Inter‐library lending and document delivery: an overview Available to Purchase

Inter‐library lending has existed as a tradition as long as libraries have existed in their present form. It has of course always been necessary to supplement local holdings with external resources, as libraries could never expect to be capable of satisfying all demands at all times. However, in recent years this activity has played an increasingly important role in the majority of libraries, for several reasons. Everyone is familiar with the general cuts in library funding; Brown highlights the reduction in percentage terms: