Patron‐initiated borrowing and traditional ILL: the cascade experience

Abstract

Purpose

To report and analyze transaction data over a four‐year period for patron‐initiated borrowing via the Cascade union catalog as well as transaction data for traditional ILL in a consortium of six academic libraries in Washington State.

Design/methodology/approach

Transaction data for patron‐initiated borrowing via the Cascade union catalog were gathered from statistics produced by the Inn‐Reach software. Data for ILL were collected via a survey of libraries’ staff. Data for returnables and copies were analyzed at the consortium and institutional level.

Findings

In the third year of patron‐initiated borrowing, traditional ILL transactions for returnables had decreased 21 per cent consortium‐wide, the total number of transactions for returnables had increased 271.9 per cent, and the transactions for copies remained steady. Although the borrowing and lending patterns at the six libraries varied, each loaned and borrowed more returnables via patron‐initiated borrowing than via traditional ILL.

Research limitations/implications

This study describes activity at a single consortium of only six libraries. Since the Cascade libraries have now merged into a larger consortium, the Orbis Cascade Alliance, it would be interesting to collect and analyze new data from the larger group to see if patterns have changed.

Practical implications

The increased volume of returnables delivered to users in this consortium suggests that patron‐initiated borrowing is an effective method for resource sharing. Traditional ILL remains a necessary alternative for copies and books not available within the consortium.

Originality/value

This is the first study to examine consortium‐wide transaction data for both patron‐initiated borrowing and traditional interlibrary loan for a sustained period of time.

Citation

Chmelir, L. (2005), "Patron‐initiated borrowing and traditional ILL: the cascade experience", Interlending & Document Supply, Vol. 33 No. 1, pp. 35-41. https://doi.org/10.1108/02641610510582126