I just read an article in American Libraries about Cash-Strapped Ohio Library Drops Out of WorldCat ILL. Even though Cuyahoga County PL is a public library, it affects all WorldCat ILL libraries. If libraries continue to withdraw from WorldCat ILL and this is the start of a trend, there are several issues that come to mind:
How will libraries fill ILL requests—will they fill them at all? What will the effect be on library users? Will we see a change in the role of LLSAPs? How will libraries change cooperative collection development practices? Can OCLC weather these changes?
Libraries continue to see big cuts to budgets. Ohio has seen an 11% cut to public libraries. Illinois just experienced a 16% reduction in per capita for public libraries and library systems and a 3% per capita reduction for school libraries. Hawaii libraries have yet to figure out a way to address a $5.7-million cut in funding. Academic and special libraries are not insulated from these issues and may be seeing the same concerns spilling over into their own.
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