Interlibrary Loan Processes at DBL: OCLC WS-ILL

OCLC's WorldShare Interlibrary Loan is the system that DBL uses to handle both borrowing and lending for interlibrary loan.

OCLC has help pages for WS-ILL online, which are a very useful resource if you run into something in the system that you aren't familiar with.

They also offer both live and recorded classes on all major aspects of WS-ILL: an introduction to the system, how WS-ILL integrates with the WS-Circulation system, and classes focused on the Borrowing and on the Lending sides of interlibrary loan.

The regular hours for ILL and our closure schedule appear in the Policies Directory in OCLC so that other libraries know when we are available. To get to it, from the Interlibrary Loan tab in WorldShare, click on OCLC Policies Directory under Other. It should open to our policy. If not, search for OSZ under Institution Symbol. Then click on the Schedule tab.

Our operating hours during regular semesters have normally been 3 pm to midnight, Sunday-Thursday, If the scheduling for staff who handle ILL changes, then those hours should also be updated.

It is important to keep our closure schedule updated in WS-ILL. When we are marked as closed, any lending requests will be automatically passed on to the next library in the lending string, so that the requesting library doesn't have to wait until either we reopen or the request times out after four days before the request goes to the next library. Our closures are the same holidays each year, but the exact dates have to be updated each year.

• At the end of each semester, go into the Schedule tab.
• For any closures that have already happened, e.g. MLK Holiday at the end of spring semester, update the dates to be those for the next year by clicking Edit for that event and then making the needed changes.
• For most of the holidays the note can be just something like "The library will be closed Saturday through Monday for X holiday." For the Winter Break it's a little more complicated. We usually indicate our non-supplier status to be a couple of days longer at each end than we are actually closed. That allows us to get items being loaned out through the mailroom (for USPS) or via courier before we are gone, so they don't just sit there for 2 weeks with the other library thinking they're on the way Having the note indicate that the library is actually open a couple of days when ILL service is not lets other libraries know that they can communicate with us via email or phone during that time if needed.
• Note, it's a good idea to update the holiday closings with Trans-Amigos Express at the same time, so you don't forget to do those.

Updating closures in the Schedule is the best way to do it when we know of a closure in advance, since other libraries can then see when we will be closed. If the closure is unexpected--for instance, one ILL staff member is on vacation, and the other one gets sick--we can turn ourselves off as lenders from the Profile tab in the Policies Directory. Click on Edit next to OCLC Supplier, change Yes to No, then scroll down and click Save. IMPORTANT, if you do this you will need to be sure to update to Yes as soon as staff are available to start processing ILL lending requests again.

There are three types of lending policies in WS-ILL: deflections, copies, and loans. There is more detailed information on how to set up and edit these policies in OCLC help > Resource Sharing > WorldShare Interlibrary Loan > Policies Directory guide > Manage policies.

Deflections:

• These policies deflect, that is automatically refuse, any requests that fit the rules of that deflection policy. Deflection rules can be based on various conditions.
• Type of request (copy, loan, or both).
• Fees: this can be set so that if the borrower isn't willing to pay that amount, the request will be rejected. Since we are a free lender we don't use this.
• Borrowers: can be set to either include (i.e., we will not lend to them) or exclude (i.e., we will lend to them but not others) both existing OCLC groups, or custom groups created in the Service Configuration. At the moment, we have one custom group (called Exclude) that we will not lend physical items to. The group includes all New Jersey libraries, since we had great difficulty in arranging for payments with them due to state laws. If a library repeatedly failed to return our items in good condition, we might add them to this custom group.
• Items: groups of items can be either included in the deflection (we will not lend) or excluded (we will lend) on the basis of item type, e-license terms, or age of material. Note, the item type and age of material are based on the OCLC record for the item.

Copies:

• These policies indicate our restrictions or requirement for sending copies (usually electronically, these days) of requested items.
• Service: color copies, microfiche, microfilm, photocopy. We will make scans / electronic copies from both black-and-white and color print materials, and from microforms. For physical copies, we will only make black-and-white copies.
• Fees: we do not normally charge for copies, but if the borrowing library would charge us for copies, we will charge them what they would charge us for the equivalent item.
• Borrowers: we will send scans / electronic copies to any requesting library anywhere in the world.
• Items: we have only 2 collections designated, reference and reserves, and we'll copy from those. We will make copies of most printed or e-text formats. We do not make copies of e.g. musical recordings.
• Details: we strongly prefer OCLC ILL requests but will accept ALA ILL request forms and emailed requests. We do not offer rush service. We strongly prefer to deliver via Article Exchange, but will also send copies via email, or via US mail when necessary. If we have to charge the borrowing library, we bill via IFM.

Loans:

• We have only two lending policies; one for AV, and one for other items.
• AV lending:
  • Service: any number of AV items, for 5 weeks, with 1 renewal for 2 weeks if requested.
  • Fees: none, unless the other library would charge us.
  • Borrowers: we will lend to any library, in any group, that is located in the U.S., Puerto Rico, or Canada.
  • Items: we do not lend reference or reserve AV items. We will lend audiocassettes, cds, LPs, dvds, and VHS tapes.
  • Details: our first shipping choice is always the Trans-Amigos Express courier (TAEX) if the borrowing library also belongs to that service. Our second option is US mail. We do not normally use other services like UPS or FedEx for lending. Any billing that is needed is done via IFM.
• General lending:
  • Service: any number of items, for 8 weeks, with 1 renewal for 4 weeks if requested.
  • Fees: none, unless the other library would charge us.
  • Borrowers: we will lend to any library, in any group, anywhere in the world; BUT international lending is done on a case-by-case basis, and that is mentioned in the Note at the end of this lending policy.
  • Items: we do not lend items on course reserve, or (normally) reference or permanent reserve items. We don't lend in certain formats, including microforms, serials (bound journals), archival materials, and theses, among others, although we will consider theses on a case-by-case basis.
  • Details: our first shipping choice is always the Trans-Amigos Express courier (TAEX) if the borrowing library also belongs to that service. Our second option is US mail. We do not normally use other services like UPS or FedEx for lending. Any billing that is needed is done via IFM.

Any changes to the lending Policies should be made in consultation with the Library Director.

The Contacts for interlibrary loan are listed on the Contacts tab in the OCLC Policies Directory. They should be checked and updated as needed, any time a staff member leaves or a new person is hired, and also each summer to make sure nothing has changed.

The Borrowing specialist's name and office phone should be listed as the first contact for Borrowing Information and the second contact for Lending Information.

The Lending specialist's name and office phone should be listed as the first contact for Lending Information and the second contact for Borrowing Information, and also as the contact person for Article Exchange.

The library's fax number is 405-208-5291. It only needs to be listed under Borrowing Information, in case a lending library needs to fill a request via fax for some reason.

The Interlibrary Loan email is [email protected], and that should be used for all contacts so that everyone who works with ILL can see any emails.

The circulation desk phone number, 405-208-5068, should be used as the number for Returns and for Shipping, since it's frequently someone in DBL's acquisitions and cataloging department who actually deals with the OCU mailroom and the courier deliveries. Also that number will be answered during all the library's open hours. The person who answers can transfer the phone call to someone else if needed.