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Hello, Shelly and Sean, As I mentioned in my email last evening, I had put out a request on a listserv I belong to to get some insight into what "breaking trends" are coming down the pike in Interlibrary Loan so that we could get an idea on what kinds of things to look into with regard to conveying new policy info. I wanted to post some of the responses I'd gotten so we all could look at it and decide where to go/what to tackle; I'll post more as I have them. Elizabeth

From Craighton Hippenhammer, Olivet Nazarene University:
//The big new breaking trend is Open Access. Universities are adding institutional repositories (see ours at [|http://digitalcommons.olivet.edu] <[]> ) and requiring their faculty to deposit all their articles in them so they can be accessible to everyone on the Internet for free. See The Scholarly Publishing & Academic Resources Coalition (SPARC) at [] (doesn't seem to be working in my IE right now so try Firefox where it is displaying correctly). Unlike most library databases, IR resources are searchable by search engines like Google and specific databases created for the purpose like OAIster.//

From Don Butterworth, Asbury Theological Seminary:
//One new initiative that we are experimenting with is doing a RUSH book purchase when a title is available, instead of making an ILL request. I haven't done the math myself but the theory is that it is often cheaper for the overall library budget to go this route, plus we then own the book.Here are some details...//

//First, we have purchased Amazon Prime for my corporate VISA card. For $80 a year this gives us free two day shipping. Normally when we order from Amazon, we use our corporate account, but the shipping time isn't as good. If we buy from an Amazon Used book seller we still use the corporate account. The turnaround time varies from used book dealer to used book dealer. So we may pay a slightly higher price to buy from one that has a higher rating, but typically the shipping time is very fast. Two day delivery is not uncommon for a domestic dealer.//

//When a title request arrives, our ILL staff member, uses a JTacq feature. She clicks on the "request a title" link on our library webpage, finds the title to purchase using ISBN or keyword search, clicks the request key, and enters any pertinent ILL info on the request screen. She then hits the send key and the request is immediately transferred to my JTacq account.//

//A request alert appears on my JTacq client, at which time I import it into the system, double check to see if we already have the title, and search for the cheapest vendor. When I can't find a source for purchase, I email ILL and they initiate a standard ILL request. If I do find it, I immediately order the title and import a bib record into our catalog, so that a hold can be placed on the item record. I also place RUSH ILL in front of the Call number on the item record so that the person who receives the title will know to rush it on arrival.//

//We are still in the testing stages of this new procedure, but so far it has been a big hit. If you want to give it a try, JTacq is freeware that can get at []//

From Terry Kennedy, Library Director at Porivdence University College and Seminary (Otterburne, MB, Canada):
I'm not sure about this being a "breaking trend" but here's a study I recently did at my library.

I read somewhere a couple of years ago that Duke University wasn't bringing in ILLs - they bought several Kindles and were just buying the Kindle version of the books - this allowed for immediacy and overall didn't cost any more.

I went through a year's worth of our ILLs (our FTE is about 450) so about 100 ILLs and found this would not work at all. Many - overwhelmingly most of the books/articles were not available in electronic format. OR they were very very expensive. ie one example - the hardcover was $150, the paperback $80ish and the Kindle ed. $150!!!

I did find that numbers of articles were available in electronic format in databases we don't have and we could purchase them - ie about $40 each. BUT we're too poor for that and we just wait for the free ILL from somewhere.

ALSO, what I did learn is like Don Butterworth just said, it is worth checking to see if the book is available through amazon - or through one of the used book dealers like abelibrary or alibris. Sometimes there is a copy for very little and it would be worth buying (if it would seem the title fits our collection criteria) rather tha ILL'ing.

I'm not sure it would be any help, but I could have a student look through this pile of requests and give specific numbers if you think you could use them.

So, as I say, not a breaking trend, but just trying to keep track of what's happening with our ILLs. Our province is very into sharing (versus Ontario, where I used to live - the university in my town would not loan to us - a Bible college). Here everyone shares.

So - maybe that is a trend - the profession/libraries as a whole are more "into" sharing than in the past - it has become an economic necessity.

Just some thoughts....

**Terry provided a chart with the totals that he indicated being willing to share:

From Alison Johnson, Indiana Wesleyan University:

 * || **Title **  || **Interlibrary loan practices handbook / edited by Cherié L. Weible and Karen L. Janke. ** || ||


 * || **Pub Info **  || Chicago : American Library Association, 2011. || ||

I have not looked at this book yet, but it’s being processed downstairs (I’m sure they would rush it for you) [] I think this would be a really good resource that must almost certainly address trends. Cyril Oberlander did a chapter on the Future of Interlibrary Loan. I think a lot of what you need is in this book. //**(Note to Sean- I've contacted the ladies in tech services. Hopefully they can rush-process this for me!)**//

One big trend that’s been around for a while is purchasing materials instead of borrowing them. This has required that ILL procedures become more closely connected with acquisitions, which poses some challenges. Getting It System [] is a collaboration to create a free software that helps to do this.

Another trend is trying to use Open Access materials to fulfill ILL requests. How can we effectively identify these free resources and link our patrons to them?

Another trend is allowing the patrons to purchase articles on demand instead of having to ILL them. The charge comes out of the library budget. You can learn about one of these services if you google Copyright Clearance Center Get It Now.

Here is another good resource to peruse for current trends and issues… I’m not sure how up to date it is, but it’s a great resource: [|http://www.shareill.org]