Objective: To demonstrate that in crisis there is opportunity. To describe the Health Sciences Library Association of New Jersey (HSLANJ) member libraries' response to the crisis caused by the sudden termination of Comet, the courier service used for statewide interlibrary loan delivery. To show how HSLANJ's leadership overcame disaster and propelled the development of a statewide digital document delivery network for health sciences libraries.
Setting/Participants/Resources: A HSLANJ task force utilized the organization’s email discussion list, Website, and meetings to survey members, assess needs and provide education. HSLANJ also partnered with several of New Jersey’s multitype Regional Library Cooperatives (RLC). Through subsidies provided by the RLCs, HSLANJ members were afforded the opportunity to purchase scanners to implement total electronic document delivery among members.
Brief Description: For many years, HSLANJ member libraries relied almost exclusively on a courier service funded by the New Jersey State Library Network for delivery of interlibrary loan materials. In April 2002, that courier service suddenly ceased to exist. Shortly thereafter, an Electronic Document Delivery (EDD) Task Force was formed to investigate the feasibility of total electronic delivery of interlibrary loans between HSLANJ members. Some of the challenges faced by the task force included technology, education and funding issues. The task force used various methods to assess the members’ needs in these areas and to implement appropriate solutions. This paper will address the planning process and how HSLANJ guided the concerted efforts of health sciences librarians in New Jersey and initiated a change in interlibrary loan delivery methods.
Results/Outcome: A group purchase of scanners, subsidized by the three RLCs and coordinated jointly with HSLANJ, was offered to all HSLANJ members in the spring of 2003. By August 2003, forty-three HSLANJ member libraries began sending interlibrary loans electronically. Classes were conducted by one of the members of the Task Force along with a person from the National Network of Libraries of Medicine Middle Atlantic Region office to demonstrate how to use the scanner and other issues. Members of the task force are always available to answer questions.
Evaluation Methods: The membership will be surveyed again in early 2004; the results will be compared to the original survey and presented in this paper. The task force is also asking the membership to keep statistics of interlibrary loan methods used for the month of December 2003 along with any problems encountered.