lately. If not, ask it yourself!
Or can you get access to The Journal of Interlibrary Loan, Document Delivery, & Electronic Reserve? If you don't have regular access it looks like you can buy individual articles.
FWIW - When I did ILL about 4 years ago at a small university w/EBSCO we used OCLC and I don't think we were ever unable to get a request. It was part of a chain of universities though, so I have no idea how much it cost, etc... But I'm pretty sure OCLC is the big player in the sandbox still.
Good luck!
posted by grapesaresour at 4:56 PM on March 9, 2010
Or can you get access to The Journal of Interlibrary Loan, Document Delivery, & Electronic Reserve? If you don't have regular access it looks like you can buy individual articles.
FWIW - When I did ILL about 4 years ago at a small university w/EBSCO we used OCLC and I don't think we were ever unable to get a request. It was part of a chain of universities though, so I have no idea how much it cost, etc... But I'm pretty sure OCLC is the big player in the sandbox still.
Good luck!
posted by grapesaresour at 4:56 PM on March 9, 2010
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posted by cestmoi15 at 4:39 AM on March 9, 2010