[ILL-L] "In Library Use Only" - do you conditional first?

[Laura Barnard]

We also get very few patrons who want circulating copies only, and may get one patron in a year or two that won't use an item because it is restricted to the library.  

 We get several hundred items each year that are restricted to library use only (this includes the microfilm).  It doesn't seem efficient to conditional back and forth with the lending library, and message back and forth with our patron, on every one of those several hundred requests just to save the time wasted on the one that is refused.  So we don't conditional as lenders and we prefer that you not conditional to us as borrowers.

Another perspective on time invested and wasted, would be to compare the occasional Library Use Only that is refused by the number of circulating items that patrons never pickup.  Now that is a burr that has been on (not under) my saddle for a very long time.

Laura Barnard
Interlibrary Loans
Seattle Public Library (UOK)
206-386-4601
ill at spl.org

>>> "Melissa Jackson" <Melissa.Jackson at armstrong.edu> 11/26/2007 5:50 AM >>>
I'm apparently in the minority here.  I don't conditional the borrowing library--I call them.  We've gotten enough conditionals about NFC come back to us unread that I don't want to take a chance on LUO items.  If there is no phone number in the Policy Directory, then I say no and send the request on.

As a borrower, we'll take LUO conditions and rely those to the patron before the book can be released to him/her. If the patron says they can't comply, we send the book home immediately with our thanks.   (I've only had a few patrons in 7+ years insist on a circulating copy when given a "LUO or probably nothing" situation.  Most are grateful for the lender's kindness in sending a valuable book for them.)


Melissa Jackson
ILL Librarian


>>> 
From: 	"Beth Lubar" <nostupidquestions at gmail.com>
To:	<ill-l at webjunction.org>
Date: 	11/21/2007 9:38 AM
Subject: 	[ILL-L] "In Library Use Only" - do you conditional first?

Hello All -

Just wondering what most ILL folks do on this topic.  If you're going to
lend for "in library use only" do you conditional first - or just send with
a "in library use only" instruction.
Are there a lot of libraries that do NOT accept 'in library use only' loans?

Thanks all for your participation &
HAPPY THANKGIVING

-- 
~ Whoever said there are no stupid questions never worked a reference desk ~


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