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Content Access via Resource Sharing Early in the COVID-19 Pandemic: Findings from Nine Health Science Libraries

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Title: Content Access via Resource Sharing Early in the COVID-19 Pandemic: Findings from Nine Health Science Libraries
Language: English
Authors: Jenny Pierce (ORCID 0000-0002-1045-0027), Caitlin Bakker (ORCID 0000-0003-4154-8382), Phill Jo (ORCID 0000-0002-7879-6403), Jeannine Creazzo (ORCID 0000-0002-0591-6339), Holly Thompson (ORCID 0000-0003-0795-2699), Kristine M. Alpi
Source: Issues in Science and Technology Librarianship. 2025 (111).
Availability: Science and Technology Section, Association of College and Research Libraries. 50 East Huron Street, Chicago, IL 60611. Web site: https://journals.library.ualberta.ca/istl/index.php/istl/index
Peer Reviewed: Y
Page Count: 24
Publication Date: 2025
Document Type: Journal Articles
Reports - Research
Tests/Questionnaires
Descriptors: COVID-19, Pandemics, Library Services, Access to Information, Medical Libraries, Health Sciences, Library Networks, Information Dissemination, Journal Articles, Publications
DOI: 10.29173/istl2829
ISSN: 1092-1206
Abstract: Objective: COVID-19 challenged information exchanged globally, including interlibrary loan (ILL) procedures and processes. This research focused on resource-sharing networks used by Health Sciences Libraries (HSL) before and during the COVID-19 pandemic to identify changes in ILL and Document Delivery (DD) processes both in lending and borrowing. Methods: From nine academic and association HSL who had participated in a prior study of DOCLINE usage, researchers requested institutional-level de-identified data on ILL and DD during the early pandemic period March-August 2020 and the comparison period of March-August 2019. We compared the journal article request data with previously reported findings from DOCLINE aggregated data. Results: Regarding the number of requests from the nine institutions, five saw a decrease, while four saw an increase. The average rate of journal borrowing decreased by 67.1% (standard deviation (SD) 31.7%) per library, and lending decreased on average by 44.7% (SD 68.2%) per library. Document delivery, on average, decreased by only 1.9%, though this varied widely (SD 45.5%). ??For the data on monographs loaned during the pandemic, there was a predominance of single request titles unfilled across 2019 and 2020 (n = 1631; 93.5%). Conclusion: The predominance of single request titles unfilled during the pandemic when libraries limited their sharing of physical materials argues for a deeper exploration of controlled digital lending of materials held in print. The findings across this study and its related investigations (Lloyd et al., 2022; Bakker et al., 2023) on the impact of the pandemic on resource sharing can inform and enhance preparedness planning, future resource sharing workflows and messaging, budgeting, evidence-based collection development, and dialog with content copyright holders about digitization priorities.
Abstractor: As Provided
Notes: https://doi.org/10.34944/8qrj-bd24
Entry Date: 2026
Accession Number: EJ1492318
Database: ERIC
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  Data: Content Access via Resource Sharing Early in the COVID-19 Pandemic: Findings from Nine Health Science Libraries
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  Data: <searchLink fieldCode="AR" term="%22Jenny+Pierce%22">Jenny Pierce</searchLink> (ORCID <externalLink term="https://orcid.org/0000-0002-1045-0027">0000-0002-1045-0027</externalLink>)<br /><searchLink fieldCode="AR" term="%22Caitlin+Bakker%22">Caitlin Bakker</searchLink> (ORCID <externalLink term="https://orcid.org/0000-0003-4154-8382">0000-0003-4154-8382</externalLink>)<br /><searchLink fieldCode="AR" term="%22Phill+Jo%22">Phill Jo</searchLink> (ORCID <externalLink term="https://orcid.org/0000-0002-7879-6403">0000-0002-7879-6403</externalLink>)<br /><searchLink fieldCode="AR" term="%22Jeannine+Creazzo%22">Jeannine Creazzo</searchLink> (ORCID <externalLink term="https://orcid.org/0000-0002-0591-6339">0000-0002-0591-6339</externalLink>)<br /><searchLink fieldCode="AR" term="%22Holly+Thompson%22">Holly Thompson</searchLink> (ORCID <externalLink term="https://orcid.org/0000-0003-0795-2699">0000-0003-0795-2699</externalLink>)<br /><searchLink fieldCode="AR" term="%22Kristine+M%2E+Alpi%22">Kristine M. Alpi</searchLink>
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  Data: <searchLink fieldCode="SO" term="%22Issues+in+Science+and+Technology+Librarianship%22"><i>Issues in Science and Technology Librarianship</i></searchLink>. 2025 (111).
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  Data: Science and Technology Section, Association of College and Research Libraries. 50 East Huron Street, Chicago, IL 60611. Web site: https://journals.library.ualberta.ca/istl/index.php/istl/index
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  Data: Y
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  Data: 24
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  Data: 2025
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  Data: Journal Articles<br />Reports - Research<br />Tests/Questionnaires
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  Data: <searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22COVID-19%22">COVID-19</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Pandemics%22">Pandemics</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Library+Services%22">Library Services</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Access+to+Information%22">Access to Information</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Medical+Libraries%22">Medical Libraries</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Health+Sciences%22">Health Sciences</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Library+Networks%22">Library Networks</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Information+Dissemination%22">Information Dissemination</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Journal+Articles%22">Journal Articles</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Publications%22">Publications</searchLink>
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  Label: DOI
  Group: ID
  Data: 10.29173/istl2829
– Name: ISSN
  Label: ISSN
  Group: ISSN
  Data: 1092-1206
– Name: Abstract
  Label: Abstract
  Group: Ab
  Data: Objective: COVID-19 challenged information exchanged globally, including interlibrary loan (ILL) procedures and processes. This research focused on resource-sharing networks used by Health Sciences Libraries (HSL) before and during the COVID-19 pandemic to identify changes in ILL and Document Delivery (DD) processes both in lending and borrowing. Methods: From nine academic and association HSL who had participated in a prior study of DOCLINE usage, researchers requested institutional-level de-identified data on ILL and DD during the early pandemic period March-August 2020 and the comparison period of March-August 2019. We compared the journal article request data with previously reported findings from DOCLINE aggregated data. Results: Regarding the number of requests from the nine institutions, five saw a decrease, while four saw an increase. The average rate of journal borrowing decreased by 67.1% (standard deviation (SD) 31.7%) per library, and lending decreased on average by 44.7% (SD 68.2%) per library. Document delivery, on average, decreased by only 1.9%, though this varied widely (SD 45.5%). ??For the data on monographs loaned during the pandemic, there was a predominance of single request titles unfilled across 2019 and 2020 (n = 1631; 93.5%). Conclusion: The predominance of single request titles unfilled during the pandemic when libraries limited their sharing of physical materials argues for a deeper exploration of controlled digital lending of materials held in print. The findings across this study and its related investigations (Lloyd et al., 2022; Bakker et al., 2023) on the impact of the pandemic on resource sharing can inform and enhance preparedness planning, future resource sharing workflows and messaging, budgeting, evidence-based collection development, and dialog with content copyright holders about digitization priorities.
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  Label: Abstractor
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  Data: As Provided
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  Data: https://doi.org/10.34944/8qrj-bd24
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  Label: Entry Date
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  Data: 2026
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  Label: Accession Number
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  Data: EJ1492318
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      – Text: English
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      – SubjectFull: COVID-19
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      – SubjectFull: Pandemics
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      – SubjectFull: Library Services
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      – SubjectFull: Access to Information
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