Charles Sturt University
Charles Sturt University
Charles Sturt University
Charles Sturt University
Charles Sturt University
Acknowledging the culture and insight of First Nations Australians, Australia’s leading regional university is committed to advancing higher education and research opportunities for all. The library has locations at all six major campuses and hosts the Charles Sturt Regional Archives and University Art Collection.
Two-month ILL turnaround reduced to 24 hours
Library staff at Charles Sturt University were challenged by a highly manual system for processing interlibrary loans. All requests required mediation by staff, and locating items and interfacing with multiple requesting systems led to a long, drawn-out process. As a result, staff were falling behind as it took as long as four weeks to even begin to process a request, bringing total turnaround time to as long as two months. Meanwhile, ILL costs were continuing to increase.
When the National Library of Australia announced it was decommissioning Libraries Australia Document Delivery (LADD) — a web-based system for interlibrary lending and document delivery between Australian and New Zealand libraries — the Charles Sturt University Library embraced this catalyst as an opportunity for change. Deciding it was not feasible to continue their ILL service without a different solution, they implemented Rapido from Ex Libris, part of Clarivate. According to the Charles Sturt University Library Rapido Project Team, implementation was seamless and quick.
I have used the system quite a lot in requesting articles for some of the Systematic Review Teams I am on.
I find it easy to request and articles are usually delivered within 24 hours.
Charles Sturt University
More efficient by every measure
Compared to the two-month fulfillment times with the former system, reports Roshan Thapa, Coordinator of Library Discovery Services, “With Rapido, over 90% of requests are automatically processed and filled within 24 hours. Borrowing requests increased almost 90% in the first three months of 2024 compared to the first three months of 2023 with minimal impact on staff time. Two-thirds of the requests were processed unmediated, and we estimate that led to a 50% reduction in staff time.” Comparing the first three months of 2024 to 2023, there was also a five-fold increase in lending requests without an overall impact on staff time. “Sourcing and filling each request in Rapido takes few steps compared to the multiple steps, processes and systems involved with our old system,” he explains.
Charles Sturt University
Positive change for users, more efficiency with optimized staff workload
The library delivered an experience for users that worked intuitively and seamlessly. The feedback was overwhelmingly positive. From the standpoint of the library staff, user requests were received in a moretimely manner compared to the old system. The library saw an increased use of ILL services overall without demanding more time from staff thanks to automation that minimized the need for mediation, and the streamlined workflows that required fewer steps to fulfill requests. This seamless integration has empowered the library to extend the free ILL service to their undergraduate students. With the reduced workload, the backlogged requests disappeared, and the time savings allowed staff to redirect to focus on other work and projects in the library.
Charles Sturt University
Service improvements to better serve the University
Thapa shares that the seamless integration and interoperability with Alma modules significantly simplify tasks for library staff. Rapido introduces a range of capabilities, including improved eBook lending, seamless indexing with Primo, and enhanced matching with the library’s local holdings. The faster response and ability to handle more resource requests brought tangible service improvements. For example, Kirrarne Ianson, Team Leader for Document Delivery states, “Rapido has been invaluable for sourcing complicated resources needed by students completing their theses or dissertations and for research, and for doing that cost-effectively, in a timely manner.”
Charles Sturt University
Watch Kirrarne and Roshan, members of the Charles Sturt University Library Rapido Project Team, present their implementation journey
Ex Libris, part of Clarivate, is a leading global provider of cloud-based solutions that enable institutions and their users to create, manage, and share knowledge. In close collaboration with its customers and the broader community, Ex Libris develops solutions that increase library productivity, maximize the impact of research activities, enhance teaching and learning, and drive student mobile engagement. Ex Libris serves over 7,500 customers in 90 countries. For more information, see our website and join us on LinkedIn, YouTube, Facebook, and Twitter.
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