| Item |
Definition |
What to count |
Further definition |
| Resource Delivery |
| Document Supply |
Resources, in any bibliographic medium, provided by the library to clients. Subdivide into categories a-h below |
See below. Ensure no double counting. |
Purpose is to illustrate the extent of resource delivery from all sources to clients |
| a) loans |
The lending of print and non-print materials to clients |
Count the number of items. |
|
| b) photocopies (clients) |
Photocopies of library material made by clients |
Count the number of articles (if known) or hypothetical articles |
hypothetical articles = number of pages copied (eg from copier counter) divided by 6; exclude copies known not to be document delivery |
| c) photocopies (L-staff) |
Photocopies of library material made by library staff |
Count the number of articles (if known) or hypothetical articles |
See above |
| d) in-house usage |
Resources used by clients in the library |
Exclude those counted elsewhere (eg items copied by clients) |
May be counted as part of the reshelving process; some libraries count only monographs, since journal articles will be copied and counted in that category; do not double count |
| e) circulation |
Regular distribution of particular materials to specific clients |
Count usage volume, ie items multiplied by clients = usage. Exclude distribution of a contents page service |
If already counted as a loan do not count again |
| f) contents pages |
Distribution of a contents page service or provision of access to electronic contents pages information |
Multiply each title by the number of known destinations. Libraries supplying contents pages to the departmental CPS should count Central Library as 1 destination. With electronic services, a client is a destination |
Can also include eg UnCover type services. Ensure photocopying of contents pages is not being counted elsewhere. Exclude any estimate of consumers. |
| g) Interlibrary Loans (in) |
Items obtained for clients from another agency |
Count resource supply not requests made, ie the delivery of a document.
Includes all incoming ILL |
The procedure involves 4 processes, (ie location + request + supply by other library + delivery to client) of which 3 are under the control of the requesting library; for simplicity, regard the process as complete when the request is made to the
supplying library. |
| h) Interlibrary Loans (out) |
Items lent to other agencies on a library - library basis |
Count resource supply.
Includes all outgoing ILL. |
|
| Interlibrary Loans |
| ILL GRATISNET in |
Number of ILL obtained using GRATISNET |
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| ILL in Non-GRATISNET |
Number of ILL obtained, NOT via GRATISNET |
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| ILL GRATISNET out |
Number of ILL supplied to GRATISNET |
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| ILL out Non-GRATISNET |
Number of ILL supplied NOT via GRATISNET |
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| Information Services |
| Reference (ad hoc)/Help Desk |
Brief (less than 5 minutes) requests for information or assistance that use the professional skills of library staff |
Include telephone or personal enquiries, catalogue checks, consulting reference or other material, quick reference activity, preliminaries to subsequent database searches, database access to verify citations, etc. |
The use of the Internet to meet an enquiry is secondary to the type of enquiry. Include Internet use in either ad hoc or Detailed Reference categories, as appropriate. Exclude directional enquiries, etc |
| Searches (mediated) |
Formulation and performance of database searches for reference purposes and requiring mediation by library staff |
Count the number of mediated searches of online or CD databases; do not include Internet searches in this category |
Do not count additional if different databases are searched for the same question (eg from medical and nursing perspectives); |
| Reference, detailed |
Reference activity requiring over 5 minutes. May involve use of print or electronic tools and sources |
Count the number performed; count here occasions where the Internet is searched by library staff, but not in conjunction with mediated database searches. |
|
| Client Instruction |
Instruction and/or training (lasting more than 5 minutes) of clients by library staff in the detail of using library resources or services; eg. Lit search techniques, Library orientation, Internet training, etc. |
Count the number of client occasions (ie instruction to a group of 4 clients = 4 instances). |
Includes both formal and informal instruction.
Shorter instances should be recorded under ad hoc reference |
