The LIBERTAS ILL module
| Date | 01 February 1994 |
| DOI | https://doi.org/10.1108/eb040534 |
| Published date | 01 February 1994 |
| Pages | 36-43 |
| Author | Jean Bradford |
| Subject Matter | Information & knowledge management |
The LIBERTAS ILL
module
by Jean Bradford, Inter-Library Loans,
University of Bristol
Although
the ILL
Department
at
Bristol
University Library would like
to have
automated
procedures
before
the LIBERTAS
ILL
module became available
in
1991,
they
decided that the advantages
of integration
outweighed the disadvantages
of
the
wait.
Some of
the benefits
of
the system
are
considered,
such
as
user
self-requesting,
although this carries
the
attendant problem
of
copyright.
Several areas
for
improvements
are
suggested,
particularly regarding ARTTel
communication with
BLDSC.
The ILL Department at Bristol
University
We have a rather complex inter-library loan
service at Bristol University, as the ILL Depart-
ment is situated in the Arts and Social Sciences
Library and is responsible for handling requests
from readers there, together with requests from
readers in all the other branch libraries. There are
12 branch libraries of different sizes and they
include the Veterinary Science Library situated at
Langford, 13 miles away from the main University
precinct.
Pre-automation
Until we adopted the LIBERTAS ILL package in
October
1991,
all readers submitted their requests
by completing multi-part forms. Branch library
staff forwarded two parts of the forms submitted to
them on to the ILL Department after checking
them against the catalogue, and kept one part of
the form as their record of what had been request-
ed by their readers. All communications about
these requests were sent to the branch library
concerned and staff there then passed on the item
or information about the request to their readers.
In the Arts and Social Sciences Library ILL staff
communicated directly with the readers who
submitted their requests there. We did use
ARRTel for sending our requests to BLDSC, but
otherwise we had a 'fully manual system'! It was
clear for some time before we adopted the
LIBERTAS module that our manual system was
not able to cope with the increasing number of
requests from readers. We were not able to keep
readers informed promptly about their requests and
were accumulating a backlog of requests waiting
to be processed.
Reasons for choosing the
LIBERTAS ILL module
There have been ILL packages around for some
time and we did have the option of buying one of
these before the LIBERTAS module was made
available (for example either the AIM or the
Lancaster University packages). The Library uses
LIBERTAS for all the other library housekeeping
operations and has been involved with the system
from its very early days, when, as SWALCAP,
SLS had its beginning deep in a stack room in the
Wills Building of the University. We knew that
SLS had plans to develop an ILL module and we
were involved in discussions when it was being
planned.
The advantage for us of waiting for the
LIBERTAS module was that the ILL system
would then be integrated with the other library
systems. This would mean that we did not have to
duplicate work already done, eg by setting up a
readers file, as we would automatically have
access to that created for the circulation system.
Also,
information about items awaiting collection
in the ILL Department would be displayed on
OPACs, either when readers checked their own use
of the library, or when they came to borrow or
return items at the issue counter. The option on
the OPAC allowing readers to check their use of
the library also enables them to check the progress
of their ILL requests (see Figures 1, 2 & 3). As
we especially wanted to improve the way in which
we communicated progress to readers, this was
seen as an important feature. We send notices to
readers to inform them, but as readers are becom-
ing more familiar with electronic means of
communication, they welcome the online informa-
tion available.
36—VINE 95 (June 1994)
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