INTERLIBRARY LENDING IN THE UNITED KINGDOM: Summary report of a national survey conducted in February 1977

To obtain a national picture of interlibrary lending in the UK, a survey of all libraries was carried out in February 1977, with an approximate 75% response. A third of all requests was for monographs, 56% for serials. Half the demand came from academic libraries, 16% from public libraries, and a third from other libraries. The British Library was used successfully for 73% of all requests, the regional systems for 11%–12% and direct application for 12%–13%; 3% were unsatisfied; the regional systems accounted for half of all successful public library requests. The British Library itself supplied 70% of requested items, public libraries 10%, academic libraries 9% and other libraries 8%. Satisfaction rates for different channels ranged from 94% (British Library) to 77% (regional bureaux). Median times from requesting to receipt varied between 6 days (British Library) and 14 days (regional bureaux).