Boston Library Consortium, Inc.

The ability to implement controlled digital lending is limited by the available technologies, legal uncertainties, and the complexities of determining optimal workflows and staffing solutions. The Boston Library Consortium will implement a project to support and scale a reusable and sustainable solution enabling controlled digital lending as a component of libraries' interlibrary loan services. This project seeks to: 1) improve and promote access to library collections for teaching and learning; 2) develop new interoperable technologies to facilitate digital loans of print materials; 3) create best practices to mitigate legal risks; and 4) design sustainable workflow and staffing solutions to support this emerging service model. Throughout this consortial controlled digital lending implementation, the project team will create and disseminate practical guidance, knowledge, and tools to assist libraries and consortia in implementing controlled digital lending in the context of interlibrary loan at scale.