Penn State University Libraries automates 70% of ILL borrowing requests

Penn State University Libraries customizes automations so 70% of ILL requests are unmediated, saving staff time.

OCLC services used:

• ILLiad
• OCLC Resource Sharing for Groups
• WorldShare Interlibrary Loan

With more than 70,000 undergraduate students, 12,000 graduate students, and tens of thousands of faculty and staff across 22 campuses, the Penn State University Libraries interlibrary loan (ILL) operation runs at remarkable scale. The ILL team supports users across all campuses as well as remote learners through World Campus.

Each year, Penn State University Libraries places about 18,000 borrowing requests, while receiving about 23,000 lending requests—about 60% of which are copies. To manage ILL at this scale while maintaining fast turnaround times, the team has focused on integrating systems and expanding automation. For Meg Massey, Manager of Interlibrary Loan, and Shane Burris, Resource Sharing Systems Coordinator, automation has become a key strategy for improving workflows and delivering faster service.

From request to delivery—made easier with automation

When Massey joined Penn State in 2017, ILL staff often arrived on Monday mornings to 300–400 accumulated borrowing requests waiting in processing queues. Each request required manual review and multiple steps to move it forward.

Today, that picture looks very different. By automating their workflows, most requests submitted after hours are now automatically routed to lenders through the automated request manager. Instead of facing hundreds of requests at the start of the week, staff typically see just 50–60—primarily the more complex or problematic requests that benefit from hands-on review.

To simplify requesting for library users, and reduce duplicate submissions, the team created a single, consistent request path. Users click an “I Want It” button in the Libraries’ Catalog; the system checks local availability and, if the item isn’t available, submits an ILL request to ILLiad. Automations such as automated routing rules and bibliographic record matching allow routine requests to move through the system without staff intervention.

In addition, Penn State’s participation in the Big Ten Academic Alliance (BTAA) and use of OCLC Resource Sharing for Groups further optimizes request routing. By leveraging data on each BTAA member’s collections and turnaround times that are specific between borrower and lender, as well as fair load leveling in the group, the system helps ensure requests are positioned for the best possible fulfillment from the start.

Combined with the automated request manager, this helps build smarter lender strings—routing requests to libraries most likely to supply quickly. As a result, Penn State has reduced the number of unfilled requests while improving turnaround times for library users.

Today, about 70 percent of requests move through initial processing without staff mediation, dramatically reducing the number of items staff must review manually. Instead of arriving on Monday to hundreds of borrowing requests waiting in queues —as was common in 2017—ILL staff now typically see about 50–60. The remaining requests are less routine and more likely to require deeper research or specialized attention.That shift has changed how staff spend their time. Rather than repeating the same steps, they can focus on complex requests, research incomplete citations, and provide more thoughtful support to users.

Faster turnaround for library users

Automation has also transformed the library users' experience. Requests can now be processed immediately, regardless of when they are submitted. A request placed late on a Friday evening or during a campus closure no longer waits until library staff return. Instead, it is automatically routed to potential lenders within minutes.

“If you keep the library user in mind, you can’t go wrong.” Shane said.

Just as importantly, automating routine requests has shifted staff focus to more complex work. Rather than spending time on repetitive tasks, staff can build expertise and confidence by handling the requests that benefit most from their knowledge and judgment.

By combining automation with thoughtful workflow design, Penn State University Libraries has created a faster, more efficient interlibrary loan service—while also enabling staff to focus on higher-value work.