Interlibrary Loan a Vital Strategic Service

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Interlibrary Loan--a Vital Strategic Service

• Harry M. Kriz
• Virginia Tech

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Once Upon A Time
Interlibrary Loan is going to become more
important.
--Eileen Hitchingham, April 1996
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Why Go To The Library?

• To Get Books
• Preferably cataloged and classified books

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But,if the library doesnt have the books you
want, whats theNext Most Important Thing?
Interlibrary LoanOf Course
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Paper Everywhere
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We All Like Databases
Traditionally, databases were created to handle
the INTERNAL problem of paper
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The Way It Was

• Used technology to work faster, cheaper, more
  reliably
• Automated existing procedures
• Supported clerical and administrative work

Focus was INTERNAL
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Traditional Software

• Library staff uses software that helps them
  perform a process.
• Software and automation are a COSTof doing
  business.

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Customer Goals First

• Having technology is NOT a goal
• Librarys goal is to satisfy the customer through
  useful and effective services
• Library services acquire value only by achieving
  customer purposes

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Todays 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

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Look at the Process
Our goal is to create a process that serves the
EXTERNAL purpose of achieving the customers goals
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Process Automation

• We automated the ILL process,not the storage of
  ILL data
• We designed the process and workflow, data
  storage followed

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Interlibrary Loan
The commonwealth and beyondis our campus

• ILL services are available for research purposes
  to all Virginia Tech students, faculty, and
  staff regardless of location

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The Dean Was Correct

• ILL volume increased at Virginia Tech for several
  years
• Document delivery to distance learners was added

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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

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Where We Borrow From
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How Many Lenders Do We Need?

• During the 2004 fiscal year at Virginia Tech
• 1,146 lenders supplied 22,492 items

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Our Library Isnt 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

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Were Customers Satisfied?

• Very much so!

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What Did They Say?
Faculty
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
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What Did They Say?
Students
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
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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.
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What Did They Say?
Students
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
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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

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ILL is a Library Strategic Service

• ILL process improves the librarys 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

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What Else They Said
Students
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
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ILLIs this a great job or what?