Sharing resources in Finnish university libraries : reorganising the national document supply system

Abstract

Purpose – To describe the development of interlending and document supply (ILDS) in Finland and the recent initiative to move to patron initiated ILDS.

Design/methodology/approach – Historical narrative and analysis.

Findings – That ILDS in Finland is declining primarily because of the "Big Deals" and the introduction of ILDS charges after the privatisation of the postal service. That Finland needs to move to a more developed patron initiated culture for the supply of documents to users.

Practical implications – The need for further ILDS software development has been identified in order to underpin unmediated ILDS; this will be progressed during 2006.

Originality/value – Provides information on the current ILDS situation in Finland and to a lesser extent other Nordic countries. Provides an insight into how a European country is moving towards unmediated ILDS.