Rapid Pods
Rapid Pods: What are they, and how do I know which ones are right for my institution?
What is a Rapid pod?
RapidILL is composed of groups of libraries referred to as "pods." Pods are groups of libraries that share with each other through RapidILL.
Each Rapid library belongs to at least one Rapid pod, and most belong to several pods. There is no additional charge for multiple pod participation. Each pod has a priority, so that certain pods are searched before others.
Where can I see what pods my institution belongs to?
You can see your pods on the Rapid website under Settings>My Profile, in the Pod Information section. Note that single-lender pods (see below) are hidden from this view. Lists of pods and membership can also be found on the RapidILL website.
Which pods are right for my institution?
As part of the implementation process, Rapid libraries are configured to be in all pods that are relevant to them. This means that usually there is no need to edit the pod configurations once an institution goes live with Rapid. There are several types of pods:
COSMO pod
This pod is open to all Rapid libraries, and therefore contains the vast majority of them. Most of the titles and collections that are in the Rapid database can be found here.
Single-Lender Pods
These pods have one lender and many borrowers. Joining these pods allows your institution to have borrowing requests filled more quickly and efficiently by some of Rapid’s biggest lenders. Aside from the Open Access pod, you must ask Rapid support to add these pods to your configuration if you’d like your institution to take part in them.
Single-lender pods are not listed in the Pod Information section on the Rapid website.
- Internet Archive: Open to all Rapid libraries. This allows borrowing requests to be filled by the Internet Archive. Turnaround time in this pod is usually under an hour. Recommended as a first-priority pod.
- Open Access: Open to all Rapid libraries. This allows borrowing requests to be filled by Rapid’s automated Open Access lender. Turnaround time in this pod is usually several minutes. Recommended as a first-priority pod. Added by default to all Rapid libraries.
- CRL: Open to members of the Center for Research Libraries (CRL); usually a first-priority pod.
- LHL: This is a document delivery service provided by Linda Hall Library. Note that there are charges for each transaction that are billed separately from Rapid. Recommended as a last-resort pod.
- CRL4LHL: Open to CRL members. Allows borrowing from LHL collections for CRL members.
- Reprints Desk: This is a document delivery-service external to RapidILL. Note that the Reprints desk charges for each document, and billing is done separately from Rapid. Recommended as last-resort pod.
Academic pods
There are three academic pods. The membership in these pods is determined by the Carnegie Foundation's "Carnegie Classification of Institutions of Higher Education." Libraries outside of the U.S. are potentially eligible for these pods based on their academic activities and library collections.
- Academic E: For institutions classified as Very High (RU/VH) or High (RU/H) research activity universities
- Academic I: For institutions classified as Doctoral/Professional Universities (D/PU); libraries that are eligible for the Academic E pod may also participate in this pod
- Academic M: For institutions classified as Large (L) Master's-degree granting institutions; libraries that are eligible for the Academic E or Academic I pods may also participate in this pod
Organizational pods
Consortiums or other groups of libraries often have pods of their own, open to their members:
- ARL: Open to members of the Association of Research Libraries (ARL) consortium and non-U.S. libraries with equivalent academic activities and library collections
- ASERL: Open to members of the Association of Southeastern Research Libraries consortium (ASERL)
- BLC: Open to members of the Boston Library Consortium (BLC)
- EAST: Open to members of the Eastern Academic Scholar’s Trust (EAST) partnership
- JULAC: Open to members of the Joint University Librarians Advisory Committee (JULAC)
- Oberlin: Open to members of the Oberlin Group of Libraries consortium
- Orbis Cascade Alliance: Open to members of the Orbis Cascade Alliance consortium
- PALCI: Open to members of the Pennsylvania Academic Library Consortium (PALCI)
- Phoenix: Open to libraries of the Oberlin 17
- Prospector: Open to members of the Prospector group in Colorado and Wyoming
- SCELC: Open to academic libraries in the Statewide California Electronic Library Consortium (SCELC)
- SECAC: Open to members of the SECAC (Southeastern) library organization
- University of Wisconsin: Open to campus libraries in the University of Wisconsin system
- VALE: Open to members of the Virtual Academic Library Environment of New Jersey (VALE)
- VIVA: Open to members of Virginia’s Academic Library Consortium (VIVA)
- WEST: Open to members of the Western Regional Storage Trust program (WEST)
Geographical pods
These are pods based on geographical location:
- Appalachian Central Gulf: An open, regional pod requiring a 16-week loan period for RapidR and limited to the states of: Connecticut, Maine, Massachusetts, New Hampshire, New Jersey, New York, Pennsylvania, Rhode Island, Vermont, Delaware, Maryland, Virginia, Washington D.C., West Virginia, Alabama, Kentucky, Mississippi, Tennessee, Arkansas, Louisiana, Oklahoma, Texas
- Atlantic: An open, regional pod requiring a 16-week loan period for RapidR and limited to the states of: Connecticut, Maine, Massachusetts, New Hampshire, New Jersey, New York, Pennsylvania, Rhode Island, Vermont, Delaware, Florida, Georgia, Maryland, North Carolina, South Carolina, Virginia, Washington D.C., West Virginia
- Australia and New Zealand: Open to academic libraries in Australia and New Zealand
- California: Open to California academic libraries that are eligible for at least one of the Academic Pods
- Canada: Open to academic libraries in Canada
- Great Northern: An open, regional pod requiring a 16-week loan period for RapidR and limited to the states of: Connecticut, Maine, Massachusetts, New Hampshire, New Jersey, New York, Pennsylvania, Rhode Island, Vermont, Illinois, Indiana, Michigan, Ohio, Wisconsin, Iowa, Kansas, Minnesota, Missouri, Nebraska, North Dakota, South Dakota
- Israel: Open to academic libraries in Israel
- Maryland: Open to academic libraries in the state of Maryland
- Michigan: Open to academic libraries in the state of Michigan
- New England: An open, regional pod requiring a 16-week loan period for RapidR and limited to the states of: Connecticut, Maine, Massachusetts, New Hampshire, Rhode Island, Vermont
- Singapore: Open to academic libraries in Singapore
- Taiwan: Open to academic libraries in Taiwan
- United Kingdom: Open to academic libraries in the UK
Other pods
- Medical: Open to institutions with a medical branch library, or institutions that support an accredited medical, veterinary, or dental 4-year professional program (see list of AVMA, AAMC, and Commission on Dental Accreditation accredited programs)
How do I change my institution’s pods?
Adding and removing pods requires the help of Rapid support. If you would like to change your pods, or have a question about pods that is not answered here, please open a case through our support portal. In the case, let us know what change you would like to make and why.