Volume 2, Issue 2, Spring 2000

What's in a Name?

The Illinois Research and Reference Center (IRRC) has been renamed to better reflect its newly expanded range of services. Now called the Information Resource Retrieval Center, IRRC is utilizing current technology to enhance its role as the interlibrary loan department for the Library.

IRRC consists of two specialized units. The Interlibrary Borrowing Office serves faculty, students, and staff. Each year it processes some 30,000 requests for titles that are unavailable through the Illinet Online system. The Interlibrary Lending Office serves libraries and researchers worldwide, supplying materials from the Library's vast collections. It handles more than 100,000 requests annually. Enhanced services are available through both offices.

The Borrowing Office provides the new Document Delivery Service, a free rush delivery service that offers faster access to information. IRRC obtains electronic copies of articles, converts them to PDF format, and posts them to a Web site for viewing and/or printing. Requesters are notified via e-mail when information becomes available. This process significantly decreases the time it takes to receive an article.

The Lending Office offers UIUC DocExpress, a convenient fee-based copy service. Previously limited to faculty and staff, the service now is available to the University's students as well. It provides copies of articles from journals located in the campus system (as allowed by copyright law). The fee per request is $5 for students and $3 for faculty and staff. Orders are delivered electronically within 48 hours.

For more information about IRRC and its services, please visit their newly revised website.