[ILL-L] Reasons for No

[Laura Barnard]

i would advise to use 'in use' only if you know that is the case.  

We ARE an automated library and  if the item is not on the shelf we reply not on shelf/missing because we don't know why it's not on the shelf either, including all the reasons you might have (minus only that it was in use when we reviewed the pending file).

As a borrower, I will go back to a library that says 'not on shelf' if no other option remains.  It is not uncommon to get the item the second or third time I ask for it; it may not have been there the first time, or the retirever may not have been as thorough the first time.  If I get that same reply several times, I then I assume it means unavailable.

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

>>> "Jones, Alison R." <arjones at baptistcollege.edu> 9/3/2008 9:09 AM >>>
Ok then - so which would you prefer?  I just don't have time to go
search through a months worth of due dates plus the faculty cards for
every single item that might not be on the shelf.  (The last couple of
weeks I'm doing good to get to the ILL lending every other day, and I
haven't done any cataloging in the last two weeks either - so its not
that I'm trying to be lazy here - there just really is not the time in
my day to devote to that)  

 

So would you rather get "in use" and possibly request from us again and
get the same reason again (either because it really is still in use or
because it really is missing) or get "missing" and not request from us
again, even though we might actually have the item?  This is why I'm
asking - because I know it does make a difference.  And I would love if
I could give a more accurate reason for no - but either way I'm going at
the moment I'm risking "lying" by means of not really knowing which one
is actually true.

 

Alison

 

Alison Jones

Public Services Librarian

Baptist College of Florida

From: ill-l-bounces at webjunction.org 
[mailto:ill-l-bounces at webjunction.org] On Behalf Of Beth Willis
Sent: Wednesday, September 03, 2008 10:28 AM
To: Interlibrary Loan Listserv
Subject: RE: [ILL-L] Reasons for No

 

May I comment from the borrower's perspective?

 

If we see that the reason for no is "in use/on loan" that tells us that
the library actually OWNS the item and if we can't get it elsewhere,
perhaps if we try again in 3-4 weeks we might be able to get the
material.

 

If we see the reason for no is "not on shelf/missing," we interpret that
to mean the item is NOT available and if the request goes unfilled we
won't try that library again.

 

So, it makes a difference to the borrower how you respond. Accurate
reasons for no are appreciated.  :-)

 

 

Beth Willis, MLS

ILL Department Head

bwillis at mcpl.lib.mo.us <blocked::mailto:bwillis at mcpl.lib.mo.us> 

Phone: (816) 521-7231

Mid-Continent Public Library (CMI)

http://www.mcpl.lib.mo.us <blocked::http://www.mcpl.lib.mo.us/> 

Unless explicitly attributed, the opinions expressed are personal.

 

 

________________________________

From: ill-l-bounces at webjunction.org 
[mailto:ill-l-bounces at webjunction.org] On Behalf Of Jones, Alison R.
Sent: Wednesday, September 03, 2008 10:21 AM
To: Interlibrary Loan Listserv
Subject: [ILL-L] Reasons for No

Quick question for any other non-automated libraries out there... When a
book is not on the shelf, are you using "not on shelf/missing" or "in
use/on loan"? - I'm certainly not going to go look through the
circulation cards just to see if a book really is "missing" or if its
"on loan" when the just of the matter is that its not there for us to
loan it either way.

 

Alison

 

Alison Jones

Public Services Librarian

Baptist College of Florida