Amigos Library Services Supports ILL Professionals with Scholarships to Attend Northwest ILL Conference

Amigos Library Services is proud to have sponsored scholarships for eight individuals from member libraries to virtually attend the recent Northwest Interlibrary Loan & Resource Sharing (NWILL) Conference, allowing them to participate virtually in sessions on the latest trends and best practices in ILL and resource sharing. Here are reflections from three of our scholarship recipients, each sharing insights gained from the conference that will benefit their libraries and patrons.

Expanding Access and Exploring Best Practices
For Vanesa Chappell, ILL Library Assistant at James C Kirkpatrick Library-UCM, the Northwest ILL Conference offered both valuable sessions and the flexibility of virtual access. "I was impressed with the wide variety of topics and sessions," she shared. "The option of virtual access is wonderful, giving the opportunity to connect with ILL staff from across the world. Sessions were recorded, so all attendees can view any session they missed."

One session in particular addressed ways to serve distance learners by mailing ILL materials—a topic of great interest to her academic library as it seeks to support an increasing number of remote students. "This will be extremely helpful as we continue looking for ways to serve our distance learners," Vanesa added. "Thank you, Amigos, for granting me the scholarship to attend."

Discovering New Tools for Research and Copyright Compliance
Glenda Jones, ILL Coordinator at Southwestern University’s Smith Library Center, appreciated two sessions that offered practical tips for her work in ILL. One session, PR10: Google Scholar, Control F, and Open Access, provided valuable strategies for finding hard-to-locate resources, like dissertations, and equipped her with new tools to enhance search efficiency. Another session on copyright compliance, PR13: Copyright Evaluation for Interlibrary Loan: One Size Does Not Fit All, introduced her to lesser-known aspects of copyright law, including the history and application of CONTU guidelines.

"Learning that CONTU was never actually law, but rather a compliance mechanism, was eye-opening," Glenda noted. "The speaker’s approach to balancing resource borrowing with copyright compliance gave me food for thought." She concluded by expressing her gratitude to Amigos for the scholarship: "I'm grateful for the opportunity to broaden my knowledge of interlibrary loan."

Reflecting on Resource Sharing and Enhancing Patron Services
Electronic Resources and Acquisitions Librarian at University of North Texas Health Science Center, Megan Horn, MLS, M.Ed., discovered the conference through an AmigosNow newsletter and appreciated the chance to attend virtually. "I've been in ILL for almost a decade and had no idea this conference existed," she said. "I attended a session on best practices for managing electronic requests, which allowed me to compare our processes to others and consider improvements." Megan also valued the networking opportunities, which enabled her to engage in discussions with peers on common challenges in resource sharing.

Following the conference, Megan has been motivated to review her library's current ILL workflows. "My technician and I are revisiting our practices around communication with patrons regarding delivery times and copyright limitations," she shared. "Attending the conference has also inspired me to promote ILL services more broadly on campus." Looking ahead, Megan is excited to make the NWILL Conference an annual event on her calendar.