[ILL-L] creating an automated ILL system with NO money...

[Sarah Lee]

We use our ILS to track lending and borrowing and do all requests and
updates on WRS.  For items borrowed we create a brief record (au & ti) and
use the ILL# as the item id and the call#.  We staple the paperwork that
comes with the item to the request (we don't do direct request - Mon Dieu!)
and file it by title and then due date.  We put a band on the book with
patron info, due date and item id so it can be checked out.  That way the
patron gets overdues just like everybody else.  

For lending we create a user record for ea library we lend to using their
OCLC symbol as patron id# and check our items out to them, again, this way
they get overdue notices.  They have a user profile that does not charge
overdues but sends notices.  We leave the user records on the ILS so we
don't have to create a user every time, we lend to the same folks over and
over.  We write the item id and due date on the printed out lending request
and file it by due date and we print out another copy to send with the item.

This may seem like a lot of paper but really it only takes up one drawer.
Once the transaction is completed they go in another "complete" file which
we clear out monthly and save in a box in a closet for the appropriate period.

Not too complicated - I'm not saving any trees here - but this system is
pretty idiot proof, as long as your files are labeled well.


Hope this helps,




Sarah L. Lee 	
Technical Services Mgr.		
Mobile Public Library		
5555 Grelot Rd.			
Mobile AL 36609
http://www.mplonline.org
	
e-mail slee at mplonline.org
ph. 251-340-8590