Library and Information Science

Purpose: Recently, requests for inter-library loans (ILL) are often rejected by libraries participating in the NACSIS-ILL network (Japan), and a project to investigate issues concerning bibliographic utilities was conducted in 2004. This paper examines the status of refusals after the project and clarifies the reasons for the refusals.

Methods: First, reasons for refusals were analyzed by using ILL records from 2004 to 2008 archived by Hitotsubashi University Library. Second, the refusal rate of each participating library from 2004 to 2007 was measured and relationships between the degree of refusal and characteristics of the libraries were empirically explored by using statistical data extracted from Statistics on Libraries in Japan. Third, a questionnaire was conducted to examine the degree to which procedures described in Manual about ILL in Academic Libraries (Daigaku Toshokankan Sougo Riyou Manual) are actually followed by participating libraries.

Results: (1) While the main reason for refusals to lend was because the requested items were stored in professors’ offices, various reasons for refusal for copying were found. (2) While 90% of refusals for lending were due to reasons in the requested libraries, 50–60% of refusals for copying were due to the requesting libraries, suggesting that there is a greater moral hazard in copying. (3) As an environmental factor, the numbers of holdings and staff in a library have an effect on its refusal rate. (4) Libraries with a higher refusal rate tend not to follow some of the procedures of Manual about ILL in Academic Libraries in comparison with those with lower refusal rate, indicating that strictly following the procedures is a key factor for decreasing the refusal rate. (5) Because of the diversification of library materials, requesting libraries must check many more matters before sending a request than before, which puts pressure on staff.