Discusses the purpose of mathematical models and reviews the phases of the modeling process--defining performance, representing the problem, predicting performance, estimating parameters, defining optimization criterion, determining solution, and implementing results. Reviews of book-use, resource allocation, and library network models are…

Relatively recent developments, ranging from microfilm catalogs to networked circulation systems, have the potential of removing much of the uncertainty from the routing of interlibrary loan requests. The opportunity of purchasing location and availability information changes the performance of a model interlibrary loan network. Data collected in…

A mathematical model was used to consider alternative request routing policies for use in the Illinois Library and Information Network. Given data on interlibrary loan demands, the probability of request success, processing and delivery times for various libraries, and a network request routing policy, the model predicted the probability of…

Discusses the design of a model-based management information system in terms of mathematical/statistical, information processing, and human factors issues and presents a prototype system for interlibrary loan networks. (Author/CWM)

The development of a mathematical model of the Illinois Library and Information Network (ILLINET) is described. Based on queueing network theory, the model predicts the probability of a request being satisfied, the average time from the initiation of a request to the receipt of the desired resources, the costs, and the processing loads. Using a…