Interlibrary Loan: Strutting Our Stuff

1. Interlibrary Loan: Strutting Our Stuff 2007 NWILL Conference presentation by Nancy Alder

2. Interlibrary loan is a core library service which… • allows libraries to use their materials budgets most effectively and • provides access to uniquely held items anywhere in the world.

3. Missison Statement Brigham Young University’s Harold B. Lee Library • The mission of the Harold B. Lee Library is to assist individuals in their quest for perfection by providing information resources and services that support education, encourage learning, and promote spiritual and intellectual growth. The library accomplishes this by doing the following: • Serving as a center for learning by providing a place for students and faculty to actively engage in study and research; • Using technology to extend access to library resources and services; • Selecting, acquiring, organizing, preserving and providing access to scholarly information related to the university's curriculum and research programs; • Assisting and instructing students and faculty in finding and using scholarly information available at the university and elsewhere; and • Supporting life-long learning. • As a research library, the Harold B. Lee Library serves as a participant and partner in local, regional, national, and international academic library consortia.

4. Become VisibleTo Your Administration

5. BOAST, BRAG, blow your own horn • Newsletters – send out library-wide each quarter • Memos – send when landmarks are reached pass on kudos announce article publications and conference presentations • Speak up in Meetings

6. Do patrons value your service? • Solicit feedback through a patron survey • Solicit feedback using a “Tell Us How We’re Doing” notation on emails • Keep a file of kudos received … and send these expressions of patron satisfaction onto your Administrators!

7. Submit reports. Do they shine the spotlight on the value of Interlibrary Loan? • Report on your dazzling turnaround time • Report on the value of your data to subject selectors. Interlibrary loan data should be used in conjunction with the collection development process • Report on the increasing number of requests you handle. ILL opens the collections of libraries all over the world to your patrons.

8. Remind the administration of the cost saving reality of resource sharing. • “The average cost to add a title to the collection exceeds $100. At a national average of $16 to borrow, every resource sharing transaction serves the users need and avoids over $85 in expense.” • From Indiana Cooperative Library Services Authority white paper, • “Wagging the Long Tail: share more of less”

9. Use all institution platforms available to you to strut your stuff.Library blogsLibrary websiteInterlibrary Loan request screensMeetings

10. Our ILLiad Request Page

11. Our Library Webpage leads patrons to blogs ….

12. … where we can highlight library accomplishments

13. Collaborate with library colleagues • Work with your Acquisitions staff to establish an Interlibrary Loan ‘Purchase on Demand’ policy and workflow • Work with your Collection Development staff to show patron needs met outside your collection • Work on library committees charged with enhancing service to patrons

14. Take part in interviews of perspective library faculty and administrators • Question them on how they view and value resource sharing. • Ask how they see ILL as part of the workflow in collection development, acquisitions, reference services. • Ask how they see ILL as part of the budget process.

15. Become a mover and shakerin the library community • Participate in state and regional library organizations • Volunteer for ALA committees • Take a turn as Chair on a consortium or organization committees • Mentor new Interlibrary Loan staffers at other institutions • Step up to share successful ideas with colleagues at other institutions

16. What are your ideas?

17. Contact • nancy_alder@byu.edu • 801 422-3624