The HKALL Phenomenon accessing eight million volumes with just a mouse click Sidney Cheng The Hong Kong Institute of Education Library Ruth Wong The University of Hong Kong Libraries

Background

The Pre-HKALL Era Two Modes of Inter-library Lending: JULAC Card Programme  For personal access & in-person loans  For Academic Staff & Postgraduate Students Inter-library Loans  For Academic Staff, Postgraduate Students & Final Year Undergraduate Students were not served Undergraduate Students & Non-academic Staff were not served 

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2002 JULAC User Initiated Document Delivery/ Inter-library Loan (UIDD/ILL) Task Force All 8 JULAC members represented Charged to explore within 6 months: 1.Pros and Cons of other consortia employing UIDD/ILL systems 2.Which software/utilities/systems could be used by JULAC for UIDD/ILL 3.Value/non-value of using net borrower agreements by UIDD/ILL consortia 4.Resource implications of JULAC’s adoption of this program

2002 JULAC User Initiated Document Delivery/ Inter-library Loan (UIDD/ILL) Task Force All 8 JULAC members represented Charged to explore within 6 months: 1.Pros and Cons of other consortia employing UIDD/ILL systems 2.Which software/utilities/systems could be used by JULAC for UIDD/ILL 3.Value/non-value of using net borrower agreements by UIDD/ILL consortia 4.Resource implications of JULAC’s adoption of this program

Essential Requirements of UIDD Systems: 1.Must accept user-initiated online ILL requests 2.Must support unmediated ILL requests directly from users to lending libraries (host libraries) 3.Must support monograph loans 4.Must check incoming ILL requests automatically against own collection, and block request if requested items are in own collection 5.Must support CJK characters

UIDD Systems Reviewed: IMPACT/ISO INN-Reach Library Request RLG/ILL URSA VDX Wings

UIDD Systems Reviewed: IMPACT/ISOINN-Reach Library Request RLG/ILL URSAVDX Wings

UIDD Systems Reviewed: IMPACT/ISOINN-Reach Library Request RLG/ILL URSAVDX Wings

Jan- Sep 2004 HKALL Pilot Study (HKU, CityU, LU) Why INNReach? The only system meets all 5 essential requirements of JULAC UIDD/ILL Task Force Developed by the same vendor of INNOPAC  full integration with OPAC and Circulation

What We Have Learnt? Net-borrowersNet-lenders Net-borrowers and Net-lenders happened Users borrowed items owned by home libraries which were on loan Undergraduates were the largest user group Western to CJK items borrowed = 1:2 Borrowed items were clustered in 3 subject areas:  Social Science/Law/ Education  Science/Technology  Language/Literature Loan transactions increased but turnaround time shortened

The Assessments Online Survey 19 structured questions on a 5-point scale Open-ended questions Focus Group Meetings 9 meetings conducted with academic staff, library staff and students

Results: Structured Questions HKALL was a source to obtain books which were not available in the home library 80% The request procedures were simple and easy to be used 80% It has a good informing system e.g. pick-up, overdue, cancellations etc. 76%

Results: Open Questions “I would say this scheme has been excellently carried out. With this scheme, resources in the universities can be better utilised. Most important of all is that we can borrow books we need that are not available in LU.” “Your new HKALL system is excellent!” “I think this service can be maintained and to be promoted to other Universities because it can effectively utilize the services provided by the UGC libraries. Some books is laying idle in 1 library, say HKU library, which is on heavy demand in another library system.” “A convenient system for academic exchanges.” “Excellent on the whole.”

Results: Open Questions (Wishes) 88% 88% of respondents wanted more UGC libraries to participate 82% 82% of respondents wanted to increase the number of renewal 74% 74% of respondents wanted the system to give coming due reminders

Results: Open Questions (Complaints) Having two ILL systems namely HKALL and ILLiad were confusing Loan period was too short, only one renewal, loan quota was too small Turnaround time was too slow The system could not handle journal article requests

Results: Focus Group Meetings Academic Staff HKALL was well integrated with the Web-OPAC HKALL was a convenient from of obtaining books from other UGC libraries whereas JULAC Card was notStudents All students including undergraduates, postgraduates like the service JULAC card access could not be the same as the service Library Staff The service impacted on various sections Worried about not capable of handling large increased of requests if more libraries joined the service

Sep 2004 Lobbying HKALL to JULAC Directors All non-participating JULAC libraries were impressed! Decided to apply funding from UGC Funding application was approved in May 2005 A new HKALL was formed in 2005

New HKALL Implementation Plan May 2005 Steering Group with representatives from all 8 JULAC libraries Issues of building an union catalog, loading of CJK records, priority records, loan policies, load balancing and user base were discussed Meeting schedules, timelines for implementation and training and a soft launch date of the service were also determined Aug 2005 All records were loaded to the HKALL central catalogue Oct 2005 New HKALL launched

Logistics

Categories of Users Served Staff (Academic, Research & Non-academic) Postgraduate Students Undergraduate Students Sub-degree Students, e.g. Associate Degree Students, Certificate Programme Students

Categories of Users Served Non-academic Staff (Academic, Research & Non-academic) Postgraduate Students Undergraduate Students Undergraduate Students Sub-degree Students, e.g. Associate Degree Students, Certificate Programme Students Sub-degree Students, e.g. Associate Degree Students, Certificate Programme Students

Operation Highlights Circulation Flowchart Glitches Success (opinions from HKU frontline staff) More students get help which leads to increase job satisfactions Work relationships among JULAC colleagues are improved Frequent communications & tight co-operations relieve anxiety Discussions among Members HKALL Listserve

Policies, Regulations and Parameters HKALL Loan Quotas  Loan quotas for each type of users  Counted against the users’ loan quotas in their home libraries INNReach Request Balancing Table  INNRearch selects supply libraries according to Request Balancing Table settings: higher setting  higher chance to be selected  Used for adjusting the loading of members JULAC Access Services Committee

Coordination of Courier Service Review of Courier Service Selection and Appointment of New Courier Logistics  Pick-up frequency and time at each location  Pick-up locations  Procedure and workflow  Containers and bags JULAC Access Services Committee

HKALL Enhancements by ASC Selected new courier with higher capacity at lower unit cost Reset HKALL Request Balancing Table for more even load balancing among members Introduced multiple pick-up locations within an institution Relaxed HKALL quota for Academic Staff to 20 books JULAC Access Services Committee

Courier Services Youth Outreach (until 3/06) Youth Outreach (until 3/06)  Pick-up Time: Monday to Friday  Turnaround time: 1+1 (weekdays), 1+3 (weekends)  Loading: 20 kg per institution per day; individual member to pay for its own extra loading cost City Courier (from 4/06) City Courier (from 4/06)  Pick-up Time: Monday to Saturday  Turnaround time: 1+1 (weekdays), 1+2 (weekends)  Loading: 18,000 kg per month for all institutions; extra loading cost shared by all members  Serves both main libraries and selected branch libraries of individual members

Impacts

Growth of HKALL Database Sep ,443,675 Bib Records 8,671,222 Item Records Oct ,823,763 Bib Records 9,507,416 Item Records

HKALL Loans Supplied by Host Libraries

42.5% (06/07 vs 05/06) % (06/07 vs 04/05) HKALL Loans Supplied by Host Libraries

JULAC User Registrations at Host Libraries

04/05

05/06 JULAC User Registrations at Host Libraries

04/05 05/06 06/07 13% JULAC User Registrations at Host Libraries

JULAC User Access to Host Libraries

11.7%

In-person Loans Supplied by Host Libraries

04/05 In-person Loans Supplied by Host Libraries

04/05 05/06 In-person Loans Supplied by Host Libraries

04/05 05/06 06/07 12% In-person Loans Supplied by Host Libraries

ILL Book Loans Supplied by Host Libraries

04/05 ILL Book Loans Supplied by Host Libraries

04/05 05/06 ILL Book Loans Supplied by Host Libraries

04/05 05/06 06/ % ILL Book Loans Supplied by Host Libraries

All Book Loans Supplied by Host Libraries

04/05 All Book Loans Supplied by Host Libraries

04/05 05/06 All Book Loans Supplied by Host Libraries

06/07 05/06 04/05 72% All Book Loans Supplied by Host Libraries

Issue of Load Balancing Some members were heavy suppliers Lending to Borrowing Lending to Borrowing Ratios were also not even among members net-lenders  Some members were net-lenders books supplied > books borrowed i.e. books supplied > books borrowed net-borrowers  Others were net-borrowers books borrowed > books supplied i.e. books borrowed > books supplied

Contributions to All Book Loans by Host Libraries

Contributions to All Book Loans by Host Libraries Oct 04 – Sep 05

Contributions to All Book Loans by Host Libraries Oct 05 – Sep 06

Borrowing and Lending by Host Libraries Oct 05 – Sep 06

Borrowing and Lending by Host Libraries Oct 05 – Sep 06

Borrowing and Lending by Host Libraries Oct 05 – Sep 06

Borrowing and Lending by Host Libraries Oct 05 – Sep 06 Net-lender Net-lender Net-lender Net-lender Net-lender

HKALL Request Balancing Table Oct 2005 Original Set Up : 7 CityU  7 5 HKU & LU  5 3 All other members  3 Feb 2007 Reset by Access Services Committee: 1 All members  1

HKALL Lending to Borrowing Ratio

Oct 05 - Jan 07

HKALL Lending to Borrowing Ratio Oct 05 - Jan 07 Feb 07 – Sep 07

Contributions to All Book Loans by Host Libraries Oct 05 – Sep 06

Contributions to All Book Loans by Host Libraries Oct 06 – Sep 07

All Book Loans Lending to Borrow Ratio

04/05

All Book Loans Lending to Borrow Ratio 04/05 05/06

All Book Loans Lending to Borrow Ratio 06/07 05/06 04/05

Conclusion

Users Convenience and Efficiency Convenience and Efficiency  Request anywhere anytime  Delivery and return at home library  Delivery around 48 hours One-stop Service One-stop Service  Request launched from home library OPAC with a few clicks (after authentication)  Central catalogue provides holdings of all members  Supply libraries selected by HKALL automatically

Library Staff Cooperation & Close Communications Cooperation & Close Communications  Joint efforts of colleagues of all JULAC members  Effective coordination and close communications through Steering Group, Discussion List and later on Access Services Committee Unmediated Requests Unmediated Requests  Minimum staff interventions  INNReach supports all steps of transactions  Staff mainly involved in physical handling of books

JULAC Libraries Collaboration Collaboration  A major collaborative service initiative participated by all 8 JULAC libraries  A single JULAC project with the largest UGC funding Coverage Coverage  Benefits all staff and students of the 8 institutions Balancing of Loading Balancing of Loading  Size doesn’t matter – contributions of smaller libraries in inter-library lending activities are equally significant  Enables balancing of loading of inter-lending activities  Not just balancing HKALL itself, but also in-person loans and ILL book loans

S.R. Ranganathan The Five Laws of Library Science (1931) 1.Books are for use 2.Every book its reader 3.Every reader his book 4.Save the time of the reader 5.The library is a growing organism Ranganathan, S.R. The five laws of library science. Ed. 2. Bangalore : Sarada Ranganthan Endowment, 1988.

Thank you Acknowledgement: Special thanks to all JULAC ASC Members for providing statistical data for this presentation

BACK Print paging slips Print paging slips wrong names matching can’t print details, only virtual patron numbers are printed the whole paging slips can’t be printed wrong names matching can’t print details, only virtual patron numbers are printed the whole paging slips can’t be printed Send book bags vs. boxes easily broken boxes run away boxes mixed up deliveries Sat pick-up  shorten turnaround time bags vs. boxes easily broken boxes run away boxes mixed up deliveries Sat pick-up  shorten turnaround time Print pickup notifications HKUL experience: server will shut down when the notifications are sorted by names Return to owning libraries Claimed returns: HKUL 4

BACK Print paging slips Print paging slips wrong names matching can’t print details, only virtual patron numbers are printed the whole paging slips can’t be printed wrong names matching can’t print details, only virtual patron numbers are printed the whole paging slips can’t be printed Send book bags vs. boxes easily broken boxes run away boxes mixed up deliveries Sat pick-up  shorten turnaround time bags vs. boxes easily broken boxes run away boxes mixed up deliveries Sat pick-up  shorten turnaround time Print pickup notifications HKUL experience: server will shut down when the notifications are sorted by names Return to owning libraries Claimed returns: HKUL 4