Texas
Resource Sharing: Examining the Present, Envisioning a Vibrant
Future
Quick Facts
The Texas State Library and Archives Commission
(TSLAC) sought a review of the structure and design of Texas
statewide Interlibrary Loan services, including an unbiased
study of the challenges impacting delivery of ILL service
and the costs of addressing these challenges.
The study was directed to:
- Examine options for meeting interlibrary loan needs in
terms of costs and benefits.
- Provide a blueprint, based on best practices, for building
interlibrary loan services at the state level into the future.
- Determine the needs of the Texas interlibrary loan community
as they strive to meet patron demands for library materials.
- Collect accurate information on the attitudes and perceptions
of Texas librarians and library patrons toward various methods
of interlibrary loan delivery.
Information was collected in a number of different ways including
site visits; time-cost study; phone and email interviews;
data analysis; GIS analysis; literature review; review of
best practices and protocols; interviews; and surveys.
Recommendations:
The research team created six models for change which take
into account TSLAC’s interlibrary loan service goals,
reflect the best practices and protocols as identified in
the literature review, and respond to the improvements suggested
in the patron and staff surveys.
Three of the proposals are modifications to the current
TexNet Center structure:
Model One: Elimination of Local Patron Subsidy
TSLAC currently reimburses the host library of a TexNet
Interlibrary Loan Referral Center at 100%. Model One eliminates
the subsidy for services to the host library’s local
patrons. TSLAC would reimburse only for the percentage of
requests that are processed for the area libraries.
Model Two: Reduced Number of TexNet Centers
Model Two recommends two solutions for realizing cost and
efficiency savings - the number of Centers would be reduced
from nine regional centers to either three or one ILL referral
center.
Model Three: Regional System-TexNet Center Consolidation
A referral service for borrowing materials would be provided
to area libraries through a resource-sharing librarian at
each Texas Library System office.
Three of the proposals represent a comprehensive change
in the delivery of a statewide resource sharing program and
eliminate the TexNet Center service as currently designed:
Model Four: OCLC (Online Computer Library Center) Services
TexNet Center structure is eliminated, and area libraries
are responsible for managing their own interlibrary loan
needs using the current OCLC WorldCat Resource Sharing product.
This also requires that participating libraries to catalog
onto the OCLC union catalog.
Model Five: Stand-Alone Centralized
A union catalog would be created to house the libraries’
holdings information. Participating Texas libraries would
access the union catalog for direct borrowing and lending.
A referral service (to OCLC) would be needed to provide
items not available within the system.
Model Six: Circulation-Based
This model relies on libraries in Texas using a shared
catalog (virtual or physical). Patrons would place holds
through the libraries’ online catalogs, and the circulation
staff would fill those requests. This model would also require
an OCLC referral service for items not available within
the system.
Implementation:
In order to determine the viability of the different service
models, the study proposes that TSLAC initiate one or more
pilot programs. Any pilot program will include well-documented
measures for success in order to facilitate further decision-making
processes.
All persons interested in the future of interlibrary loan
in Texas are invited to be part of the study implementation.
Comments on the study to the study can be submitted on the
Web site at http://www.texshare.edu/apps/illstudy2008/index.php.
We will be looking also for opportunities to talk directly
to librarians.
TSLAC has appointed an implementation task force that is
broadly representative of the library community. The task
force will:
- Review and analyze the study recommendations.
- Review pilot projects outlined in the study and recommend
implementation of one or more pilot projects in Texas.
- Review results of pilots, comments from ILL community,
and other data collected
- Recommend a final program.
Information on the task force roster, meeting minutes, and
other documents will be posted to the study Web site.
Timeline:
TSLAC and the Implementation Task Force will review the study
recommendations and gather input from the library community
throughout SFY2008 and SFY2009.
Based on the review of the study and discussion with the
library community, TSLAC and the implementation task force
will identify pilot projects and pilot project participants.
Pilot projects will be held SFY2009 through SFY2010.
Our strategy for delivering a statewide interlibrary loan
system for the future will be included in our 2011 - 2015
Agency Strategic Plan and our Legislative Appropriation Request
for the 2012 - 2013 biennium.
Full Report
The full report (94 pages, plus substantial appendices) can
be found at: www.texshare.edu/apps/illstudy2008/index.php
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