Access Services Conference - Patron-to-Patron Lending

Gerrit van Dyk
Document Delivery Services Manager
Brigham Young University

Patron-toPatron lending services: an idea.

What does a patron do when a library cannot fill a request for an item? Item could be either too new, too popular, or too specialized (for example).
Options:

• add name to queue;
  
• visit another library;
  
• patron can purchase;
  
• back to ILL; borrow from a friend;
  
• go to the source;
  
• library can purchase another copy.

Patron often reaches a dead-end, and this is one of the places in libraries where the dead-end is often acceptable.

With patron-to-patron borrowing, the library can connect the patron with an available copy of the book. Precedent already exists with sites like:

• bookcrossing.com
• bookmooch
• paperbackswap; and
• goodreads
  

Sites like LibraryThing demonstrate that there many copies of popular items already available widely and this can be used as a source to locate items.

Liabilities

• legal: Are there copyright violations or other legal obstacles?
  
• time: How much time and effort is involved in getting this service up and running
• privacy/security: this is an opt-in service
• damage/loss: is item is lot or damaged, the same rules as "traditional" ILL will apply.
  
• borrowing/lending: will there be more borrowers than lenders? What will be the incentive to be a lender?
• opting out: when patrons move or otherwise choose, they can opt out.

Benefits

• Save $7 on borrowing costs and $10 on lending costs (average ILL costs now $27, so there is an actual saving)
• holds at the library decreases
  
• saves on acquisitions costs by not having to purchase as many as would have normally purchased
• good PR for the library

Starting this project:

• be on solid legal footing
• create a database of titles, email and usage data
  
• develop a budget for incentives

Maintenance:

• updates to database (new titles, users, potential lenders; lender statistics; titles no longer needed)

Could this be done in a more public forum? A private craigslist of users who choose to participate.
Should there be a ratings systems on lenders?
This could be great for reserve loans
How can we integrate with other social networking sites that are already prime for a service like this?

Access Services Conference - Patron-to-Patron Lending