Exploring Document Delivery Options

Abstract

In the spring of 1993, five libraries in the University of Colorado multi-campus system explored ways to provide expedited interlibrary loan (ILL) for materials owned collectively. As a result, a pilot study was launched to evaluate the feasibility of employing commercial document delivery as an alternative to ILL, and as a possible solution to the growing need for expedited information delivery. The goal of this study was to determine if a significant number of interlibrary loan requests could be supplied by commercial vendors reliably, cost effectively, and quickly. The results showed that libraries with small collections, large populations, and general patron needs could fill a high percentage of requests using commercial suppliers, while libraries with research or specialized needs experienced differing success rates depending on the titles and coverage offered by each service in the study.

From Ownership to Access

“…Therefore, the concept of implementing an improved document delivery system among the four CU campuses was abandoned. 6 However, for the Auraria Library, two important concepts emerged from this early attempt to improve cost-effective access to information not available in the collection. First, it was obvious that the information needs of the four CU campuses could not be satisfied solely from internal resources.…”

“…On the other hand, Auraria, with a smaller number of resources and a large student body, found the services of commercial document suppliers to be both timely and cost-effective. 7 Thus, by 1994, the use of commercial document suppliers was incorporated as a standard method of supplying information needs at the Auraria Library and was funded from the materials budget.…”

“…UnCover was chosen as the primary commercial document supplier as a result of the system-wide study of commercial document suppliers mentioned earlier. 15 If the charge per article is $12.50 or less, ordering is automatic. Approximately 25% of journal article requests are filled by UnCover, resulting in greater staff efficiency and quick turnaround averaging in the 24/48-hour range.…”