Search

Data on interlibrary loan transactions occurring during July and August 1979 were analyzed to determine comparative turnaround and delivery times for 5 Quebec and 11 Ontario universities. The numbers of working days of positive responses for loans and photocopies and the numbers of positive and negative responses for combined loans and photocopies were calculated by subtracting the date that a request was made from the date when the request item or negative response was received. It was found that there is a considerable difference in turnaround times between Quebec and Ontario universities and for photocopies and loans; negative responses constituted 25.7 percent of the replies to requests made to Quebec universities and 27 percent of the requests to Ontario universities. Discussion of the findings includes suggestions for the improvement of interlibrary loan services, and four tables of data are appended. (RBF)

The database contents, search features, and costs of two services offered by UTLAS (University of Toronto Library Automation Systems) are compared to determine which of the two should be used for interlibrary loan (ILL) processing at Concordia University. A review of studies of CATSS (Catalogue Support System) is provided, as well as a description of the search facilities common to CATSS and REFCATSS (Public Service Support System), and a comparison of the costs of interlibrary loan searching on the two systems. It is recommended that, in virtue of the greater suitability of REFCATSS for ILL use and the dubious cost advantage of CATSS given the anticipated level of use, that REFCATSS be used for ILL searching. Also discussed are arrangements for access to terminals on the three campuses to avoid the high cost of registering an additional terminal for ILL use, and the costs of setting up and training for REFCATSS. Estimates of one-time and ongoing costs are provided, and procedures for implementing the use of the system are outlined. Seven references are listed. (RBF)

A description of various activities of the Programmed Learning Committee of the Concordia University Libraries precedes sections on computer assisted instruction (CAI) applications for computer facilities in the library, other computer applications, and space and environment implications of these applications. The first section addresses such topics as CAI applications; CAI courseware; networks, focusing on the Health Education Network and its available systems such as the SDC PLATO and EDUNET; CAI at Concordia; planning for the future; the role of the library; and physical facilities required. Included in the section on other computer applications are discussions of numeric and bibliographic databases. The concluding section presents a summary of CAI applications and describes facilities required in terms of terminals and microcomputers for specific library areas, and recommends furnishings and the proper environment. Listed are three references and a 17-item bibliography. (RBF)

This report by the BRS (Bibliographic Retrieval Services) Committee, which was formed to identify costs and benefits of joining BRS, provides a summary of anticipated use of the BRS system and projected savings, and recommendations to the library on joining BRS. The majority of the report comprises seven appendices: (1) a comparison of search system features for BRS, DIALOG, and CAN/OLE (Canadian On Line Enquiry); (2) a summary of databases available and unique to BRS, identifying hourly rates, dates available, and interest areas; (3) a comparison of costs and availability for databases on BRS and systems currently used at Concordia; (4) a list of seven information sources consulted to produce the three preceding appendices; (5) detailed estimates of the anticipated yearly BRS use, indicating numbers of hours per year for databases unique to BRS and databases currently searched on other systems; (6) detailed estimates of anticipated yearly BRS connect time savings by database for both 60 and 120 contract hours; and (7) detailed estimates of anticipated yearly BRS offline print savings, including charge difference per citation per abstract for DIA/CAN/OLE and BRS. (RBF)