DOCLINE Routing

DOCLINE

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We have heard from the DOCLINE community about changes in routing patterns and lending volume.  Here is some information that may help you better understand routing in DOCLINE 6.

Routing Changes

The Routing Algorithm – the evaluative process that matches requests to lenders that can fill them - has changed in these ways:

  • Route to Resource Library option was removed (due to changes in the NNLM)
  • Route to All Other Libraries is more inclusive
  • Manual Routing Table is more prominent and easily populated
  • Limited Retention Holdings is not yet added to algorithm (e.g. latest 3 years, latest 18 months)
  • LinkOut Embargo information is no longer available

How Requests are matched to Lenders

When the Routing Algorithm checks for lenders in the Borrower's "Automated (serial) Routing Table" potential lenders must:

  • Be active at the time the request is routed (according to Daily ILL schedule and Out of Office dates)
  • Hold the requested volume or year of the cited Journal (not embargoed)
  • Offer the Borrowers' primary (or alternate) delivery method(s)
  • Offer the requested Service Level (Rush or Urgent Patient Care, if specified by borrower)
  • Have the selected format of the journal (if specified by borrower)
  • Be an EFTS Library (if specified by borrower)
  • Not be included in the Borrowers' Do Not Route To List

The system will route directly to a single library with the "Route to Library" (prefixing) option or will "Route to NLM” whether or not they hold the requested material, because holdings are not evaluated for these routing options. Potential lenders must otherwise 'match' the request according to the routing algorithm.

Routing and Embargoes

Requests for articles without a PMID and citations without EPubDates will route to Lenders despite embargoes. The system needs to have accurate publication date information in a standardized format in order to reliably calculate an article's "age" to determine whether or not the item falls outside a Lender's embargo.

If you feel routing is not working as expected, please contact NLM at custserv@nlm.nih.gov with specific examples, including request numbers.

This information is available as an FAQ at https://www.nlm.nih.gov/docline/faq.html#routingchanges.

-The DOCLINE Team