Interlibrary Loan and Archives:

The Final Frontier

Jennifer Schaffner OCLC Research Library Partnership

Elaine Engst Cornell University

Eric Robinson Wisconsin Library Service

Christian Dupont Atlas Systems

Session 508SAA Annual MeetingSan Diego#saa12 August 11, 2012 8 - 9:30 AMAqua 306 AB

Tim Ericson

SAA’s 59th president2003-2004

“Sharing the Wealth,” MRRC News, 2

May 1980

On loaning manuscripts:

“The danger of damage or loss has been balanced by

patronage that otherwise would have been impossible…

Curators and researchers cannot help but agree – the

benefits have been well worth the risk.”

“Even after twenty years it is an idea that is sure to stimulate

a lively discussion whenever a group of archivists get

together; some condemn it as heretical, while others praise it

as one of the most innovative archival ideas in years – few

take the middle ground!”

“Since 1961… the society has moved over

1,400 archives and manuscript collections

throughout the network … without the loss of a

single item.”

February 1972

F. Gerald Ham

SAA’s 29th President1973-1974

in American Libraries, p, 135-140

On loaning collections:

“Repositories may, under special

circumstances, lend or place on deposit with

another repository part or all of a collection.”

June 2009

SAA Council

ALA/SAA Joint Statement on Access to Research Materials in Archives and Special Collections Libraries

“We were able to borrow things we would not be able to provide to others.” *

• Condition is the key to lending decision

• Digitizing on demand has become routine

• Cultural divide is greatest for unpublished materials

• The surprise? 67% lend physical items from special collections sometimes:

• 10% lend

• 57% lend “under special conditions”

• 32% never lend

• “Too risky” (69%) is by far the most common reason for not sharing:

– “Because we never have” (10%)

– “Not part of our mission” (10%)

– “Lack of staff resources” (5%)* OCLC Research Survey April 2010

OCLC Research 2010 Survey of ILL and Special Collections Professionals

(footnote on methodology)

• Both primary resources and interlibrary loan discussion lists

• 88 responses, 64 complete the survey

• Academic, national and public libraries, plus museums and historical societies

• Most from North America, 4 from Continental Europe, one each Africa and Australia

• Job descriptions:o Curator (Special Collections)o University Archivisto Library Directoro Head of Access Services o Head of Referenceo Interlibrary Loan Supervisor

Elaine EngstDirector of Rare and Manuscript Collections and University ArchivistCornell University•“Baseball, True Crime, the FBI and I(LL): Interlibrary Loan for Archival Collections Revisited”

Eric RobinsonInterlibrary Loan CoordinatorWisconsin Library Service• “Four Decades of Archives Sharing among Wisconsin Area Research Centers”

Christian DupontAeon Program DirectorAtlas Systems• “ACRL/RBMS Guidelines for Interlibrary and Exhibition Loan

of Special Collections Materials”

“We were able to borrow things we would not be able to provide to others.”