The Role of Interlibrary Loan in Disaster Recovery / 1
Robin Roggio
The Role of Interlibrary Loan in Disaster Recovery
An Annotated Bibliography
INFO522-901: Information Access & Resources
8/28/2011
Introduction and Scope
This annotated bibliography comprises articles that discuss the role interlibrary loan (ILL)plays in disaster recovery.The articles included look at ways interlibrary loan has been used to restore service to library patrons immediately following a disaster situation. Several articles touch on interlibrary loan statistics collected about items requested following a disaster being used to make decisions about replacing materials in the collection that may have been damaged by flood, fire, mold, etc.Other articles discuss the use of interlibrary loan as the sole access for library users to obtain materials that were damaged or otherwise unobtainable due to a disaster. An important topic discussed in the articles reviewed is the need for disaster preparedness by libraries in general and the interlibrary loan department specifically. The article publication dates range from 1998 to 2011. There is not a wealth of scholarly research covering this topic therefore many search methods and databases were used to obtain the most recent and relevant information available.
Description
Traditionally interlibrary loan has been viewed as a support program to fill in gaps in a library’s collection which was viewed as a failure in the collection management in some cases (Delaney, 2000, p. 197). This has changed in recent years as interlibrary loan has been implemented by more and more libraries as a way to recover from a variety of disasters. As a result of ILL being used to reestablish user services after a disastrous flood at Colorado State University in 1997 a new resource sharing program, RapidILL, was created (Leigh, 2007, p. 11.1)and now has over 200 participating members. This program came about due to slow and inefficient ILL processes and turnaround times. An important aspect to the success of ILL as a means to provide user services is established resource sharing agreements (Alire, 2000, p. 563).Partnerships with other libraries area key to the successful use of ILL and the speed with which services can be restored to patrons (Delaney, 2000, p. 212). Norton (2009) discusses a collaboration set up between two libraries that allows the non-affected library to remotely login to the partner library’s system and process their ILL requests for them. This scenario is only applicable if there is still electricity to the affected library’s systems.
Summary of Findings
There are a number of ways interlibrary loan can be used to aid libraries in the days, months and even years following a disaster. The main role of interlibrary loan as a means of recovery discussed in the literature is the return of service to library users after a disaster. Eight of the seventeen articles reviewed discussed the monumental 500 year flood that destroyed or rendered inaccessible around 50% of the collection at Colorado State University Library (Delaney, 1998). In the days following the flood interlibrary loan services were moved to a local community college campus and reestablished for the faculty and students of CSUto have access to materials no longer available from their library collection (Alire, 2000).
Colorado State University library was groundbreaking in its use of ILL as a disaster recovery method. Several factors contributed to their ability to reestablish service within two days of the flood. Two main factors were automation and portability of the system (Delaney, 2000). CSU had been moving towards an automated system of ILL for several years before the flood. They had implemented electronic requests as well as electronic delivery of articles via Ariel (Alire, 2003). These features of paperless ILL service directly contributed to the portability of the system that allowed ILL to reestablish service almost immediately after the flood.
Almost all of the literature reviewed discussed the topic of a library’s need for disaster recovery plans as well as disaster preparedness plans. McHone (2010) writes about a disaster preparedness plan that specifically addresses the needs of ILL. Resource sharing agreements that are already established between libraries are very important to an ILL department being able to supply the items needed by users after a disaster (Alire, 2000). These special agreements between libraries allowed the library at CSU to rely on free and expedited service from consortia libraries that provided articles needed by their patrons to be delivered usually within two days or less (Delaney, 2000).
Other natural and manmade disasters were discussed in the literature where ILL was used in the aftermath of an emergency to restore library service to patrons. Gugliotta (2006) discusses a fire, suspected to be arson that affected the University of New Mexico (UNM) Library. UNM depended on their resource sharing agreement libraries which expedited ILL services and delivered articles to their patrons with 24 hours. Dubicki (2005) documented a case where mold at Monmouth University Library caused the closing of the periodicals area and patrons were directed to use ILL. Moore (2011) discussed the reaction of several libraries to the earthquake in Haiti.
These articles also discuss the use of ILL statistics. In the case at Monmouth University interlibrary loan statistical data was collected in order to evaluate which items to replace or add to the collection. Immediately after the earthquake in Haiti the National Library of Medicine used ILL statistics collected after other similar disasters to decide what materials to provide to Haiti free of charge in their time of need. Knowing what other communities had requested after a disaster allowed them to provide pertinent disaster response materials to affected areas in Haiti. ILL statistics were also used by Colorado State University five years after the flood to make decisions about which destroyed materials should be repurchased and placed back in the collection (Smith, P. 2006).
An item that stands out in several articles is the fact that libraries that are not affiliated with an affected library will step up and offer free ILL services to aid in disaster recovery. McKnight (2008) notes that the National Library of Medicine provided free interlibrary loan services for the remainder of the year following Hurricane Katrina. Wessling (2000) also notes that libraries all over the nation provided ILL to CSU at no charge as well as expeditingrequests.
The article by Norton (2009) stands alone for several reasons. It outlines an agreement between two similarly sized ILL departments. These two departments have set up a collaboration which allows one department to step in and do the work for the other department in the case of emergency. The difference stems from the type of back up and the type of emergency. The emergency scenario here would require that there was no physical damage to ILL equipment and that the electricity and internet systems were in working order. The emergency situations they have in mind are evacuation due to an impending disaster or a health related situation, such as a flu pandemic.
The articles by Wilson (2009) and Featherstone (2008) do not discuss specific disastrous events and interlibrary loan’s role in the recovery. They provide overall guidelines and information about learning from other libraries’ experiences and putting a disaster preparedness plan and disaster recovery plan into place. Taking the time to create “buddy systems for libraries to ensure continued services” (Featherstone, 2008) before a disaster strikes is one way to prepare a library. Wilson (2009) provides a step by step list, websites, and other information that is very informative and useful to any library that wants to prepare for the unpredictable in order to alleviate disruption to patron service.
Alire (2003) talks about the ‘silver lining’ that came from CSU’s experience after the devastating flood of 1997. She is speaking of the FastFlood service, which later evolved into the RapidILL resource sharing system. Delaney (2000) goes into the innovative procedures being used at CSU interlibrary loan department prior to the flood that led to the creation of FastFlood. Initially six libraries agreed to partner with CSU to test this unmediated system. Programs were created that automatically searched the OPAC of other libraries to identify holdings and send the patron’s request directly to the appropriate library without manual staff intervention. CSU then sent the electronically received article to the patron via Ariel or in some cases fax or courier. Wessling (2000) notes that after the disaster recovery period had passed CSU library patrons had been so satisfied with the FastFlood system that they recommended it be permanently implemented.
FastFlood was the forerunner of RapidILL which is used by over 200 libraries nationwide, including the University of Arkansas where I am employed. The innovation of Colorado State University’s Interlibrary Loan department to continue a high quality of user services during a disaster led to the invention of a system that benefits ILL in many libraries today. The turnaround time for an article ordered through RapidILL can be as little as an hour in some cases.
The need for further research about the role that interlibrary loan has played and can play in disaster recovery is needed. The articles discussed here mainly detail how specific libraries found themselves in a disaster and turned to ILL as a means to provide patrons with needed materials until the library recovered from the event. ILL has been used as a way to prevent disruption of service to users after a disaster. What is missing here are all the ways ILL can be taken advantage of in the future. Not only do libraries need to plan for unexpected events, but interlibrary loan departments need to be aware of their importance to each other should a disaster occur. Partnership between libraries is important as well as a carefully considered plan of communication, portability of the system and automation. Interlibrary loan has already been vital in the recovery of many libraries faced with unforeseen damage to their buildings and collections. Now we need to look to the future to examine new ways that the unique services provided by ILL can be used in the future to prepare libraries for the unpredictable and minimize the disruption of service as much as possible for library users.
Bibliography
Entry 1:
Alire, C. (2000). Resource sharing: a requirement in library-disaster recovery. In C. Alire (Ed.),Library Disaster Planning and Recovery Handbook(561-573). New York, NY: Neal-Schuman Publishers, Inc.
Abstract: “…This chapter serves a two-fold purpose. It discusses the importance for some mechanism to be in place which could help any library which has experienced a disaster to recover through various aspects of resource-sharing assistance. The extent of and the time frame for that assistance can be affected, to some extent, by whether or not resource-sharing components and/or agreements are already in place.
Secondly, this chapter covers a personal account of working with established resource-sharing connections. It discusses strategic development of disaster preparedness for resource-sharing networks already in place and strategic development if no network/consortium is in place. The chapter ends with top ideas and recommendations for the reader….”
Annotation: This chapter touts the importance of resource sharing consortia as well as having a disaster preparedness plan, not just a recovery plan. It relays the experiences of CSU staff after the catastrophic flood of 1997 destroyed most of their library collection. Because they had prior resource sharing agreements in place they were able to act quickly to reestablish service. Within two days after the flood they had moved their ILL equipment to another campus and were able to restart service to their users. Although written over ten years ago, the information in this chapter is relevant and can be used as a guide for libraries today.
Search Strategy:I found this citation after reading “The Role of Interlibrary Loan in Disaster Preparedness and Recovery” by Sarah McHone-Chase. I was able to get the book which included this chapter from the University of Arkansas Library where I work.
Database:N/A
Method of Searching:Footnote chasing
Search String:Referenced in:
McHone-Chase, S.M. (2010). The role of interlibrary loan in disaster preparedness and recovery. Journal of Interlibrary Loan, Document Supply & Electronic Reserve,20(1), 53-60.
Scholarly/Refereed Status: Because this is a book chapter the method of evaluating wasn’t as straightforward as it is for a journal article. I reviewed the credentials of the chapter author and the book editor, one in the same for this chapter. The author is very highly regarded in the academic community, having even served as ALA president from 2009-2010. I also researched the book publisher, Neal-Schuman Publishers, and found it to be a reputable publisher that also publishes academic textbooks.
Entry 2:
Alire, C. (2003). Chapter 11 the silver lining: Recovering from the shambles of a disaster. Journal of Library Administration, 38(1/2), 101-107.
Abstract: “In July 1997, half the collections at Morgan Library at Colorado State University were damaged by flood waters. Staff members found themselves overwhelmed in emergency disaster recovery, in designing innovative systems to recover damaged materials, and in creating emergency programs to serve library users during the disaster recovery period. In rebuilding its collections to developing new systems, in changing the institutional culture to bring greater collaboration and flexibility, in developing a handbook so that others could benefit from the library's experience-Morgan Library found the silver lining that grew out of what at first seemed a disaster of overwhelming proportions.”
Annotation: This article details the use of ILL to provide patrons of CSU with the materials they needed which were no longer available from their own library. By reorganizing ILL procedures they were able to fill patron requests for articles within two days. This reorganization evolved into a fully implemented permanent change in ILL which has been adopted nationally and named RapidILL. Dr. Alire has written extensively on this topic and is cited by many other library professionals.
Search Strategy:I found this citation after reading “The Role of Interlibrary Loan in Disaster Preparedness and Recovery” by Sarah McHone-Chase. I then checked both Hagerty Library and the University of Arkansas Library where I work for the full-text online. Neither had access, I therefore ordered the article from the ILL department at the University of Arkansas.
Database:N/A
Method of Searching:Footnote chasing
Search String:Referenced in:
McHone-Chase, S.M. (2010). The role of interlibrary loan in disaster preparedness and recovery. Journal of Interlibrary Loan, Document Supply & Electronic Reserve,20(1), 53-60.
Scholarly/Refereed Status:I reviewed the journal title in Ulrich’s where it is listed as an academic/scholarly publication. I then followed the link provided in Ulrich’s to the journal publisher’s website where it states that its articles “have undergone editorial screening and peer review.”
Entry 3:
Delaney, T. G. (1998). The day it rained in Fort Collins, Colorado. Journal of Interlibrary Loan, Document Delivery & Information Supply, 8(4), 59-70.
Abstract: “Focuses on the use of back-up computer systems in interlibrary loan (ILL) departments, after the flood in Fort Collins, Colorado, on July 28, 1997. Damages caused by the flood; Information on `The Panic Project' by the Colorado State University (CSU); Details on the automation of ILL by the CSU.”
Annotation: This article documents the historic changes of CSU’s ILL department over the 10 years prior to the flood. It had systematically moved from paper requests manually entered by staff to fully automated electronic requests and the delivery of articles via Ariel. This prior electronic evolution enabled ILL to provide service to users after the flood damaged their collection. The automated system along with free rush service ILL from 61 non-affiliated academic libraries led toILL became an integral department providing the entire campus with needed curricular materials.The article is dated, as most ILL departments now are fully automated.
Search Strategy:I used OneSearch to search multiple databases at the same time to maximize my results. I was able to get full-text from the University of Arkansas Library where I work.
Database:Education [EDUCAT],Library and Information Services [INFOSCI] , and Social Science [SOCSCI] [Dialog]
Method of Searching:Keyword Searching
Search String: ss interlibrary and disaster/ti,ab,de
Scholarly/Refereed Status: I reviewed the journal title in Ulrich’s where it is listed as an academic/scholarly publication. I then followed the link provided in Ulrich’s to the journal publisher’s website where it states that its articles “have undergone editorial screening and peer review.”
Entry 4:
Delaney, T. (2000). There is no normal anymore: Interlibrary loan/document-delivery services during disaster recovery. In C. Alire (Ed.), Library Disaster Planning and Recovery Handbook(197-218). New York, NY: Neal-Schuman Publishers, Inc.
Abstract: “In some ways, Interlibrary Loan (ILL) is already a form of disaster recovery in some academic environments….In the environment that we found ourselves after the CSU disaster, one of the first realizations that we had was that ILL would play a fundamental role in disaster recovery…. When the disaster that damaged so much of our collection occurred, the need to structure this model into fully developed service moved from the theoretical to the essential. We survived because we had always been a department that considered itself unfinished and was willing to experiment with newer, faster, and higher-quality delivery processes. This made the disaster, as dramatic an event as it was, an opportunity to expand the scope ofexperiment-ation in the face of necessity.”
Annotation: This article describes in detail the integral role ILL played in the recovery of CSU library services after the 1997 flood. In the past ILL had been thought of as a backup to a library collection, in this case it replaced the library as the sole source for user needs. At the time ILL was slow and expensive. As a response to exponentially higher request numbers ILL was revamped to become almost fully automated. Patrons entered requests online, an unmediated system searched participating libraries’ holdings and the request automatically was sent without staff intervention. The view of the author is outdated in terms of ILL and technology.