Inter-Library Loan System (ILL) Modernisation and the Creation of an Electronic Document Delivery Service on the basis of the Z 39.50 Protocol

Elena V. Dementieva
Saint Petersburg State Technical University Fundamental Library

Financial difficulties, and the disintegration of library co-operation resulted in user service deterioration and library image depreciation. One of the ways to overcome the problem might be the forming of consortia to build a single academic library information environment and to implement new technologies effectively.

Since 1994 work has been carried out on RUSLANet (Regional University and Science Library Advanced Network in the North-West of Russia). Project implementation was with the St.-Petersburg State Technical University. (SPSTU). During this period, the concept of the creation of a distributed library system was developed, and the architecture of such a system was determined together with the functionality of its different components. Some experiments on interaction with remote libraries were conducted.

As far as the introduction of information technologies into libraries is concerned, the following might be mentioned: St.- Petersburg State Technical University Fundamental Library has, at this moment, its network, Internet connection, it is developing its electronic catalogue, making use of the client – server technology; the catalogue is available on the Web; the Library has an Internet-cafe available for all University users.

In 1998, the OCLC Inter-library loan system technology was tested in the framework of an experiment. The ILL staff received an international certificate which allowed us to use this system in an active way for on-line requests of books and articles (papers) directly from partner libraries.

In 1999 the library received a grant from the Open Society Institute for "The use of modern technology in the ILL service for information support of users in remote libraries of the university". With this grant the library gained invaluable experience working with OCLC (On-line Computer Library Center), the US largest information - library network, and it was able to update its own ILL service and gain experience of corporate operations with University branches.At present, the library's ILL has firmware facilities which enable the use of the most up-to-date information search and delivery engines. The workstation consists of a Pentium II-based PC, a printer, a scanner, a fax machine, and the Ariel software for document scanning and electronic transfer to the customer. Such facilities are standard for foreign librarians, and they allow the improvement of the efficiency and quality of work. Nevertheless, facilities are important but not essential component in the development of new technology.

The inter-library loan system and electronic document delivery service in foreign libraries is organized on the basis of a union electronic catalog, for example, of the well- known WorldCat, created by cooperative cataloguing and including resources of a number of libraries in the world. The search and order services are a single technological cycle. Our Russian electronic union catalog does not have a seamless order function, the user is only given the information on the availability of a document in a certain library. It complicates and makes order execution slower. This is why a decision on the creation of the electronic union catalogue of St.-Petersburg academic libraries was taken and, on this basis, on the seamless electronic document delivery service. The unified information resources of St.-Petersburg academic libraries (even with scarce funding) are comparable with public library resources regarding universality and scope of collections. Further, these libraries are depositories for the so called "grey" literature with restricted access status because of little circulation.

In 1999 four St.-Petersburg libraries took part in a project to set-up the academic library pilot system. Thus we achieved seamless access to partners' information resources. This allows the update of subscription plans, copy of bibliographic records, exchanging of copies of article through the electronic document delivery service. In 2000 the Open Society Institute (Soros Foundation) supported a follow-up project by the consortium. The library of the Russian State Pedagogical University became the fifth project participant.

In the course of creating the electronic catalogue, including the union catalogue, the library makes use of its own automated library system; the library produces bibliographic records and, thus, extends the system information base. The union catalogue provides access to records made by all consortium libraries within the Web (HTTP Protocol) and Z39.50 environment.

One of the technologies which support the operations of an automated library system is the Z 39.50 protocol. This protocol regulates inter-computer information exchange, which is not directly connected with an end user but provides him with some service. The Z 39.50 standard determines such computer interaction protocols which allow the user, by means of a single program run on a client's computer, to conduct information searches in databases supported by servers. It means for the librarian that he is capable of searching, getting and processing electronically the bibliographic information stored in large databases on the powerful PCs, from his work site equipped with a personal computer. In order to do that he must become familiar with one program only. This protocol makes use of a computer interaction model which does not depend on database organisation methods and makes access to its contents regardless of its storage type. The Z39.50 protocol relieves the user from the need to adapt to each information source. Its implementation in libraries allows the shortening of bibliographers' training to work with databases, and to raise work efficiency.

This standard determines computer interaction only, but it does not contain the description of the interaction between the end user and the client application, and, accordingly, the user is able to choose the most useful client application for himself and to use it as a universal means of access to bibliographic databases.

The main advantage is a uniform information search and retrieval in a heterogeneous environment. These notions are interlinked. The information retrieval is allowed only when the information has been found (identified), and without the subsequent data retrieval the search result has no practical value.

Z39.50 provides a possibility to conduct a simultaneous search in several data bases supported by one server. It also allows a search in databases of a few servers simultaneously. As it has been introduced in client applications, the user is capable of searching the required literature in several libraries at once.

This standard determines the possibility of data processing besides search and retrieval. For example, one may sort the records found by one or several elements, and a possibility of looking up server's search indexes can be used. Also, one may request an issue by means of a description, add new ones or make changes in an old one. It allows to use this standard in workstations of all the library departments including the ILL.

Of course, not each user is allowed to make changes in server's data bases; to do that an access check is foreseen in the Z39.50 standard. This allows to differentiate the mandate of a persons who takes part in the creation of the bibliographic record and, thus raises the reliability and efficiency of the automated library system.

One of the main orientations in co-operative library networks is the creation of an integrated and flexible system of electronic document delivery which helps raise the competitive strength of libraries in the information market. Within the framework of the corporate library system of St.-Petersburg higher education institutions the prototype of a distributed system of documents storage, search, request (order) and electronic delivery was created. The features and advantages of the above mentioned Z39.50 standard became the basis for the development of this automated library systems.

In order to execute document request and electronic delivery operations a special software was developed. It allows fast localisation of the site of document storage and transfer of the request (in real time) to the library - the document holder - and speedy delivery of the document to the user. It should be noted that the automated request service has been implemented on the basis of the Z39.50 protocol which allows the use of standard means already developed or being developed at present. The system users are subdivided into two classes:

• registered;
• anonymous

At present, the registered users may be library staff responsible for receipt and allocation of their readers' requests (orders) and their partners' requests. It may be that this user group will be enlarged by the readers of the libraries, members of the corporate system. Having submitted his own identifier and password the registered user will be allowed to access all search, bibliographic and request management functions.

The anonymous users may be any Internet users. This group of users is allowed to use the bibliographic description search and request functions. Having entered the corporate library system services which require identification, it is then enough to leave relevant application form fields blank and go on working.

The user may request an electronic copy of any document found in the higher education institution publications catalogue. The possibility of fulfilling the request is determined by the library-holder in each concrete case. The following document types are available:

• scientific journals issued by higher education institution;
• materials of the conferences held at higher education institution;
• higher education institution scientific and technical registers;
• manuals and methodic explanations;
• thesis abstracts

The search may be conducted in any available databases and in any combination. The databases are chosen in the relevant field of the request form.

If the search is conducted successfully the user is given the resulting records in short form. Their number will not exceed the value put down in the relevant field of the request form. A more complete submission form may be chosen for every record. The registered users, in this case, could request an electronic copy of the document according to its bibliographic description (the search is conducted in the catalogue) or process/cancel the order (the search is conducted in the orders database).

Upon order made by the user he may monitor its state or cancel through searching in the orders data base. Following the same procedure the librarian may identify some new requests and proceed to fulfil them.

The order fulfillment term is from 48 hours to 5 days. The order receipt template is available in physical (paper) or in electronic form. Presently, a statistical module and a program accounting module are being improved, and an inter-partnership agreement, on the basis of which the paid orders' are to be fulfilled, is being developed. For the moment, the orders are fulfilled free of charge.

To transfer an electronic version of the requested document the partner libraries have obtained the Ariel (RLG) system. The initial steps of its use confirmed this program's technological effectiveness and simplicity in use. The basis of the good work of the electronic document delivery service may be a continuous expansion of the union catalog databases, and setting-up of a union database of full text documents. For 2000, the consortium libraries have planned a large amount of work to increase the information resources of the electronic union catalogue and to enlarge the full text database of the publications of the higher education institutions.

At present, the system is being tested and in 2000 it will be used in its programmed mode. This system has been built on the basis of the international protocols and standards, so it is open for cooperation and reciprocal use.