Interlibrary Loan--
a Vital Strategic Service
Harry M. Kriz
Virginia Tech
Once Upon A Time
“Interlibrary Loan is going to become more important.”
--Eileen Hitchingham, April 1996
Why Go To The Library?
To Get BooksPreferably cataloged and
classified books
But,if the library doesn’t have the books you want, what’s theNext Most Important Thing?
Interlibrary LoanOf Course
Paper Everywhere
We All Like Databases
Traditionally, databases were created to handle the INTERNAL problem of paper
The Way It Was
• Used technology to work faster, cheaper, more reliably
• Automated existing procedures
• Supported clerical and administrative work
Focus was INTERNAL
Traditional Software
Library staff uses software that
helps them perform a process.
Software and automation are a
COSTof doing business.
Customer Goals First
• Having technology is NOT a goal
• Library’s goal is to satisfy the customer through useful and effective services
• Library services acquire value only by achieving customer purposes
Today’s Approach
• Understand our business and contribute to customer success
• Emphasize the individual customer, not the institution
• Be effective, not just efficient
• Empower customers to achievetheir goals
Look at the Process
Our goal is to create a process that serves the EXTERNAL purpose of achieving the customer’s goals
Process Automation
• We automated the ILL process,not the storage of ILL data
• We designed the process and workflow, data storage followed
Interlibrary Loan
ILL services are available for research purposes to all Virginia Tech students,
faculty, and staff
regardless of location
The commonwealth and beyondis our campus
Trends in ILL and Document Delivery
0
5,000
10,000
15,000
20,000
25,000
30,000
1990 1991 1992 1993 1994 1995 1996 1997 1998 1999 2000 2001 2002 2003 2004
Fiscal Year
Ite
ms
Document Delivery
Borrowed by ILL
Loaned by ILL
The Dean Was Correct
•ILL volume increased at Virginia Tech for several years
•Document delivery to distance learners was added
Who We Borrow From
• 2,650 libraries in 7 years supplied 179,000 books and photocopies
• 566 libraries provided 10 or more items for a total of 95% of borrowed items
• UVa supplies about 22% of all items
Where We Borrow From
How Many Lenders Do We Need?
During the 2004 fiscal year at Virginia Tech:
1,146 lenders supplied 22,492 items
Our Library Isn’t Adequate& Neither is Yours
During the year 2004 fiscal year at Virginia Tech:
• 413 lenders supported the College of Engineering(718 engineers borrowed 5,100 items)
• 291 lenders supported the 11 customers who each borrowed more than 100 items (3,055 items)
• 111 lenders supported 1 faculty member who borrowed 675 items
Were Customers Satisfied?
Very much so!
ILLiad Service RatingsExtended Campus Customers
Fall 2003
12%
1% 0% 0%2% 0% 0%
86% 87%
11%
0%
10%
20%
30%
40%
50%
60%
70%
80%
90%
100%
Very good Good Adequate Bad Very bad
Service Rating
% o
f c
us
tom
ers
ILL %
Doc Del %
324 (61%) out of 529 customers responded
What Did They Say?
… one of the best things that has happened in the over 15 years that I've worked for Virginia Tech. --CJ, a faculty member at the Southern Piedmont AREC
I worked at a number of international institutions and Va Tech library provides the best service I have ever had for off-campus faculty members. --CH, Hampton Roads AREC
Faculty
What Did They Say?
The ILLiad service is excellent. It's one of the best reasons for being enrolled at Va Tech! --SA, Silver Spring, MD.
This just reinforces how truly committed the Va Tech library professionals are to Va Tech students, even those of us in Northern Virginia!! --WM, Arlington, VA
You do a great job . ILLiad has been an incredible service, quick, easy, very helpful. Keep up the good work. I couldn't have done graduate school without it. --SD, Charlottesville, VA, student Hampton Roads AREC
Students
What Did They Say?
Students
The library service is the best VT administrative service by leaps and bounds that I've encountered so far. You folks are extremely efficient and easy to deal with. You also make appropriate use of computer technology, not just employing it because you could but because it can serve a useful purpose. --SG, Washington, D. C.
What Did They Say?
I would like to say that I consider the ILLiad service essential to my success as an off-campus student. --LAJ, Roanoke
In fact, finishing my Ph. D. while in D.C. would be very difficult if it were not for ILLiad. --SC, Manassas
Students
Summary
• ILL is the 2nd most important library activityand I should add, the most complex
• ILL is the quintessence of library cooperation
• ILL is where the action is
• ILL is a distinguishing service
• ILL is a strategic service
• We may still be learning just how great the demand is for quality ILL service
ILL is a Library Strategic Service
• ILL process improves the library’s bottom line– Service to the customers
Focus is EXTERNAL
• External results contribute directly to the purposes of library customers– ILL process makes it possible for customers to achieve
their goals through the library
What Else They Said
You are doing an excellent job, and far exceed the services of other university libraries I have used. Keep up the great work! --KC, distance learner in Kentbridge, VA
I enjoy the service you provide so much that I brag about it to friends and associates who are going to other graduate schools (i.e., The George Washington University, University of Maryland, etc.) --TC, Alexandria, VA
Students
ILLIs this a great job or what?