2005 ILL Guidelines - Organizational Structure

---

Interlibrary Loan Organizational Structure and General Patterns

Interlibrary loan in Wisconsin has a long and successful history. Patrons use libraries to request a wide variety of book, non-book, and photocopied materials. Libraries of all types and sizes borrow and lend materials to each other in ever increasing numbers to fill the needs of their patrons. Organizations involved in interlibrary loan include:

• Reference and Loan Library
• Wisconsin Library Services (WiLS)
• public library systems
• public libraries
• public and private school libraries
• special libraries (medical, corporate, etc.)
• state agencies and correctional and social service institution libraries
• Wisconsin Technical College System (WTCS) libraries
• Wisconsin Historical Society and Area Research Centers (ARC)
• UW-System libraries
• private college/university libraries
• out-of-state consortia and libraries

State-level Clearinghouses

The Reference and Loan Library serves as a clearinghouse for interlibrary loan requests for the public library systems, their member libraries, state agencies and institutions, state employees, and any library that is not otherwise served. Staff refers requests to Wisconsin libraries of all types using WISCAT/WISCATILL, OCLC, email, and mail. The Reference and Loan Library also manages resource-sharing contracts with WiLS and the Milwaukee Public Library.

Wisconsin Library Services (WiLS) is a non-profit membership organization that provides interlibrary loan access to the University of Wisconsin-Madison library collections and the collections of other member libraries. Member libraries (including the 17 public library systems and the Reference and Loan Library) pay an annual fee and per-transaction charges to have WiLS handle referral of their requests.

The Reference and Loan Library works with a state level clearinghouse in Minnesota (MINITEX). Requests which cannot be filled in either state are sent between MINITEX and the Reference and Loan Library.

Regional library organizations:

Public library systems (17) are the primary regional organizations providing interlibrary loan clearinghouse services in Wisconsin. Multi-type library organizations also facilitate resource sharing.

Public library systems and their member libraries have a mixture of patterns. Public library system systems also vary greatly as to the degree of centralization of interlibrary loan and the role of the interlibrary loan clearinghouse. Most public library systems have shared automated systems that include some or all of their libraries, allowing staff or patrons of a participating library to place a "hold" on a specific title. The requested material is sent to a designated library when it becomes available. If patrons request materials not owned within their library system area, library staff must still use tools such as WISCAT or OCLC to locate owning libraries, and generate a traditional interlibrary loan request. Public libraries have begun to allow patrons to create interlibrary loan requests.

Current Patterns by Type of Library

Public libraries share materials within their public library system first. Most public libraries are WISCAT/WISCATILL users and send requests directly to and receive requests from other WISCAT participants. Some use OCLC to create requests and send them to the public library system.

School libraries request materials from other schools, their local public library, academic libraries, or the Reference and Loan Library. They also refer their students and staff to the local public library for additional assistance. Teachers sometimes check out materials from the public library on behalf of their users. Some, but not all, public library systems serve schools. The Reference and Loan Library refers requests to other libraries on behalf of schools and borrows materials from schools on behalf of other libraries. Some schools use WISCAT/WISCATILL for sending requests to and receiving requests from other participants.

Special libraries often rely upon consortia of similar libraries. For instance, many medical libraries use DOCLINE to send to and receive requests from each other. Special libraries also use the public library or the Reference and Loan Library to obtain materials. Clientele from special libraries may use the public or academic libraries within their locale. Some special libraries are members of WiLS, allowing them to take advantage of services offered there. Some special libraries use WISCAT/WISCATILL or OCLC.

Most state agency and correctional and social service institution libraries participate as WISCAT/WISCATILL libraries and send and receive requests directly to and from other participants. The Reference and Loan Library acts as their interlibrary loan clearinghouse and refers requests to other libraries on their behalf.

Libraries in the technical college system sometimes request materials from each other before using local or regional contacts. Some also send requests to the Reference and Loan Library for referral. Most technical college libraries are WISCAT/WISCATILL users and send requests directly to and receive requests from other participants. Others are WiLS members and use OCLC for referrals or have WiLS handle interlibrary loan requests. Some technical colleges belong to a consortium called WISPALS, which is not currently used to transmit or receive interlibrary loan requests.

Public and private academic libraries often borrow from each other prior to borrowing from other types of libraries. These libraries also borrow frequently from out-of-state libraries. Most are WiLS members and use OCLC; although some are WISCAT/WISCATILL participants and some use commercial providers. Staff sends requests to the WiLS clearinghouse or refers requests directly to other WiLS members using the OCLC ILL subsystem. Staff will often check for resources within their public library system if the requested title is likely to be owned at a public library. The University of Wisconsin System libraries use Endeavor Universal Borrowing software that allows libraries using Voyager to borrow and loan materials. Some private academic libraries belong to a consortium operating an automated system called SWITCH. Academic libraries frequently deliver electronic materials directly to the computers of students, faculty and staff. Academic users may also have the option of creating requests directly.

Return to ILL Guidelines Index

For questions about this information, contact Martha Berninger (608) 224-6168

Last updated on 11/26/2008 12:39:08 PM