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Coralville library reports higher circulation and growing interlibrary-loan demand after courier change
Summary
Interlibrary loan requests have risen and Coralville staff said they sent a record 158 items to other Iowa libraries last month; a new courier arrangement with the AEA has caused service interruptions during closures. Staff also demonstrated online room booking and confirmed patrons need no library card to reserve meeting rooms.
The Coralville Public Library reported year-over-year increases in usage and described strains on interlibrary-loan (ILL) service after a change in courier providers.
Nat Christenson, Interlibrary Loan Assistant, told the board he has worked at the library since 2006 and manages meeting-room scheduling, ILL and circulation-desk functions. He said the library sent 158 items to other Iowa libraries last month, a recent high, and that overall circulation was up 7.5% year over year; physical items made up about 60% of total circulation. Christenson demonstrated the staff interface for Communico, the library’s meeting-room scheduling platform, and showed how the public can reserve rooms (no library card required).
Christenson said the library switched couriers after a cut in state library funding; the current courier is the Area Education Agency (AEA). He told the board the AEA closure over the winter holidays — two weeks — caused notable disruption in deliveries and returns.
Why it matters: rising circulation and record ILL outflows reflect greater public demand for physical materials even as digital use also rose. Courier reliability affects patrons’ ability to borrow items from other libraries and could require contingency planning if the AEA’s schedule changes.
Board action: the report was accepted as information; no motion was required. Staff will continue tracking ILL volume and service reliability.
