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Article
Publication date: 21 March 2024

Carla Chalhoub and Ibrahim Farah

This paper aims to study the after-effects of the crises hit by the Lebanese population and the solutions implemented to alleviate the ensuing problems on resource sharing in…

Abstract

Purpose

This paper aims to study the after-effects of the crises hit by the Lebanese population and the solutions implemented to alleviate the ensuing problems on resource sharing in Lebanese libraries.

Design/methodology/approach

Questionnaire to academic libraries. Nine libraries in Lebanon offer resource sharing services; all nine are academic. A self-administered questionnaire was sent to these nine libraries; eight responded. A semi-quantitative approach was used to analyze the responses. The questionnaire was administered through Microsoft Forms. The form was designed to include dichotomous questions for the sake of quantitative analysis and a short answer format that allowed responders to provide additional details. American University of Beirut Data. The access services department at the American University of Beirut Jafet Library compiles on a daily basis interlibrary loan statistics. The compiled data were divided into two groups: duration of two fiscal years prior to June 2020; and from June 2020 to June 2022. June 2020 was used as a cutoff date after which the interlibrary loan initiatives in response to COVID-19 were implemented. The services that were analyzed were RSCVD, OCLC WorldShare ILL profiled groups, Emergency Temporary Access Service for HathiTrust members and Open Access Services from vendors.

Findings

Libraries in Lebanon were able to continue providing resource-sharing services with a minimal budget due to four major initiatives and through the help of the international resource-sharing community.

Originality/value

Limited publication about inter library loan in Lebanese Libraries. The pandemic hit economies worldwide; however, Lebanon got hit by three synergetic crises, and the initiatives were instrumental in drastically reducing resource sharing expenditure without affecting the interlibrary loan fill rate.

Details

Information Discovery and Delivery, vol. ahead-of-print no. ahead-of-print
Type: Research Article
ISSN: 2398-6247

Keywords

Article
Publication date: 15 May 2017

Carla Chalhoub

This study aims to determine the effectiveness of the resource sharing initiative through signing reciprocal agreements, joining consortia and subscribing to OCLC at the American…

Abstract

Purpose

This study aims to determine the effectiveness of the resource sharing initiative through signing reciprocal agreements, joining consortia and subscribing to OCLC at the American University of Beirut (AUB) Libraries.

Design/methodology/approach

Statistical analysis of interlibrary loan transactions over the past five years was conducted.

Findings

Joining local, regional and international consortia, signing reciprocal agreements with two institutions and subscribing to OCLC Worldshare ILL have maximized access to resources by reducing the cost allocated to ILL and expanded the DDS services to allow unlimited requests to all members of the AUB community.

Originality/value

Academic libraries are still facing budget cuts while they are expected to deliver better services to their communities. The implication of the statistics gathered discloses a constant need for finding ways to support resource sharing and to align with the University’s mission of fostering life-long learners by supporting research and maximizing access to resources.

Details

Information Discovery and Delivery, vol. 45 no. 2
Type: Research Article
ISSN: 2398-6247

Keywords

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