Top Banner The 10th Interlending and Document Supply (ILDS) International Conference identity is made up of a customised logotype. Letters in the logo are joined together to convey the idea of sharing and connectivity, which are the key goals behind the ILDS conference.
International Federation of Library Associations and Institutions National Library Board of Singapore

Speakers


Kathryn (Ridenour) Leigh

Paper
Presentation

Kathryn (Ridenour) Leigh
University of Massachusetts Amherst
W.E.B. Du Bois Library

I actually began my career in Interlibrary loan while I was a college student in 1980. When I graduated, I began work as a paraprofessional at the University of Massachusetts libraries Interlibrary Loan office and held various positions at that level for 15 years. After completing graduate studies in Education (M.Ed 1992) and then Library and Information Science (MLIS 1995) I served as acting head of the Interlibrary Loan department starting in 1999. Subsequent to this appointment I became assistant head of the department and served on the reference desk. I was appointed to my current position of Head, Interlibrary Loan and Document Delivery in 2003.

I have actively participated in the transformation of Interlibrary Loan services from a specialized, and somewhat exclusive, paper based service to the widely used, highly automated, and increasingly unmediated service that it is today. I currently supervise traditional interlibrary loan services, virtual catalog services with the Boston Library Consortium and the state of Massachusetts and document delivery services (delivery of UMass owned material to UMass patrons) for the University. In addition I have just begun supervision of our local 5 Colleges Libraries Depository facility.

I am active within local consortia such as the 5 Colleges and the Boston Library Consortium, and am a member of the ALA, RUSA, STARS, International Interlibrary Loan Committee and the ALA, RUSA, STARS Preconference Planning Committee ’07. I have also served on the North American Coordinating Council on Japanese Library Resources ILL committee as Co-chair from 2004-2006 and remain a member of that group.

Abstract

Traditional interlibrary loan and document supply borrowing operations are under pressure to process requests faster and to deliver materials to our users in as little time as is possible. Additional pressures exist in the lending side of our operations. Many times per day we handle requests for articles from volumes we do not own and finding locations and call numbers for materials can take a considerable amount of time. Looming over this emphasis on speed and efficiency is the overwhelming pressure to save money.

RapidILL provides automated solutions to these common issues. By streamlining both borrowing and lending functions using technology, enhancing cooperation through commitment to a 24 hour turnaround time and by segmenting libraries into groups of peer institutions, RapidILL significantly reduces staff time spent processing requests which significantly reduces costs, amazes your users with fast electronic delivery and enhances consortial relationships and cooperation.

In this paper I will outline the history of Rapid, detail its functionality and explain how participation has put our ILL operation on the “fast track” of resource sharing.

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