Mobilization of duplicates in a Regional Medical Library Program

An overabundance of duplicate journals without an efficient and economical method of distribution caused one library's staff to reassess traditional methods of dispersal. A simplified form for listing duplicates was devised. In conjunction with the Regional Medical Library Program and the extension program, lists of duplicates were distributed to hospital and clinical libraries. These libraries selected materials to strengthen their ability to fill information needs at the local level and to conserve RMLP support for esoteric and expensive materials. In a two-year period, 86,000 individual pieces were distributed. Some lessening of interlibrary loan requests from heavy users was documented. In an evaluation survey users expressed satisfaction with the program. The successful use of the duplicate program will lead to a further experiment--the library will attempt to fill interlibrary loan requests for common journals with hard copy rather than photocopy in a cost and time reduction effort.