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Australian Interlibrary Resource Sharing CodeSimplifying the priceThe Australian Library and Information Association is seeking your feedback on changes to the prices recommended in the Australian Interlibrary Resource Sharing Code. The changes are relatively minor and are based on today's direct costs. They will make the recommended prices in the ILRS Code simpler to interpret. The changes are endorsed by the National Resource Sharing Working Group. The recommended prices in the ILRS Code were last changed in 1999. Please note that the prices in the ILRS Code are recommended only. Libraries may choose what price they set for their service. Proposed changes
All other recommended prices to remain the same. Service level prices - no changeThe recommended price for the Core Service is currently $13.20. It is proposed to keep this price at the current level, and to keep the recommended prices of the other service levels at the current level as well. The Interlibrary loan and document delivery benchmarking study found that the average cost to supply one item was $17.03 (Interlibrary loan and document delivery benchmarking study, p24). This was based on costing data from the full financial year prior to October 2000 which may have been calendar year 1999 for many universities in the study. An analysis of the data suggests that the cost for more efficient suppliers is comparable to the current price. However, this data is now four years out of date and many libraries should have implemented the changes recommended in the study to make their operations more efficient and effective. At the same time some costs, particularly staff costs, have increased. ALIA is recommending that a new study be undertaken, at least to investigate current supplying costs. The results of this new study may lead to changes in the recommended price for the Core service in the future. At the same time this study would investigate the differentials between the service levels, which are currently set as follows:
ALIA does not propose to change the differentials for the other service levels prior to a new study. Additional charges - interstate faxes and number of pagesThe ILRS Code recommends prices for delivery, special copying and copies which are longer than 30 pages. Changes are proposed to STD fax delivery and the page limit only. Delivery pricesThe ILRS Code currently recommends charging an additional $3.30 for delivering a copy to an STD fax number for every 10 pages and no additional price for delivery to a local fax number. Telecommunication charges are now quite low and there is little difference between the cost of faxing a copy locally and STD, even from one side of the country to the other. It is proposed to remove the current $3.30 price for delivering every 10 pages to an STD fax number. There has been little change in the cost of sending material by Express Post or equivalent services. It is not proposed to change the recommended delivery price of $6.60 for copies or $9.90 for loans delivered by Express Post or equivalent. Page limitThe current 30 page limit before additional recommended prices apply can be interpreted as 30 pages in the original item or 30 pages (or images) in the copy sent. This has led to some confusion for many years in the interlibrary loan community, for example when 36 A5 pages in the original are copied onto 18 A4 pieces of paper. Software which automates interlibrary loan operations counts the number of pages in the original when determining triggers for higher prices. Automation was a key recommendation of the benchmarking study to make operations more efficient. Counting the pages in the original item is preferred so that libraries remain efficient with automation. In order to cater for those libraries which had been using the page (or image) count of the copy, the proposal is to increase the 30 page limit to 50 pages and to clarify that the number of pages is that in the original item. Special copyingThe ILRS Code currently says that 'prices for special copying, e.g. fragile material or colour copies, may need to be negotiated'. No change is proposed to the option of negotiating prices for special copying. Proposed new recommended pricesService Type: Express
The item or a negative response is sent within 2 hours of receiving the request. Service type: Rush
For a request received in the morning, item or a negative response is sent same day. For a request received in the afternoon, item or a negative repsonse is sent the morning of the next working day. Service type: Priority
48 hours is measured in elapsed time. Request received 11:00am Monday, item or negative reponse sent by 11:00am Wednesday. Request received 3:00pm Friday, item or a negative response sent by 3:00pm Tuesday. Service type: Core
Working days are measured in whole days. Request received on Monday, item or a negative response sent by close of business Friday or, if the item is sent by mail, sent in time for last collection on Friday. Service type: Default
The default applies when the supplier cannot meet the core service turnaround time. A requesting library cannot ask for a default service. A supplying library must seek approval from the requesting library to deliver a default service. A supplying library may advertise that it only provides a default service if it generally is unable to meet the core service turnaround. Recommended delivery prices
Recommended prices for copies are for up to 50 pages in the original in black and white reproduction. An additional charge of $3.30 applies for each additional 50 pages copied. Prices for special copying, for example, fragile material or colour copies, may need to be negotiated. |
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