the OCLC Research blog
In the face of ever-rising costs, customs hurdles, and logistical headaches, the SHARES community came together to tackle the enduring challenges of international interlibrary loan—proving once again that uncertainty is best met with collaboration, creativity, and a little ILL magic.
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We reflect on the art of gathering, the power to create community and connection, and to foster collaboration and learning. Join us in shaping the future of research libraries and supporting inclusive, impactful practices.
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The International ILL Toolkit is a freely available crowd-sourced tool, initiated by members of the OCLC SHARES resource sharing consortium and designed to make global resource sharing easier. The Toolkit’s …
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I’ve written previously in this space about the interlibrary loan community’s amazing efforts to keep collection sharing services running in spite of the unprecedented disruptions wrought by the global pandemic. …
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Since March 2020, when COVID-19 forced most libraries to shut down, send staff home to work remotely, and focus on providing all services digitally, I’ve been bringing together members of …
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As every aspect of our lives is disrupted by the unfolding COVID-19 crisis, I’ve been moved, inspired, and enlightened by accounts of various groups and communities joining together, under trying …
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At the two most recent American Library Association conferences, I’ve met with a small ad hoc group of librarians to discuss how we might measure and demonstrate the value that …
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In the spring of 2016, Brandeis University’s interim university librarian Matthew Sheehy and I engaged in some informal back-and-forth about the kinds of questions that can be answered about collection-sharing …
Read MoreIn September I hired a firm of environmental impact consultants, California Environmental Associates, to conduct a three-month study of interlibrary loan processes, with an eye toward lowering the carbon footprint …
Read MoreAbout a million years ago (okay, in 2002) RLG held a forum called “Sharing the Wealth.” We used the event to poke and prod — why don’t special collections lend …
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