RUSA STARS videos provide insight into the people and the work of interlibrary loan

CHICAGO — New videos posted by the Reference and User Services Association’s (RUSA) Sharing and Transforming Access to Resources Section (STARS) provide insight into the role of interlibrary loan (ILL) librarians and can help library school students better understand this important area of librarianship.

The videos were created by the STARS Education and Training Committee as a part of their project to help people - especially students currently in library school - to understand the diverse roles and responsibilities associated with interlibrary loan work. These two-minute videos feature interlibrary loan librarians who serve in a variety of roles discussing their responsibilities and experiences in the ILL field:

• Micquel Little, access services librarian, St. John Fisher College, talks about and appreciates her previous experience in her circulation role at http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Rh7QRjlltdY.
• Collette Mak, head of resources access and delivery, University of Notre Dame, touches on data and how the role of an interlibrary loan librarian is truly a project management role at http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7X2u2WVNq9k.
• Heather Weltin, head of access services at the University of Wisconsin-Madison, talks about gaining hands-on library management and budgeting experience in ILL at http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zJUc5LX4Mpk.

"Interlibrary loan is not often a subject in library schools, leaving hands-on as the only real way to gain knowledge,” said Weltin, STARS section chair. “These videos are a great opportunity to explain what interlibrary loan is and how it works. I am proud that STARS was able to play this role for future ILL-ers."

The committee welcomes feedback on these videos, suggestions for future topics that could be covered in this format and ILL librarians who are interested in participating in this project. Comments can be sent to Committee Chair Megan Gaffney, gaffneym@udel.edu, and Lars Leon, lleon@ku.edu.

The Reference and User Services Association, a division of the American Library Association, represents librarians and library staff in the fields of reference, specialized reference, collection development, readers’ advisory and resource sharing. RUSA is the foremost organization of reference and information professionals who make the connections between people and the information sources, services, and collection materials they need. Learn more about the association at www.ala.org/rusa. Information about section activities, resources and membership for the Sharing and Transforming Access to Resources Section (STARS) of RUSA is at www.ala.org/rusa/sections/stars.