Goal

The goal of the National Network of Libraries of Medicine (NN/LM) Resource Sharing Plan is to provide health information in a timely and cost-effective manner to health professionals and the public in a shared resources environment that spans both traditional interlibrary loan and other library mediated information services.

Objectives

1. Coordinate the contribution, review, and maintenance of serial holdings data to DOCLINE in a manner that is timely, efficient, and accurate;
2. Develop efficient and cost effective processes for requesting, referring, and delivering items from Network library collections and resources through the DOCLINE system;
3. Provide standardized policies and procedures to assure appropriate regional consistency within the national Network;
4. Investigate and test new methods of resource sharing which use existing or new technologies for access and/or delivery;
5. Encourage and promote the use of Electronic Fund Transfer System (EFTS) throughout the NN/LM;
6. Facilitate and promote electronic document delivery with a goal of increasing electronic delivery in the Network;
7. Provide guidance on managing and negotiating e-journal subscriptions related to ILL and document delivery privileges; and
8. 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

Contribute to DOCLINE Serial Holdings

All reciprocal borrowing participants must accurately report and systematically maintain accurate holdings on at least an annual basis within DOCLINE.

Interlibrary Loan and Resource Sharing Services

Network libraries are expected to process requests from other institutions to the extent they are able. Health professionals have access to the interlibrary loan services/document delivery 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 understand and comply with copyright law;
   2. 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;
   3. 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;
   4. Most DOCLINE participants are expected to be lenders as well as borrowers;
   5. Network libraries without sufficient holdings or staff may opt to be DOCLINE Borrow only. Any library opting out of lending must make contact with the RML in their Region to confirm their intention, and to ensure that routing tables comply with borrow-only guidelines. Any library opting to be Borrow only is not eligible to request free delivery using DOCLINE, even from established borrowing partners. Borrow only libraries would pay the non-reciprocal charge established by the lenders; and
   6. DOCLINE participants are expected to monitor the system once a day to receive and update requests within service level guidelines outlined in the Time Triggered Actions FAQ.



2. Performance Data

   1. Analyzing performance data provides NLM and the RMLs with information needed to assess which individual libraries are meeting expected goals, and which ones may be struggling to keep up with basic services to their users and to other Network libraries. Document delivery performance data enables the NLM and the RMLs to determine regional and Network trends and helps identify future needs. The data should also assist RMLs, Resource Libraries 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; and
   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 Resource Library shall be a 75% fill rate, excluding requests unfilled due to cost. DOCLINE report 2-14 provides information on fill rate for each RML, Resource Library, Primary Access Library, and "Other" libraries. These reports are produced by NLM and provided to the RMLs and libraries 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 support of DOCLINE, which consists of the Serial Holdings, Requests, and Institutions modules;
   4. Continued support of an end-user document requesting service, e.g. Loansome Doc, Outside Tool, etc.;
   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;
   7. Train RML staff in use of NLM products and services; and
   8. Work with representative libraries of the NN/LM to develop and manage a program of retention and preservation of print serials and monographs in multiple US locations.



2. Regional Medical Libraries (RMLs)

   The RMLs' DOCLINE responsibilities are to:

   1. Evaluate appropriate level of participation in DOCLINE among Network members (e.g. borrow only);
   2. Assist Network members in the Region in obtaining and/or maintaining an adequate technical environment for DOCLINE use;
   3. Educate libraries through FAQs, training, blogs, newsletters, social media, 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;
   4. Provide DOCLINE support to all member libraries in the Region via telephone, email or other wide-spread communication system, ensuring that DOCLINE coordinators or trained back-up coordinators are available to answer questions from sub-coordinators, Resource Libraries, and Primary Access Libraries and refer to NLM only questions which cannot be answered by the Regional DOCLINE Coordinator, the back-up to the Regional DOCLINE Coordinator, or the RML;
   5. Provide 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;
   6. Assure 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;
   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. Assume primary responsibility and training as needed to ensure completeness and accuracy of information in the Institutions and Serial Holdings modules for all DOCLINE libraries in the Region;
   9. Encourage libraries to review and maintain their institution record at least annually, providing guidance on options (e.g., Routing Tables and Routing Instructions) to optimize DOCLINE functionality;
   10. Encourage libraries to add their holdings to DOCLINE upon becoming a DOCLINE member and ensure that any library that adds holdings becomes a full DOCLINE member within a month or two of doing so;
   11. Monitor system reports and take action with any active DOCLINE library that does not update their holdings or institution record yearly;
   12. Coordinate the contribution, review, and maintenance of regional DOCLINE Serial Holdings data, encouraging regular and systematic online updating for all libraries. Assure that all Level 2 holdings created by NLM's Title Change program are upgraded to Level 3 within 60 days;
   13. Assist 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;
   14. Assign and modify user account rights for serial holdings subcoordinators and network members in their Region;
   15. Merge holdings for libraries that absorb collections of libraries that no longer exist. Delete holdings for libraries that close and do not merge their collection with that of another DOCLINE library;
   16. Promote NLM's Journal Donation Program to libraries closing or removing materials from their collection;
   17. Review performance data (fill rate, removals report, etc.) as it is made available to identify libraries not meeting standards or experiencing difficulties, and work with library to raise their performance via training or support. As needed, evaluate and modify category (Resource Library, PAL) to match their performance ability;
   18. Test DOCLINE and Loansome Doc changes and provide feedback to NLM on any changes; update tutorials and any help documentation as necessary;
   19. Promote the use of electronic delivery for sending and receiving documents;
   20. Provide document delivery service to at least some portion of health professionals or the public; Support 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;
   21. Participate in the Electronic Fund Transfer System (EFTS);
   22. Provide guidance and support to the Network members for the implementation of any new initiatives;
   23. Promote NLM's new initiatives;
   24. Promote and educate Network members on document delivery issues, including copyright, open access, licensing, etc.;
   25. Provide guidance to Network libraries on issues relating to electronic journal subscriptions, licensing, and holdings records; and
   26. Work with NLM to develop and manage a program of retention and preservation of print serials and monographs in multiple US locations.



3. Resource Libraries (RLs)

   Libraries with sufficient collections are selected by the RML to serve as Resource Libraries. Resource Library responsibilities are to:

   1. Provide interlibrary loan and document delivery service in accordance with Network policies and procedures; filling requests for other NN/LM libraries on a cost recovery basis;
   2. Contribute to, review, and maintain its institution's holdings data in DOCLINE at least annually. Upgrade all Level 2 holdings created by NLM's Title Change program to Level 3 holdings within 60 days. If batch update is used, rectify reported errors within DOCLINE within 30 days of the batch update;
   3. Participate in DOCLINE and provide document delivery service to unaffiliated health professionals and public users via end-user document requesting service, e.g. Loansome Doc or other NLM supported product;
   4. Review and maintain institution record for accuracy and completeness at least annually;
   5. Participate selectively in a regional program for the retention and preservation of print serials and monographs in multiple US locations; and
   6. Participate in Electronic Fund Transfer System (EFTS).



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 to:

   1. Review and maintain institution's holdings data in DOCLINE at least annually. Upgrade all Level 2 holdings created by NLM's Title Change program to Level 3 within 60 days. If batch update is used, rectify reported errors within DOCLINE within 30 days of the batch update;
   2. Participate in DOCLINE and provide document delivery service to its affiliated users and others as possible via Loansome Doc or other NLM supported product;
   3. Review and maintain institution record for accuracy and completeness at least annually; and
   4. Participate selectively in a regional program for the retention and preservation of print serials and monographs in multiple US locations.

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