SINC

The Strategic Inter-Network Collaboration Group (SINC) has oversight of inter-lending and document supply (ILDS) in NHS Knowledge and Library Services (KLS) in England.

Its role is to:

  • ensure ILDS processes and infrastructure is as streamlined as it can be for both KLS staff and end users 
  • monitor, review and evaluate ILDS systems and processes, and make recommendations for improvement and standardisation 
  • set national policy and develop guidance 
  • oversee ILDS developments, and contribute to the design, testing, implementation and evaluation 
  • ensure effective communication, engagement and collaboration with KLS, end-users and other stakeholders 
  • identify trends and developments 
  • ensure that document supply considerations are included in NHS England’s Knowledge for Healthcare Resource Discovery work.  
  • represent the needs of the ILDS network and end-users 

Governance

Meetings are held quarterly.

The SINC Group Chair reports to the NHS England Knowledge for Healthcare leads responsible for Resource Discovery, and as appropriate, the Change Advisory Board.

See SINC’s terms of reference.

Membership

  • chair: an NHS England Knowledge for Healthcare Team representative 
  • one representative from each of the geographical document supply networks/NHS region to represent that region 
  • up to 5 members of NHS KLS staff with an interest in ILDS and its development 
  • one representative from the NHS Copyright First Responders 

Current membership

  • Richard Bridgen (Chair)
  • Beverley Walsh and Rebecca Bradshaw (EDEN)
  • Helene Gorring and Kaye Bagshaw (LENDS)
  • Julie Stoppani and Cecelia Schwartzman (KSS)
  • Lisa Lawson and Amy Dolby (MIDS)
  • Bethan Morgan (PANDDA)
  • Claire O'Connor and Barb Pierce (SWIMS)
  • Paul Lee (Copyright First Responders)
  • Lotty Summers, Abijha Rex, Sharon Hamidi, Jorden McNally, Claire Pogonowski and Samuel Stormont

Members will:

  • represent the needs of the network, region, wider KLS staff and end-users
  • regional or network representatives should keep library staff in their regions informed of group activity / decisions / discussions as appropriate

Latest news from the SINC Group

Information:

From the July meeting

INCDocs

Change of subject lines to INCDocs emails

To make it easier to track INCDocs emails we’ve agreed to change the subject lines to:

  • INCDocs: New Outgoing Request: [Request ID]
  • INCDocs: New Incoming Request: [Request ID]
  • INCDocs: Supplied Request: [Request ID]
  • INCDocs: Declined Request: [Request ID]

Urgent requests

If a request is urgent, add Urgent to the start of the Reference Number box.

PrintDOCs

  • Everyone is busy updating their print journal records and holdings.  We agreed to a second data load nearer to go-live to avoid an update hiatus between the data load in early August and PrintDocs going live.  The revised date for updating your holdings is 20 September.
  • If you are using the Koha ILL module to make document supply requests, please continue to do so.  If you are not, you may start doing so, but we’re hoping the developments to the ILL module we’ve commissioned will be implemented by April 2025.  The module will then work very differently to the way it does now, so if you wish to wait until then before starting to use the ILL module, that’s fine too.
  • The PrintDocs task and finish group is busy making sure our data is accurate.  Note that library details will be drawn from HLISD.  Document supply codes have been added to HLISD entries, or updated, to include your INC Network code.  This is to ensure we have no duplicates.  You will now see EDEN-, KSS-, LENDS-, MIDS-, N- or SWIMS- before your library code.

ILDS Good Practice Guidance

We agreed to update the guidance on interlending books between regions. Changes cover:

  • Fair use and overborrowing
  • Declining to supply in response to a request from out of region

Responsibility for books lost in transit between libraries, or by the borrower, is already covered.  The guidelines on the national KLS website have been amended.

CLA Data Returns 2024

A big thank you to all the services who volunteered to supply data returns this year.

Reprints Desk

Just to flag that this is in the process of being renamed Research Solutions. Look out for further communications.

Page last reviewed: 2 February 2024

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