Almost Ready for Prime Time

ILLiad Z39.50 Searching & ISO ILL

Margaret W. Ellingson / libmgw@emory.edu Western ILLiad Users Meeting / Portland, OR May 20, 2004

EMU / RLG:GAEG

Processed 13,552 Borrowing Requests & 31,210 Lending Requests in 2002/03

Implemented ILLiad Lending in October 2000 and Borrowing in January 2001

Began using ISO ILL in August 2003 (end of RLIN ILL)

Member of GETS, ARCHE, GOLD, ASERL & RLG resource sharing consortia

Z39.50

An ANSI/NISO standard that enables the searching of different systems through the use of a single user interface – http://www.loc.gov/z3950/agency/

specifies how the two systems communicate with each other but not how the search results are presented to the user

ISO ILL Protocol / IPIG Profile

Standards that enable the transmission of ILL messages between different systems from a single user interface (peer-to-peer or distributed ILL)– ISO ILL Protocol = ISO 10160 & 10161

http://www.nlc-bnc.ca/iso/ill/

– ILL Protocol Implementers Group (IPIG) Profile

http://www.arl.org/access/naildd/ipig/ipig.shtml

ISO ILL Protocol / IPIG Profile

They specify:– the type, format & sequence of ILL messages

(APDUs)– the roles of participating libraries (e.g.,

requester & responder) – the service types (loan, copy, etc.)– communication options (TCP/IP direct

connect or email)

ISO ILL Protocol / IPIG Profile

They do not specify:– how request information is presented in the

local system– how bibliographic or location information is

searched or transferred into requests – how users, billing, or copyright are managed– how statistics &/or reports are generated

Why ISO ILL (Peer to Peer)?

Maximize electronic processing of ILL requests in a single system

Interact with any other ISO ILL system worldwide

Choose the BEST lender available overall Simplify staff training Eliminate or minimize transaction-based ILL

costs on “legacy” systems

Peer-to-Peer Environment

A whole different ball game:– System interoperability not guaranteed– Underlying protocol unfamiliar to most users– Direct communication between requesting and

responding system– User interface, terminology, and functionality differ

between systems– Not one, but two copies of request & tracking info– Communication problems can result in out-of-synch

transactions

ISO ILL Compliant Systems

OCLC ILLiad (OCLC/Atlas Systems)– http://www.oclc.org/illiad/ & http://www.atlas-sys.com/

ILL Manager (RLG)– http://www.rlg.org/illman/index.html

VDX (Fretwell-Downing)– http://www.fdgroup.co.uk/fdi/products/vdx4.html

OCLC– http://www.oclc.org/isoill/default.htm (current system)– http://www.oclc.org/info/ill/default.htm (new system)

Interoperability Testing

Vendor to vendor User to vendor User to user

Details, details, details…

Interoperability Testing

“All ISO” or “retrofitted” system? Documentation?

– local system documentation for ISO ILL (if available)

– protocol documents, especially ASN.1 Index (http://www.nlc-bnc.ca/iso/ill/asn1.htm)

Access to vendor support?

System Prep for ISO ILL

Install/Configure ISO ILL service Install/Configure Z39.50 searching Create new library address records

– ISO ILL library symbols (format is name authority:symbol, e.g. RLG:GAEG or OCLC:EMU)

– ISO ILL email addresses &/or IP numbers– Priority for lender string construction

Testing Tips

Use test system, if possible Test as many request scenarios as

reasonably possible Test as both requester and responder Email and/or add notes about actions taken Track all successes, failures, questions and

answers

Request Scenarios (Loan &/or Copy)

Both– Message– Status-Query/SOER– Expired

Requester– ILL-Request (expiry

date)

– Conditional-Reply (Y/N)

– Cancel– Received– Renew– Returned– Lost

Request Scenarios (Loan &/or Copy)

Responder– ILL-Answer-

Conditional (date-for-reply) Retry Shipped Unfilled Locations (refer/forward)

– Cancel-Reply (Y/N)– Renew-Answer (Y/N)– Overdue– Recall– Checked-In

Troubleshooting

Is the problem with the requesting or responding system?

Is the problem a protocol/profile issue or is it related to– operator ignorance or error? – the local application?– system configuration?– network configuration or instability?

Interoperability Issues Resolved

Automatic forwarding of unfilled requests Referral of requests among “branch”

libraries using same system Sending due date on copy requests Sending correct payment type Copyright compliance display Lots of “how do we?” questions

Interoperability Issues Outstanding

Improved reliability/flexibility of Z39.50 searching & lender string construction

Email messaging (not TCP/IP Direct Connect)– Firewall problems, Network instability, Workstations

turned off Sending/importing of electronic delivery

addresses & service information Forwarding of “Borrowing” notes to all potential

lenders Use ISO Service Type to designate loans &

articles

Borrowing

Z39.50 Searching & ISO ILL Sending

Lending

ISO ILL Request Processing

Interoperability Update

In Production:– OCLC ISO ILL Gateway with ILL Manager,

ILLiad & VDX– OCLC ILLiad with ILL Manager

Actively Testing:– OCLC ILLiad (Atlas) with Docline (NLM)– ILL Manager (RLG) with VDX users

Ontario Council of University Libraries

Additional Resources

Other ILL Management Systems:– Clio

http://cliosoftware.com/public/

– Millennium (Innovative Interfaces) http://www.iii.com/mill/circ.shtml

– OpenILL (University of Winnipeg) http://www.openill.org/

– Resource Sharing System/RSS (Dynix) http://www.dynix.com/products/ursa/rss.asp

Coming soon: ISO ILL v. 3

Undo Standard request referral method (redirect) Flexible delivery address formatting (to

match delivery method) List delivery methods in preferred order (mix

physical & electronic) Not Found as Cited as a Conditional reply

Questions? / Discussion