Goal

The goal of the National Network of Libraries of Medicine (NN/LM) Document Delivery Plan is to provide health professionals with timely access to information in the nation's health science library collections.

Objectives

• Coordinate the contribution, review, and maintenance of serial holdings data to the DOCLINE Serial Holdings database in a manner that is timely, efficient, and accurate.
• Develop efficient and cost effective processes for requesting, referring and delivering items from network library collections through the DOCLINE system.
• Provide standardized policies and procedures to assure appropriate regional consistency within the national network.
• Investigate and test new methods of interlibrary lending which use existing or new technologies, specifically focusing on Internet-accessible systems for delivery.
• Encourage and support interoperability with other interlibrary loan networks.
• Encourage and promote the use of EFTS throughout the NN/LM.
• Facilitate and promote electronic document delivery with a goal of increasing electronic delivery in the network.
• Provide guidance on managing e-journal subscriptions related to ILL and document delivery privileges.
• Develop a network strategy to provide document delivery and access to collections in the event of a regional or national disaster.

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Responsibilities

Contributing to DOCLINE Serial Holdings

All SERHOLD participants must accurately report and systematically maintain accurate holdings on at least an annual basis within the DOCLINE Serial Holdings database. Options for reporting holdings include:

1. Direct online input of data. This is the preferred method since the data are immediately available for DOCLINE routing.
2. Global batch updating (i.e., all of a library's DOCLINE will be deleted and replaced) in OCLC MARC format and other national or international standards that may be supported by DOCLINE in the future.

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Interlibrary Loan and Document Delivery Services

All libraries in the network are expected to process requests from other institutions to the extent they are able. Health professionals have access to the interlibrary loan services of the network by working with the nearest network library with which they are affiliated. Non-affiliated health professionals will be referred to a health science library by the Regional Medical Library (RML), or be served by the RML directly.

1. Requesting Patterns via DOCLINE

   DOCLINE is the preferred interlibrary loan system in the NN/LM. Appropriate requests should be entered into DOCLINE when possible.

   1. Network libraries must report and systematically maintain holdings within DOCLINE to become a full DOCLINE participant. Some exceptions can be made for libraries with very small collections to become borrow-only participants;
   2. Network libraries participating in DOCLINE are expected to maintain routing tables that accurately reflect interlibrary loan borrowing patterns and that are consistent with regional interlibrary loan policies;
   3. DOCLINE participants are expected to be lenders as well as borrowers;
   4. DOCLINE participants are expected to logon at least once a day to receive and update requests to indicate the action taken.

2. Requesting Patterns for non-DOCLINE Requests

   1. Network libraries are expected to use available locator tools to determine the nearest library which holds the item desired and to send the request to that library;
   2. Network libraries shall make optimum use of local resources before forwarding non-available requests to appropriate Resource Libraries;
   3. A network library which determines that the desired item is available at a Resource Library (RL) or the RML in its region may submit the request to that library;
   4. A network library which determines that the desired item is not available within its region, may send the request to any Resource Library, RML or to NLM;
   5. A request which cannot be filled by the RL, RML or NLM may be referred to another network library which holds the item;
   6. Filled loans or notices of non-fulfillment are to be sent directly to the originating library.

3. Charges

   1. There shall be a standard maximum charge for requests filled for network libraries via DOCLINE by RLs, RMLs and NLM. This charge will be set by NLM using data originally supplied by RMLs and RLs. The established charge should enable the libraries to recover direct costs incurred and provide the service at the lowest practicable cost to the user. An institution which fills the request may choose not to pass on the entire charge to the user. RLs and RMLs that charge above the maximum must do an ILL cost study and must follow the procedures described in "NLM's Revised Policy on the National Maximum Charge dated February 23, 2004" and "Procedures for Increasing ILL Charges Above the National Maximum Charge;
   2. Filled loans for non-DOCLINE requests are subject to any charge which the supplying library wishes to levy.

4. Performance Data

   1. The objective of the analysis of performance data is to provide NLM and the RMLs with information needed to assist in developing and implementing programs and services which meet the information needs of health professionals. Document delivery performance data enables the evaluation of existing performance and determination of trends and future needs. The data should also assist RMLs, RLs and Primary Access Libraries (PAL) in collection development, maintenance and preservation activities. Document delivery performance data will be provided through reports from the DOCLINE system;
   2. The measure of fulfillment (fill rate) is calculated by dividing the number of received requests into the number of filled requests. An acceptable level of performance for an RML or RL shall be a 75% fill rate, not including requests unfilled due to COST. Network standards require that all requests be processed within three business days. DOCLINE report 2-14 provides information on fill rate for each RML and RL. These reports are produced by NLM and provided to the RMLs and RLs quarterly.

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The Network

Libraries in the United States with collections in the health sciences are included in the National Network of Libraries of Medicine. As participating institutions, libraries accept the goals and objectives of the NN/LM Interlibrary Loan Plan.

Network institutions are divided into four categories:

1. National Library of Medicine (NLM)

   NLM's responsibilities include:

   1. National coordination of DOCLINE and interfaces with other large interlibrary loan networks;
   2. Provision of interlibrary loan services to augment regional resources;
   3. Continued development and support of DOCLINE, which consists of the Serial Holdings, Requests, and Institutions modules;
   4. Continued development and support of a document delivery solution, e.g., Loansome Doc;
   5. Collection and distribution of management data from DOCLINE to monitor network and individual library performance;
   6. Provision of reports from the DOCLINE system to all DOCLINE participants. Provision of additional NLM-defined reports to the Regional Medical Libraries.

2. Regional Medical Libraries (RMLs)

   The RMLs' DOCLINE responsibilities are:

   1. Assisting Network members in the region to obtain and/or maintain an adequate technical environment for DOCLINE use;
   2. Educating libraries through FAQs, training, and/or meetings on the effective use of DOCLINE, Loansome Doc, and other NLM products related to interlibrary loan or document delivery, including PubMed, LinkOut, and LocatorPlus;
   3. Providing DOCLINE support to all member libraries in the region via telephone or email, ensuring that DOCLINE coordinators or trained back-up coordinators are available to answer questions from sub-coordinators, Resource Libraries, and Primary Access Libraries and referring to NLM only questions which cannot be answered by the Regional DOCLINE Coordinator, the back-up to the Regional DOCLINE Coordinator, or the RML;
   4. Providing one regional point of contact that is responsible for receiving training from NLM, providing feedback to NLM, attending monthly DOCLINE/NLM teleconferences; other coordinators within the region will be trained by the regional point of contact;
   5. Assuring that regional coordinators and their back-ups keep apprised of current developments in the DOCLINE system. Coordinators and back-ups should monitor DOCLINE-L, contacting users and answering questions when appropriate, participate in monthly teleconferences, and attend all DOCLINE meetings at MLA as well as other regional meetings;
   6. Encouraging libraries to add their holdings to the Serial Holdings module upon becoming a DOCLINE member and ensuring that any library that adds holdings becomes a full DOCLINE member within a month or two of doing so;
   7. Assuring that appropriate, timely training is provided to Resource Libraries and Primary Access Libraries so that they can accurately contribute, review, and maintain their holdings within DOCLINE;
   8. Assuming primary responsibility for currency and accuracy of information in the Institutions and Serial Holdings modules for all DOCLINE libraries in the region;
   9. Coordinating the contribution, review, and maintenance of regional DOCLINE Serial Holdings data, encouraging the use of online updating for all libraries and the use of SERHOLD to OCLC batch update for those libraries that have holdings in both DOCLINE and OCLC; ensuring that libraries that use batch update to add/update DOCLINE holdings rectify reported errors within DOCLINE within 30 days of the batch update. Upgrading all Level 2 holdings created by NLM's Title Change program to Level 3 within 60 days;
   10. Assisting libraries in finding other libraries or sub-coordinators who are willing to maintain holdings for a library that is unable to update its own holdings;
   11. Assigning and modifying update rights for SERHOLD sub-coordinators in their region;
   12. Merging holdings for libraries that absorb collections of libraries that no longer exist and deleting holdings for libraries that close and do not merge their collection with that of another DOCLINE library;
   13. Testing DOCLINE and Loansome Doc changes and providing feedback to NLM on any changes; updating tutorials and any help documentation as necessary;
   14. Promoting the use of electronic delivery for sending and receiving documents via DOCLINE;
   15. Providing document delivery service to at least some portion of health professionals or the public via Loansome Doc or other NLM supported product;
   16. Supporting international users of DOCLINE and Loansome Doc by providing services directly or by identifying other libraries willing to provide service; information about how to obtain service must be clear and easy to find on the web;
   17. Providing guidance on what information to put in the Institutions module that would enhance the document delivery performance of network libraries. For example, inputting correct citation information, using appropriate routing instructions, and maintaining suitable routing tables;
   18. Providing guidance and support for the implementation of new initiatives;
   19. Promoting NLM's new initiatives such as free access to electronic journals (FEAT) in regional newsletters and email discussion lists;
   20. All RMLs must participate in the Electronic Fund Transfer System (EFTS) through the University of Connecticut Health Center.

3. Resource Libraries (RLs)

   Libraries with sufficient collections are selected by the RML to serve as Resource libraries. They are responsible for:

   1. Providing interlibrary loan and document delivery service in accordance with network policies and procedures, to a specific sub- regional area or to a larger geographic area as a specialized resource; filling requests for other NN/LM libraries at a total charge not to exceed the current network maximum;
   2. Contributing, reviewing, and maintaining its institution's holdings data in DOCLINE at least annually. Upgrading all Level 2 holdings created by NLM's Title Change program to Level 3 within 60 days. If batch update is used to add/update DOCLINE holdings, rectify reported errors within DOCLINE within 30 days of the batch update;
   3. Participating in DOCLINE and providing document delivery service to unaffiliated health professionals and public users via Loansome Doc or other NLM supported product;
   4. Keeping Institution record accurate and complete.

4. Primary Access Libraries (PALs)

   This category, which includes hospital libraries and all other network libraries, generally represents the health professional's first point of access into the network. These libraries are encouraged to develop adequate resources to respond to their users' basic information needs and to cooperate with other local libraries to share resources among themselves before sending requests to Resource Libraries. PALs' responsibilities, to the extent possible, are:

   1. Contributing, reviewing, and maintaining its institution's holdings data in DOCLINE at least annually. Upgrading all Level 2 holdings created by NLM's Title Change program to Level 3 within 60 days. If batch update is used to add/update DOCLINE holdings, rectify reported errors within DOCLINE within 30 days of the batch update;
   2. Participating in DOCLINE and providing document delivery service to its affiliated users and others as possible via Loansome Doc or other NLM supported product;
   3. Keeping Institution record accurate and complete.

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