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Future Directions for Interlibrary Loan Librarianship: Lessons Learned and Proposals for Service to an Interdisciplinary Academy

There have been two shifts in my career involving jobs in interlibrary loan. Both brought revelations about the ways I could maximize contributions to the field and grow professionally. Together, these job shifts have allowed me to develop an informed proposal about productive ways that interlibrary loan librarians could contribute to the development of scholarship in their institutions and more broadly. Using the University of Minnesota Libraries study (2006) and some of my own previous research and work experience, I propose that interlibrary loan librarians draw on their strengths to effect a new means of mediating between scholars and resources in an interdisciplinary academy. As head of access services, my charge was to integrate interlibrary loan with traditional areas of access services on which I had previously focused (circulation, stacks management, reserves, and security). As an aspiring “techie” I looked forward to working with service provider Innovative Interfaces to supplement my knowledge of Ex Libris’s Aleph. As a member of the faculty, I had the opportunity to present my research through a conference poster, a paper presentation, and a Webcast. I developed leadership skills by chairing committees. Without exaggeration, however, the most exciting expansion of my skills involved commitment to interlibrary loan. It was necessary for me to go out on a limb and do something I had no experience with in order to do something truly relevant to the advancement of the profession. I had observed that the challenges and opportunities for learning abounded in interlibrary loan. Literature searches indicated that interlibrary loan managers focused on improving turnaround time and fill rates. There were concrete goals, standards and measurement capabilities. The breadth and depth of computer skills required was intimidating. However, the