LAMDA: an example of a resource‐sharing document delivery service in UK Higher Education libraries

Abstract

Purpose -Aims to describe the development of the LAMDA service, from its inception as an eLib project in 1995 to its current status as a commercial service. Design/methodology/approach -Descriptions of the staff structure, turnaround times, equipment and software and the LAMDA Union list are all included. Findings -Attention is drawn to LAMDA's influence on subsequent projects such as Docusend and SUNCAT. Originality/value -The article concludes that the steep rise in electronic journal subscriptions in academic libraries has been a major factor in reducing the number of LAMDA transactions made in recent years.

Recent developments in remote document supply (RDS) in the UK – 2

“…Shortly after ILDS published a celebratory article on LAMDA (Goodier, 2005) – the document supply service that grew from a project among selected HE libraries – the end of the service was announced, officially terminating on 31 July 2005. Which is not to suggest anything in the way of a curse, for the writing had been on the wall for a considerable time.…”

“…Which is not to suggest anything in the way of a curse, for the writing had been on the wall for a considerable time. Goodier (2005) rightly identifies the increase in electronic journal holdings among HE libraries as a primary factor in the decline of LAMDA requests as well as the British Library (BL) move to SED. However, I would point to a number of other factors that also contributed to the slow death of LAMDA.…”

Interlending and document supply: a review of the recent literature – 51

“…BLDSC is a monopolistic supplier in the UK which became unpopular in the days of Thatcherism and indeed with New Labour. Goodier (2004) describes the development of LAMDA – set up within the Higher Education community and funded by JISC to compete with BLDSC. Bower (2004) gives us a blow by blow account of another major document delivery project, again sponsored by the UK HE funding body JISC.…”