Document Delivery
Prepared as a discussion paper for CAUL/JISC by
Neil McLean, University Librarian, Macquarie University
Judith Greenaway, CILLA Project Manager
Kerry Blinco, JEDDS Project Manager
Updated 21 July, 1997 (This paper is a draft and is subject
to revision based on comments received)
Vision:
The challenge for idocument delivery is in creating an environment
where end users will be able to access information resources,
identify and locate relevant material, order selected material
according to pre-defined rules and have that material delivered
directly to them, regardless of the original format, in a seamless,
convenient process, with all the management processes, resource
sharing negotiations, costs, labour and intellectual property
rights issues taken care of behind the scene. The challenge is
both a philosophical as well as a technological one, where new
service models will need to embrace all formats of material and
encourage resource sharing as a primary rather than marginal operation,
and where technologically sophisticated solutions will be required
to ensure integration and interconnectivity of systems.
Issues:
- lack of systems to verify eligible users across all levels
in order to provide seamless access to resource information, ordering
services, payment authorities, billing and individual copyright
tracking;
- insufficient access to volatile information on suppliers which
hinders selection of the best resource providers, whatever "the
best" means to each individual or library;
- lack of integrated local request management software which
impedes potential internal efficiency gains, improved work flows,
and the move to unmediated or disintermediated action by individuals;
- inadequate standards development and implementation ;
- incompatible platforms, use of legacy systems and lack of
support in integrating new system developments;
- inadequate band widths, etc to realise the full potential
of electronic document delivery transmission systems currently
under development;
- unresolved issues in intellectual property rights management
which prevents or hinders resource sharing, especially in terms
of electronic document delivery;
- increasingly complex and confusing plethora of resources available
via the Internet, thereby constraining individual independence;
- remote access to systems and services is increasing but is
often inconvenient, inconsistent in performance and tied to system
"up" times;
- undeveloped or inadequate resource sharing models reinforcing
out-dated, traditional modes of supplying information to end users.
Actions:
- support the development of systems to deal with user authentication
at the highest and broadest levels;
- support the development of broad-based directory services;
- support the development of local request management software
with clearly defined architectural models as a basis for flexibility,
interconnectivity, and scaleability and with a demonstrable commitment
to work flow efficiencies;
- encourage and assist libraries to include an approved reference
set of standards as an integral part of all system tendering and
evaluation processes;
- encourage system developers and vendors to implement international
standards and protocols, even to the point of issuing a recognised
"stamp of approval" to compliant systems;
- support training programmes to promote the understanding and
importance of standards implementation;
- maintain support for legacy systems but also support the creation
of new cost-effective systems;
- promote developments in and implementations of electronic
document transmission systems and the further development and
use of relevant standards;
- cooperate on an international level to resolve the issues
of intellectual property rights management;
- encourage developments to facilitate 24 hour interoperability
on an international and national basis;
- encourage developments in Internet navigation tools and training;
- support the development of new models for resource sharing;
- support the development of business/costing models for alternative
interlending and document delivery service strategies, and
- support the development of re-engineering strategies for interlending
and document delivery services.
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