Interlending and resource sharing in UK public libraries: A mixed methods study

Simon Wakeling, Sophie Rutter, Briony Birdi, Stephen Pinfield

Research output: Contribution to journalArticlepeer-review

4 Citations (Scopus)

Abstract

This paper presents the results of a mixed methods study of interlending and resource sharing in UK public libraries, based on the results of a survey distributed to both senior library managers and interlending staff, and in-depth follow-up interviews with 20 respondents. We present an analysis of perspectives towards rates of interlending, the rationales and strategies for providing the service, the perceived value for money offered by various interlending schemes, the impact of the current digital environment, and views on the future of interlending in the UK. Our findings suggest that while interlending services are undoubtedly threatened by the drastic cuts to public library funding, and that demand for the service is more generally in decline, resource sharing is viewed by some as a potential means of mitigating the effects of increasingly limited acquisitions budgets, and ensuring the public library system continues to provide access to a wide range of resources for its users.
Original languageEnglish
Pages (from-to)168-185
Number of pages18
JournalJournal of Librarianship and Information Science
Volume50
Issue number2
Early online date30 Mar 2016
DOIs
Publication statusPublished - 01 Jun 2018

Fingerprint

Dive into the research topics of 'Interlending and resource sharing in UK public libraries: A mixed methods study'. Together they form a unique fingerprint.

Cite this