ALIA interlibrary lending expert advisory group report

19 May 2005

Author: Susan Magnay, manager planning policy

Objects met: 2

Members: Trevor Wakely (convenor), Tom Girke, Leanne Griffiths, Sharon Howells, Sharon Karasmanis, Margarita Moreno, Susan Magnay (executive director's delegate)

Report

At the March 2005 Board meeting (Item 4.1.6.3), the Board resolved:

'to endorse the following priorities for ALIA in 2005-2005 relating to resource sharing:

• Revision of the Interlibrary Resource Sharing Code
• Development of an online best practice resource for document delivery / ILL
• Preparation of a paper on policy issues relating to resource sharing'

and

'to endorse an implementation program by the interlibrary lending expert advisory group for ALIA's 2005-2006 resource sharing priorities, with the program to include establishment of working groups and consultation through local meetings and other communication channels.'

The interlibrary lending expert advisory group (ILLEAG) met face-to-face at La Trobe University on 19 April 2005 to plan the implementation program.

The group agreed to work on the ILRS Code and policy issues paper simultaneously, starting straight away. The manual would be developed as an adjunct to the revised code.

ILRS code revision
Key stages in the revision of the ILRS code will include:

• Development of a discussion paper covering:
  
  • Assumptions in reviewing the code - why is a review needed?
  • Principles of the code
  • Turnaround times and service levels
  • Delivery
  • Pricing
• Policy and practitioner level consultations
• Development of final draft
• Seeking formal endorsement
• Issue new code

The ILLEAG has developed the outline for the discussion document on the ILRS code.

Policy issues paper
The paper should look at the issues over the next five years. Issues to be covered include:

• Concept of resource sharing
  
  • Is the philosophy still valid?
  • Cost/benefits of resource sharing
• Environment
  
  • commercial suppliers
  • e-resources, including licensing issues and discussion of national site licensing
  • infrastructure, eg Kinetica redevelopment and the move to the subscription model for Kinetica pricing
  • changing user communities and user expectations
  • copyright
  • ILL going global
  • international standards, such as ISO ILL

The resource sharing forum to be hosted by the National Library in October 2005 presents an ideal opportunity for high-level policy-level discussion on resource sharing and the revision of the ILRS code. The ILLEAG suggests that ALIA request that the ILRS code revision and the ILLEAG's policy issues paper be included on the agenda and that the National Library invite key individuals and representatives of sector bodies to contribute to a policy-level discussion.

Communications strategies for the projects will feature:

• Taking opportunities of existing groups, meetings, e-lists and other communication channels
• Identifying stakeholders and getting them on board, especially through the contacts of ILLEAG members
• Open and continuous communication with the sector throughout the projects.

ILLEAG terms of reference and membership
The group noted the Board's endorsement of the ILLEAG's revised terms of reference and welcomed Margarita Moreno as a new member.