Collateral Damage: Interlibrary Loan Lending Denials

Abstract

The intent of this paper is to explore the potential of utilizing interlibrary loan (ILL) data relating to lending denials to improve ILL services while highlighting institutional policies that have a negative impact on lending fulfillment rates. Reasons for denial as well as the types of requests being denied are reviewed. In addition, the author explores lending denials on the item and transition level to establish a frequency of denial. The author argues that frequency of denial can be a useful tool for identifying institutional policies that have a negative impact on ILL lending fulfillment and provide a targeted response to lending denials within the institution.

KEYWORDS:

• Academic libraries
• assessment
• fill rate
• interlibrary loans
• ILL statistics
• lending denials