The US' National Information Standards Organization (NISO) has announced the availability of Physical Delivery of Library Resources (NISO RP-12-201x) for a public comment period ending on August 21, 2011. The physical delivery of library materials is an integral component of the library resource sharing process.
Despite the ever-increasing availability of e-journals, e-books and other digital resources, the movement of physical items is seen to remain a major concern and a major cost for many libraries. In one state, borrowing of returnable items increased by 107.4 percent in six years. A recent study showed that the average academic library spends more than $6,800 per year for delivery services, with some libraries paying as high as $60,000.
Physical Delivery of Library Resources provides recommendations for improving performance and reducing the cost of moving materials between by a library that owns an item and another library whose patron wants to use the item. Ranging from labeling and containers to automation and contracting with courier services, the recommended practice addresses both the lending and the borrowing library's activities related to delivering and returning a physical item.
The draft recommended practice and an online comment form are available at: www.niso.org/workrooms/physdel. All libraries involved in resource sharing, as well as delivery, sorting, courier and transportation service providers, are encouraged to review and comment on the document.
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