RESOURCE CENTRE MANUAL
HEALTHLINK WORLDWIDE
7.7 Document supply
The supply of photocopies to users who cannot visit the resource centre, or to
other resource centres, is often called document supply.
Users may need to see articles in periodicals or chapters in books that are not
held by the resource centre. Resource centre staff can enable them to do this by
asking other resource centres for document supply services. Staff can develop a
knowledge of what materials are available from other resource centres by
providing referral services (see Section 7.8).
Document supply is one of the services that network members often provide for
each other (see Section 8.3: Networks and networking). This is usually on the
basis of mutual support – resource centres are expected to supply a similar
number of materials to the number that they request.
If document supply is requested from resource centres and libraries that are not
part of a network, they will usually make a charge. Charges vary, but can be
quite expensive – for example, up to GB£5/US$10 for an article.
To comply with copyright regulations, it is important to keep records of
photocopied materials obtained and supplied via document supply. Records of
requests for materials should include details of what was requested, who
requested it, the date it was requested, the date it arrived and the organisation
that supplied it. Records of materials supplied to other organisations should
included details of what was requested, the organisation that requested it, the
date it was requested and the date the photocopies were sent.
SECTION 7: INFORMATION SERVICES
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