To: ils@athena.mit.edu
Cc:
Subject: Request for Interlibrary Loan
--------
***********************************************************************
     Use this form to request loans of books, theses, technical
reports, etc.  Fill out a separate form for each item you need.
     Please provide all information requested below.  If you do no have
enough information to complete a line, enter "n/a" for "not available." 
This information is used to locate and verify your loan request. 
Missing information may result in delaying your request.
     Most requests take 3-4 weeks.  You will be notified when the
material arrives or if there is a problem.
***********************************************************************
This is an example prompt for information -----------------------------
0-> This is where you put your answer.  If you need more space, simply
use the return key to insert another line.  The rest of the prompts will
move down.  Please make sure you go to the end of the form.
Today's date ----------------------------------------------------------
1-> 
Author/Organization producing this material ---------------------------
2-> 
Title -----------------------------------------------------------------
3-> 
Series/Report No./Thesis/Degree ---------------------------------------
4-> 
Place of publication --------------------------------------------------
5-> 
Publisher -------------------------------------------------------------
6-> 
Where did you obtain the information listed above?  (Please be as
specific as possible: if it came from a book or article, list that
source; if it came from a CD-ROM Index, note the name of the index; if
it came from a computerized database search, PROVIDE THE DATABASE NAME,
FILE NUMBER, AND CITATION NUMBER.  Failure to provide this information
may delay your request.) ----------------------------------------------
7-> 
Has this item been lost from one of the MIT Libraries? ----------------
8-> 
This item is not needed after (date) ----------------------------------
9-> 
Is there any other information you can provide concerning this item? --
10-> 
Your (real) name ------------------------------------------------------
11-> 
Department ------------------------------------------------------------
12-> 
Status:  (undergraduate, graduate, faculty, staff, etc.) --------------
13-> 
Telephone -------------------------------------------------------------
14-> 
Room No./Address ------------------------------------------------------
15-> 
Electronic mail address -----------------------------------------------
16-> 
Notes/Comments --------------------------------------------------------
17-> 

This is the end of the form. 

Comments on form design:
1. All information on the top of the form.  Information on the bottom is
invisible until the form is filled out completely.
2. Using the second line with the number prompts allows potential parsing
of the answers by a simple program.  This could might make it easier to 
strip the instructions and make the printout cleaner for ILL processing.
Empty lines are not necessary to leave space for filling out the form.
3. Use as much of the structure in the e-mail message as possible to eliminate
such stuff as forms titles.  Perhaps the e-mail address could be eliminated
as well.
4. Make the prompts non-threatening and explanatory, i.e., "this info used
to verify your request, absence may delay fulfillment" rather than "failure
to provide this info will result in delays".  Unlike forms filled out in the
library there will be no mediation in filling them out so the prompt/explan-
ation needs to be helpful and encouraging.

Comments on the script:
1. Forms not implemented should not appear on the menu.
2. When you exit the script, it should drop you to your calling shell rather
than leave you in the temporary shell it creates.