LINK+

LINK+
Name	LINK+
Established	1998
Type	interlibrary loan consortium
Location	United States

LINK+ is a regional interlibrary loan consortium that connects academic, public, and special libraries to facilitate resource sharing across multiple states. It provides patrons with expedited access to physical and digital materials through cooperative cataloging, loan logistics, and shared policies. LINK+ operates as a cooperative network integrated with larger national and state-level library infrastructures.

Overview

LINK+ is a consortial lending system that enables participating institutions to request and borrow books, audiovisual items, and other physical materials from partner libraries. The service complements other networks such as OCLC, WorldCat, California State Library, University of California, and Association of Research Libraries cooperatives. LINK+ leverages postal and courier arrangements used by entities like United States Postal Service and regional courier services to move items among libraries. Member institutions include public systems such as the Los Angeles Public Library and academic institutions including the University of Southern California and California State University campuses, along with special collections from entities like the Bancroft Library and municipal repositories.

History

LINK+ originated in the late 1990s as a response to growing demand for faster interlibrary loan among California and Nevada libraries, evolving in the context of initiatives by organizations such as the California State Library and consortia like the Orbis Cascade Alliance. Early development intersected with projects at companies like OCLC and software efforts from Ex Libris. Over time, LINK+ adapted to changes in library practice following milestones such as the expansion of WorldCat services, the digitization programs at institutions like the Library of Congress, and policy shifts influenced by state-level funding measures. Its governance and technical migrations have been shaped by collaborations with regional library networks and national entities including the Institute of Museum and Library Services.

Services and Access

LINK+ offers borrowing and lending of monographs, audiovisual media, and certain microforms between member libraries, processing requests through shared catalog interfaces and circulation protocols used by vendors such as III (Innovative Interfaces) and integrated systems employed by the California State University library system. Patrons initiate requests through local discovery layers linked to systems like Primo and Summon, or via union catalogs interoperating with WorldCat. Delivery options utilize postal logistics similar to arrangements with the United States Postal Service and regional couriers, and items are subject to loan periods and renewal rules coordinated among libraries including flagship institutions like the University of California, Berkeley and regional public systems. LINK+ complements electronic resource licensing managed by consortia such as the California Digital Library and resource-sharing frameworks promoted by the American Library Association.

Participating Libraries and Governance

Membership spans academic campuses such as Stanford University, University of California, Los Angeles, and San Diego State University; public entities like the San Francisco Public Library and the Sacramento Public Library; and special collections at institutions including the Huntington Library and the Getty Research Institute. Governance models have involved boards or steering committees with representation from state systems, university libraries, and municipal libraries, reflecting structures used by consortia like the Council of State University Libraries and advisory panels similar to those of the Association of Research Libraries. Funding streams historically combine institutional membership fees, state support mechanisms like allocations administered by the California State Library, and grant opportunities from funders such as the Institute of Museum and Library Services.

Technology and Operations

Operationally, LINK+ integrates ILL management workflows compatible with systems and standards from OCLC WorldShare, ISO 10160, and protocols used by vendors like Ex Libris and Innovative Interfaces. Its discovery and request interfaces often interoperate with union catalogs maintained by institutions such as the California Digital Library and institutional repositories at campuses like University of California, Los Angeles. Logistics use barcoding and tracking practices akin to those at the United States Postal Service and university mailrooms, with policy harmonization informed by manuals from bodies like the American Library Association. Data sharing for usage analytics parallels reporting practices used by consortia such as the Orbis Cascade Alliance and national surveys conducted by the National Center for Education Statistics.

Impact and Usage Statistics

LINK+ has measurably expanded access by reducing wait times and increasing fulfillment rates for patron requests across participating institutions, contributing to interlibrary loan metrics reported by systems such as the California State University library network and the University of California system. Usage statistics typically include total requests fulfilled, delivery times, and per-institution borrowing/lending balances, metrics similar to those tracked in studies by the Institute of Museum and Library Services and surveys from the American Library Association’s Office for Research and Statistics. Evaluations have cited improvements in resource availability for patrons of both urban systems like the Los Angeles Public Library and rural campus libraries within the California State University system.

Category:Library consortia