University System Reciprocal Borrowing Services: A View from the Trenches

Abstract

The appeal of state-wide reciprocal borrowing is clear: sharing resources between institutions within a university system - beyond the boons that the greater variety and accessibility of materials may offer to researchers - can potentially ease the budgets of Collection Development departments and traditional Inter-Library Loan programs. The operational perception is that a patron from any institution within a university system may procure materials from any other institution within that system by means of a simple transaction. The operational reality is considerably less simple., , Our 'view from the trenches' of Georgia's state-wide reciprocal borrowing program (GIL Express) pulls the curtain back on the inner workings of this innovative service from the point-of-view of the two largest GIL Express participants in the University System of Georgia. We will reveal the hidden complexities of the GIL Express service, including the development of standard operating procedures and best practices, software synchronization, and inter-institution billing. We will also address some of the programs limitations such as lending restrictions, transportation costs & quandaries, and potential pitfalls which may compromise the perceived simplicity of the patron transaction. Finally, we will demonstrate the program's unique 'geography' - where a university system reciprocal borrowing service 'fits in' among established Inter-Library Loan programs and various consortia.,