Definition of Service
Academic and Specialist Library Partners

The Unit will aim to provide a high level of customer care and will assist subscribers in using the services effectively to facilitate efficient ILL activity.

We will:

• Provide advice and support via an email based help desk, Monday to Friday.
• Provide an email based Location Search Service.
• Carry out an annual service review of customer satisfaction.
• Provide an effective forum for practitioners and other partner organisations to meet, network, exchange ideas and develop their skills.
• Produce and maintain support material.
• Maintain a current contacts and correspondence database in an accepted office standard format which could be migrated if necessary.
• Circulate information notifying members of any changes in contact details, working practices etc within the ILL network regionally and nationally.

We expect our service users to

• Contribute suggestions and ideas to help us to help our subscribers.
• Complete and submit questionnaires by the required date.
• Attend and contribute to appropriate forums and meetings.
• Notify us of any changes that will affect our members’ database.

The Unit will facilitate the provision of a cost effective scheme for partners to loan items between member libraries, other regions and the British Library

We will

• Negotiate cost per item where practical, ensuring transport costs do not exceed competitors’ rates.
• Monitor customer satisfaction and liaise with the transport provider to rectify any problems.
• Monitor, in liaison with the transport provider, the volume of traffic being carried and its delivery times.

We expect our service users to:

• Agree to the principle of standard monograph loans free of charge between partners to the Agreement; however, the transport cost of supplying items may be claimed (Currently £1.50 per item).

Collect information to monitor the Unit’s activities and to meet its obligations in measuring ILL activity

We will

• Collect, collate and analyse statistical information from service users.

We expect our service users to

• Submit Inter Lending statistics online by the 10th of each month.