[ILL-L] RE: Make ILL a game?

[Campbell, Heather]

I agree, Jennifer.

It's very much like a game with a "game of chance" component thrown in.
When choosing the lending libraries in borrowing (when we have plenty of
choices), we're trying to predict which libraries would be likely to
fill the request.  Sometimes -considering the sketchy or
not-quite-correct/misspelled information we get from our customers, it's
a cross between Stump-The-Librarian and Clue (Miss Scarlett, In the
Library, with the correct title).  In our case- in Lending- when Main
doesn't have a copy of the work you want, we're trying to predict which
branches would be likely to have the material on their shelves, are able
to fill the request, and can get it to us before the request ages to the
next lender.  In all cases, we're gambling that the material we request
or that we lend will get to its destination and back in good condition.
Or gambling that the technology will work correctly.

Thanks for sharing this with us, Jennifer!

Heather Campbell
Special Services ~ Interlibrary Loan and Books By Mail
Jacksonville Public Library
Jacksonville, Florida 32202
ill at coj.net    904-630-2985 


-----Original Message-----
From: Jennifer Kuehn [mailto:kuehn.1 at OSU.EDU] 
Sent: Wednesday, April 23, 2008 7:33 AM
Subject: Make ILL a game?

All-

Self-described gamer geek, Chris Harris,  is exploring turning ILL into
a game, using "online gaming to reinvigorate resource sharing":

 
http://www.schoollibraryjournal.com/blog/840000284/post/1090025309.html

Who said it wasn't already? His idea of giving points for sending and
receiving loans is kind of like, hmmm,....keeping statistics.
But the game we play everyday includes the thrill of finding something a
patron wants in some remote catalog (the Bingo! moment) and Illiad
reminds me of playing  pinball and Concentration too. I'm not the winner
in making requests fast however...

Enjoy playing  ILL today!




--
Jennifer Kuehn
Head, Interlibrary Services
Ohio State University Libraries
1813 N. High St. Columbus, OH 43210
614 292-1942
kuehn.1 at osu.edu