Enhancing resource sharing with a state-of-the-art transportation system in a large open distance learning (ODL) institution in South Africa

Abstract

Purpose – The purpose of the paper is to investigate the enhancement of resource sharing with a state-of-the-art transportation system in a large open distance learning (ODL) institution in South Africa. The University of South Africa (UNISA) is an ODL institution, and it has the largest academic library of its kind in Africa. The University is acknowledged as one of the mega-universities of the world with a student body approaching 400 000. In addition to providing an inter-lending service to this large student body and to 3,000 staff, the UNISA Library is a net-lender within South Africa’s inter-lending and resource sharing network. The Library’s inter-lending service forms part of the request services available to all its clients and to the wider community of participating libraries. Daily, an average of 2000 requests is received for processing, retrieval and delivery. This paper provides a brief overview of how the Library’s request service is managed and will discuss the technologies used to speed up the request process. It focuses on an automated radio frequency identification (RFID) transportation system to be implemented as part of the 21st century, newly redesigned UNISA Library. To ensure the speedy availability of material on the shelves after return, this system automatically transports materials via a Paternoster book lift to the respective levels within the Library. Design/methodology/approach – The methodology used in this investigation encompassed a literature study and a study visit to a library where this automated delivery system had been implemented and information was gained from relevant service suppliers. Findings – The UNISA Library found that it is feasible to use the system in terms of the large number of books to be transported from drop-off points to the respective levels. In accordance with the investigation of the number of trolleys to be pushed daily by staff from one point to another, the installation of an automated system will allow more time for shelf maintenance staff to attend to the processing of requests for material and other important but less urgent duties. This will impact positively on the speed of delivery of requests submitted by ODL clients who cannot visit the libraries together with those submitted by local and international inter-library loan partners who depend on the UNISA Library as a net-lender for material not available in their own collections. This will impact positively on availability of material on the shelves and the speed of delivery of requests for information resources submitted by ODL clients who cannot visit the ODL libraries and inter-library loan partners, nationally and internationally, who depend on the UNISA Library as a net-lender for material not available in their own collections. Originality/value – Because rapid delivery of requested information resources has become very important to ensure just in time information, it is important to implement an internal delivery system to support the inter-lending process. This study is useful for libraries that need to deliver many physical items to a large client body.