Libraries need to weigh the benefits, usage, and cost-effectiveness of owning collections against seeking alternatives to deliver the information needed by customers. The University of Arizona Library investigated different approaches for meeting the research needs of East Asian Studies faculty and students under great pressure of physical space shortage. This study describes a project that implemented a fast and reliable interlibrary loan (ILL) model for Chinese language materials instead of owning them locally. The results of this project will be meaningful to other East Asian Studies librarians and other collection managers who are seeking alternative methods to meet the research needs of their customers in a time of budget constraints and limited space. (Contains 5 tables, 1 figure, and 15 notes.)