Interlibrary loan and document delivery using telefacsimile transmission: Part I. Preliminary study

The National Library of Canada (NLC) tested telefacsimile transmission of information in a pilot project with the Nova Scotia Provincial Library and the University of Alberta Library from October 1985 to March 1986. Participants used telefacsimile transmission for interlibrary loan messaging as well as document delivery. The general findings were that 99% of the material transmitted was acceptable, with 70% being good in terms of quality and 25% being very good. Turnabout time, i.e. average time between requests being received at NLC to the time the telefacsimile transmitted documents were received at the participating libraries, was 2.34 days compared to 10.9 days when priority post was used. Costs worked out to approximately $26.46 per item compared to 75 cents via priority post. In Part I, the background to the telefacsimile trial is described together with a discussion of the features of telefacsimile and why it was considered as a means of document delivery. A preliminary study to assess telefacsimile equipment and suitable participating libraries for the experiment is also described. In Part II (to be published in the next issue) the actual telefacsimile trial itself will be described along with a discussion of the results and benefits and drawbacks of telefacsimile for interlibrary loans. Based on a presentation at the 14th Annual CAIS Conference, Vancouver, Canada, 24–28 June, 1986.