Inter‐library loans and document delivery via EUCAT: a new PICA/OCLC initiative

This paper explores the role of union catalogues in inter‐library loans and document delivery and how that role is changing to embrace virtual holdings and electronic document delivery. Figures from the Dutch National Union Catalogue (Nederlandse Centrale Catalogus, NCC) show that, contrary to expectations, physical loans are not decreasing but now comprise over a quarter of interlibrary loan activity. With direct user access, interlibrary loans have become unmediated and numbers of traditional loans and photocopies have steadily increased with a dramatic rise in electronic copy. International interlibrary loans pose technical and logistical problems for union catalogues. From a system viewpoint, it is necessary to integrate ILL systems, local library systems and to determine the end user’s ILL system and rights. EUCAT is an example of a federation of union catalogues. While the technical problems are more or less resolved, libraries still must determine the conditions for international co‐operation.