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End‐user requesting in New Zealand remains a relatively new phenomenon. The National Library of New Zealand has conducted two separate pilot projects with different institutions. This paper aims to consider the differences between the two projects and looks at the trends that emerged.

The pilot projects occurred over similar timeframes, 12 months apart. Each used a different interface from which end‐users submitted their requests. The projects aimed to test workflow processes and ascertain the impacts for end‐users and library staff. System impacts and maintenance requirements, how the results would feed into best practice guidelines, and recommend future developments were also considered.

This paper details the different user responses elicited during the evaluation processes. A large proportion of end‐users in both projects confirmed that they would use this method of request creation again. The results confirm that end‐user requesting does work in a utility environment.

Both projects continue in production with differing levels of involvement. The Lincoln University project continues following a redevelopment of the request screens based on what end‐users identified as important to them. The Landcare Research project continues with a more low key approach as the National Library of New Zealand considers the future developments required to enhance the end‐user experience and product up‐take in New Zealand.

This paper is of value to interloan librarians and especially those in an academic environment. It provides a compact case study where a national electronic utility provides the main platform for interlending and document supply in one country.

This paper reports on a pilot project that enabled end‐user patrons to submit their own interloan requests. Promoted to Lincoln University's end‐users as D‐I‐Y Interloans (Do‐it‐Yourself Interloans), Lincoln University and the National Library of New Zealand undertook this joint project between October 2002 and January 2003. This paper describes the pilot project, its drivers and its guiding principles. The authors address a number of issues relating to the constraints of end‐user mediated interloans within a utility environment, trends that emerged and what end‐users thought of the process. Finally, the authors address the issue of the future for end‐user initiated requests in the New Zealand context.

This issue contains selected papers from the 2003 Annual LIANZA Conference held in Napier, Hawke's Bay, 7‐10 October 2003, plus one paper that was not. The title of the Conference was “Oceans of Opportunity”, with sessions aptly named: Seize the day, Exploring the depths, Netting the fish and Swimming with the sharks. The papers that make up this issue reflect these topics.

The consequences of electronic publishing continue to manifest themselves in the 110 journals scanned for this literature review. Pricing, access, e‐books and e‐journals are amongst the issues considered in this issue’s literature review. Further criticism of the publishing sector is identified and the potential for micro payments.