Electronic document delivery: directing interlibrary loan traffic through multiple electronic networks.

Abstract

The University of Nebraska Medical Center (UNMC) uses five different electronic networks for interlibrary loan (ILL) request transmission. The advantages and problems of using electronic networks for ILL request transmission are discussed. Advantages include speed of request transmission, improved capabilities for locating documents, lower labor costs, improved turnaround time, and production of user reports and statistics. Disadvantages include increased work load, additional staff training, coordination of non-standard networks, determining access protocols, and establishing priorities for handling requests.