[ILL-L] Patron access to worldcat in public libraries

[Campbell, Heather]

WorldCat has always been out there and available on our website and
through the Florida Electronic Library to use--, though only the
in-library version has the Open-URL capability to link into ILLiad. We
have enabled Direct Request.  If they order through WorldCat many of
those requests get requested without our intervention. My borrowing
staff report that they are increasingly busy handling the incoming
books.
 
The candy shop analogy is quite apt.  The reason we have limits on the
number of active requests is goes back to our FirstSearch days.  People
would order MUCH MUCH MUCH more than they could use and either not pick
it up, be frustrated because it was all due around the same time, or
stand at the circ desks and slowly browse through the pile to see what
they wanted to check out as the line grew ever longer behind them.  
 
Heather Campbell
Special Services ~ Interlibrary Loan and Books By Mail
Jacksonville Public Library
Jacksonville, Florida 32202
ill at coj.net    904-630-2985 
 

________________________________

From: ill-l-bounces at webjunction.org
[mailto:ill-l-bounces at webjunction.org] On Behalf Of Robinson, Arthur 
Sent: Thursday, September 11, 2008 3:57 PM
To: Interlibrary Loan Listserv
Subject: RE: [ILL-L] Patron access to worldcat in public libraries


I'd be interested to hear about this too, though I work in an academic
library.  I try to make sure that students in upper-level classes (and
of course faculty) are aware of WorldCat, but I don't mention it in
freshman classes (though I have shown it to freshmen who are engaged in
serious research).  My experience has been that many freshmen who are
shown WorldCat use it to order manuscripts, dissertations, highly
specialized scholarship, ephemera, etc., for topics when we have better
resources in our library (or readily available on ILL).  Sometimes it
turns out they're typing eight words into the search box and only
getting one result, so they order that, without realizing there are more
(and better) resources available.
 
On the other hand, WorldCat is a wonderful resource for people who are
serious about their research.  It's like being a kid in a candy shop.
 
Arthur Robinson (GLG)

________________________________

From: ill-l-bounces at webjunction.org on behalf of Becky Norman
Sent: Thu 9/11/2008 3:40 PM
To: Interlibrary Loan Listserv
Subject: [ILL-L] Patron access to worldcat in public libraries



Hello,

I would like to hear from any Public libraries that have added a
Worldcat or Firstsearch link to their databases or webpages for patron
use. Did your ILL requests increase significantly? Any other issues
arise that caused concern? 

Thanks in advance,

 

Becky Norman

King County Library System

Interlibrary Loan manager

(425) 369-3492

benorman at kcls.org

 

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