June 2007Library systems managers SCONUL Access The largest borrowing scheme for higher education in the UK and Ireland

Library systems managers2 SCONUL Access The intended audience for this presentation is library systems managers and other systems staff It provides background information to the scheme and addresses the underlying technical requirements

Library systems managers3 SCONUL Access! From 1 st August 2007 SCONUL Research Extra and UK Libraries Plus will merge to form SCONUL Access library members Covering all parts of England, Ireland, Scotland and Wales Offering access to –Staff –Researchers –Taught postgraduates –Part–time, distance learning & placement students

Library systems managers4 Moving Forward Institutions can –Maintain existing offer –Extend existing offer Reciprocal agreement –Bands of offer Your users get what you offer to others!

Library systems managers5 Bands Band A –Staff and research students Band B –Part time, distance learning and placement students Band C –Taught postgraduates

Library systems managers6 Why be involved? Gives users easy access to a large number of academic libraries Reduces the need for multiplicity of local access schemes Provides a single set of procedures for all participating libraries Requires a standard SCONUL Access card for clear identification

Library systems managers7 Benefits to academic institutions Resource sharing: better use of public funds Recognition of resource sharing: –suggested link between membership of scheme and research funding Strengthens links within higher education community

Library systems managers8 Benefits to users Single rules for joining; same method of identification required Individuals will not be required to negotiate access to each library service No barriers to research trail; users can move easily from one library to another

Library systems managers9 Responsibilities of library staff Become familiar with SCONUL Access procedures Provide a named contact for SCONUL Access Staff guide lists the responsibilities of –senior staff –the institutional contact –library systems managers –front line staff

Library systems managers10 Making the scheme work Consistent approach will help users and library staff to make the most of SCONUL Access Standard approach to user records will allow SCONUL to monitor the scheme Library systems staff have an important role to play in implementing the scheme

Library systems managers11 Making the scheme work Details in the borrower record define statistics available to SCONUL –Could require creation of new borrower profile –Need to consider re-defining current external borrowers under this scheme –Consider using one of the address fields (if available) for home institution Might take time to achieve full integration of old and new external borrower records

Library systems managers12 Why is such detail required? SCONUL wants to monitor the impact of the scheme on demand from other participating members SCONUL needs to consider the level of use by the different bands of user

Library systems managers13 Interim Measures Valid UKLP forms and SRX cards should continue to be accepted until their expiry date BUT encourage your users to exchange them for a SCONUL Access card

Library systems managers14 Receiving a SCONUL Access user Frontline staff will –Check the user’s SCONUL Access card and home library / ID card –Register the user on your library system and note Their Band Their home institution –Register the user for the period shown on their SCONUL Access card

Library systems managers15 Why is such detail required? Participating member libraries will also be interested in the impact of the scheme Your library needs to know the borrowers’ home institution in case it is necessary to make contact with them or their home library

Library systems managers16 Please Note Consortium statistics are no longer required Statistics will no longer be broken down by institution Loans and renewals should be reported as a single figure

Library systems managers17 Library systems managers Provide appropriate borrower profiles encoded to differentiate between bands Liaise with supervisors to ensure that staff input –the correct information –in the correct format –into the appropriate fields Set up reports to collect statistics Submit statistics in a timely manner

Library systems managers18 Proposed reports to be issued by SCONUL Total number of registrations by band Total number of loans (including renewals) by band

Library systems managers19 SCONUL Access Please contact –Maria Hiscoe at –Susan Baker at if you have any queries More information and documentation supporting the scheme is available from [ “Using other libraries”]

June 2007Library systems managers SCONUL Access The largest borrowing scheme for higher education researchers in the UK and Ireland