United States National Library of Medicine National Institutes of Health

FAQ
DOCLINE -- Refer on After NLM

Question: How does "Refer On After NLM" work?
Answer:

The Refer On After NLM check box on the Routing Instructions page offers the option to have a request routinely route to an additional 20 libraries if NLM cannot fill it or if the borrower has not selected the Route to NLM check box. Refer On After NLM systematically checks Resource Libraries, then Primary Access Libraries, then a set of 4 specific special libraries, then "Other" DOCLINE libraries not in the borrower’s routing table to create a list of up to 20 additional libraries to route the request.

The system first randomly selects up to 20 Resource Libraries that report owning either the volume or year of the title, match the routing instructions and provide the preferred delivery method.

If the system does not match 20 Resource Libraries on the preferred delivery method, then the system will try to match on one of the alternate delivery methods.

If the system does not match 20 Resource Libraries for routing, then it checks for any Primary Access Library that reports owning either the volume or year of the title, match the routing instructions and provide the preferred delivery method.

If the system does not match a total of 20 libraries, then the system will try to match on one of the alternate delivery methods for the Primary Access Libraries.

If the system does not match a total of 20 Resource Libraries and/or Primary Access Libraries for routing, then it determines if the following four specific special libraries report owning either the volume or year of the title and match the routing instructions: 1) American Hospital Association Library, 2) American Dental Association Library, 3) National Agricultural Library; and 4) Canada Institute for Scientific and Technical Information.

If the system does not match a total of 20 libraries for routing, then it checks for "Other" libraries that report owning either the volume or year of the title and that match the borrower's routing instructions and primary delivery method.

If the system does not match a total of 20 libraries for routing, then the system will try to match on one of the alternate delivery methods for "Other" libraries up to the maximum of 20 libraries for Refer On After NLM.

Note: The request will not be re-routed to any library in your routing table that has already rejected it.

You can establish your preferred choice for the Refer On After NLM option in your Borrowing Preferences on the DOCLINE Options page of your institution's record.

This default option may be changed on the Routing Instructions page of each individual request.

Related Questions:
How can I establish defaults for my borrow requests?
How do I change the routing instructions in my requests?
How does routing work?

Return to the list of DOCLINE FAQs | Return to the list of NLM FAQs
http://www.nlm.nih.gov/services/doc_refer_after_nlm.html

Last reviewed: 18 September 2008
Last updated: 18 September 2008
First published: 04 October 2002
Metadata| Permanence level: Permanence Not Guaranteed