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P2P vs. Fulfillment Network FAQs

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These FAQ are drawn from RSWG Q&As held February 28th and March 4th.

Staff Time and Financial Considerations

 What are the financial implications of implementing either resource sharing model in my institution?

There is no change to the Alma Software as a Service subscription agreement if colleges choose to implement resource sharing using the Peer-to-Peer or the Fulfillment Network models. Colleges may wish to implement additional software in the future that would incur additional costs, but the two models under consideration at this stage do not change the current subscription fee.

If resource sharing requests increase, there may be an impact on the cost of shipping items. In addition, more staff time may also be required to fulfill borrowing and lending requests if there is a higher volume of requests across the system as a result of resource sharing in Alma.

Note that every institution has the option to deny any request or opt out of resource sharing at any point. This is true with both the P2P and FN model.

 Should we expect a higher volume of requests if we implement resource sharing with Alma?

It is possible that resource sharing requests will become more frequent with both models, P2P and FN. OCUL saw a marked increase in resource sharing requests when they implemented an Automated Fulfillment Network. They also found that individual collections with low circulation were used more frequently once other institutions were able to borrow materials more easily.

 Who will pay for the cost of shipping?

There are multiple options for handling the cost of shipping. Many variations were seen among other consortia interviewed for this project. Some have a pool of money that everyone contributes to and can then make use of for shipping fees. One example of this is PASCAL. In other cases such as ILLNET, grant money is used to pay for the cost of shipping. Others agree that the library doing the shipping pays, so the lending library pays to ship it one way and the borrowing library pays to ship it back. Others agree that the borrowing library pays for both sending and returning.

The Ontario colleges that agree to participate in consortial resource sharing supported by Alma will need to decide on how shipping will be handled. Once we decide on a model for resource sharing, we will move on to working out the details of handling shipping fees.

The cost of shipping does not change based on which resource sharing model in Alma (P2P or FN) is selected.

 How much staff time is required to set up and initially configure resource sharing with each model?

UNDER CONSTRUCTION, PLEASE COME BACK SOON FOR AN UPDATE

 How much staff time is required to manage resource sharing requests day-to-day?

  1. Do we have an idea of the time it takes for each of these steps in the process for P2P and FN?

 What do the staff workflows in a P2P and a FN model look like?

Peer to Peer Workflows

Fulfillment Network Workflows

 Will requests work similar to holds?

In a P2P model, requests go to a borrowing requests list, rather than holds.

In an FN, requests will work similarly to internal Patron hold requests. They will be pulled for a hold from a “pick from shelf” procedure, and routed to the ILL dept for processing. Both local and fulfillment network holds will be included in the Active Hold Shelf in Alma. However, a local hold will have more options than a fulfillment network hold (in addition to "Update Expiry" and "View Audit Trail," you may see "Cancel Request" and "Mark as Missing”). When it arrives at the borrowing library, the item will be scanned in and routed to the requested “campus” or “Library” as with regular physical patron requests. A receipt can be printed for in transit process. An email is sent to the patron when an item is ready for pickup.

Systems Questions

 What SIS integrations are required for a fulfillment network model?

Alma is already integrated with your college Student Information System. No additional integration is necessary for resource sharing in either a P2P or fulfillment network model.

 Are there architectural diagrams of how data is transferred via a fulfillment model?

Ex Libris - Resource Sharing Protocols: https://knowledge.exlibrisgroup.com/Alma/Product_Materials/050Alma_FAQs/Resource_Sharing/Resource_Sharing_Protocols

UX Questions

 Is there something that indicates to the student how long the wait time will be for delivery of an item?

The request form in a fulfillment network and a P2P model can be configured to indicate an average wait time.

In a fulfillment network, request forms can be configured to check for real time availability of items.

 What does it mean for a patron to “register” when requesting an item?

Alma can be configured to require a patron to register before requesting an item from another library. This ensures the patron is made aware that their personal information will be shared with another institution and give consent if they wish to proceed.

 Will the Resource Sharing request form be customizable like it is currently?

Yes. Please see the documentation linked below for details.

Proposal Process Questions

 What will the proposal acceptance process look like? Will there be a vote at CLO?

The RSWG will share a resource sharing proposal based our research and on feedback from Q&As. The proposal will be delivered by email to the CLO member of each college on March 11th. CLO members will have one week to reply with additional concerns or questions. We will ask each CLO member to indicate the intention of thier institution to participate in the proposed model by March 18th.

 Would all colleges be expected to adopt the proposed solution?

 Can a college opt out any any time?

Digital and Electronic Resource Sharing Questions

 Is one or the other option (P2P or FN) going to make it easier to share electronic resources eventually?

Both models are designed to support physical resource sharing rather than sharing electronic or digital items. A Peer-to-peer model can support digital resource sharing as well as a limited number of electronic resource sharing requests.

 Can we begin digital lending in the P2P and/or FN model?

Digital lending can be supported in the P2P model. Digital lending can be supported through the creation of digitization requests and Alma’s Document Delivery window. Once the files are added Alma verifies the sending parameters based on the digitization and copyright rules. Specific terms for digital terms of use can be configured and attached to the borrower request. Files can be delivered directly to the patron’s e-mail address or through staff mediation.

Outside RS Partners including OCUL

 Is the Fulfillment network the only option that would allow us to eventually connect with other Alma institutions?

No, we could connect with other institutions outside of the Network Zone through P2P or FN.

 Will OCUL institutions be set up as resource sharing partners?

Yes, we have been in contact with OCUL. They are keen to move forward with the Ontario colleges once we have established our internal network zone scenario for resource sharing.

Additional Questions

 If we have questions or feedback after this meeting, where/how would you like us to contact you with that information?

For additional questions, please email:

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