Combine & Conquer: Assessing the Components of a Comprehensive Book Acquisition Strategy

With the advent of e-journals and other electronic content, the centrality of print books within library collections was challenged. At the same time, internet-based technologies made it easier and faster to discover and acquire both print and e-books. Today there is a much wider variety of book acquisition modes than ever before and they differ significantly in number of accessible titles per acquisition dollar. However, flat or declining library budgets, along with increases in electronic journal subscription rates, put downward pressure on monograph funding. As a response to shrinking funding and increasing researcher expectations of immediate access to a greater wealth of information, many academic libraries are changing the way they think about collections. The emphasis is now moving towards access over ownership, as well as towards data-driven approaches to selection and acquisition of the most relevant books in print and electronic formats. Given this landscape, it is crucial for libraries to define a well-reasoned, comprehensive strategy that represents an optimal mix of all available acquisition modes. Each library’s strategy should reflect its institutional priorities relative to content quality and availability, usability, permanence, as well as cost-related factors such as individual purchase price, overall affordability, and predictability. Attendees will explore a comprehensive book acquisition strategy that employs multiple approaches to maximizing access within a sustainable financial model. The relative advantages and trade-offs associated with each component of the strategy will be discussed based on their value to The Claremont Colleges Library and its users. Each attendee will gain valuable takeaways that will provide them with the tools to customize the strategy to their library’s priorities

Roles, responsibilities, and decision-making power in Collection Development

Our Library’s approach to collection development has evolved over time. Subject Liaisons no longer have assigned budget funds for each subject area, but instead work with consolidated discipline budgets within disciplinary teams to select books and make recommendations for larger purchases. These contributions to collection development are done in close collaboration with Collections Librarians and staff and in addition to Subject Liaisons\u27 instruction, research support, and outreach responsibilities. In addition to maintaining subscriptions and regular book purchasing, each year the Library selects larger and/or ongoing resources for acquisition from a long list of options accumulated through faculty and student requests, as well as offers received directly from vendors, or through SCELC. While discipline level collection development encourages closer collaboration within the discipline teams and provides for increased flexibility in spending on larger multi-subject purchases and subscriptions, it reduces some of the clarity and accountability for individual liaisons and surfaces important questions regarding process transparency and decision-making power. To ensure that our collection development work is built on transparent and reciprocal communication among all stakeholders, we built a strong relationship of interdependence and trust between liaisons and collections staff. We established internal infrastructures, tools for data collection and communication, and defined roles and responsibilities for the various participants in the process, specifying whether input, decision, or action is required. This presentation describes the workflow for big ticket items consideration and provide examples of successfully engaging various stakeholders in collection development decisions

Interpret the numbers: Putting e-book usage statistics in context

E-books have been an integral part of library collections for a long time now, but they are still surrounded by controversy. How much our patrons really use them? That seemingly simple question has a very complicated answer that could depend on a number of factors. The e-books’ usage reports mean very little on their own and leave many unanswered questions. In order to contextualize the usage statistics, the Claremont Colleges Library conducted an analysis of enhanced usage reports in comparison with the total offerings of e-book content available to our users from all major providers, and through all access models. The study aimed to measure turnover rates and shed light on what is not being used, gauge usage (and non-usage) patterns by subject area and publication year, as well as determine the impact, if any, of the different access models. In addition, we compared the subject composition and the age of the e-book collection to the print book collection, and analyzed the usage patterns in the two formats within calendar 2014. This presentation will highlight the most important findings of the study and discuss their implications for future collection management

Don’t Stop the Presses! Study of Short-Term Return on Investment on Print Books Purchased under Different Acquisition Modes

How long are we willing to wait for a book to demonstrate value? How many circulations are enough? Today, there is more pressure to show return on investment (ROI) than there used to be thirty, twenty, or even ten years ago. In the era of increasingly electronic, demand-driven, and evidence-based collection development, the once reigning print book is ceding its central place within library collections. While faculty and students are showing renewed interest in print materials, flat or declining library budgets, along with inevitable increases in electronic subscription rates, put downward pressure on print monograph funding. Libraries continue to develop their print book collections, however, we need to develop a data-driven approach to guide selection and acquisition of the most relevant print books. The Claremont Colleges Library conducted a short-term ROI study comparing recent print books acquired under three different acquisition modes: approval autoship, demand-driven purchase, and librarian selection. We looked at short-term ROI averages for each acquisition mode, including how long it takes for a book to circulate for the first time and how many times books circulate within the first year after acquisition. We also reviewed the number of books, overall expenditure per acquisition mode, and disciplinary distribution of print book acquisitions from a historical perspective, exploring how the proportions of expenditure between print approval and firm ordering changed at the advent of demand-driven purchasing and the proliferation of e-books. The audience will learn how this study’s findings are informing our budgeting strategies and future collection development

McGill Library Makes E-books Portable: E-reader Loan Service in a Canadian Academic Library

E-readers are increasingly popular personal devices, but can they be effectively used for the needs of academic libraries’ clients? This paper employs an evidence-based approach that examines the role and efficacy of implementing an E-reader Loan Service at McGill University Library. Suggestions are offered as to what lending model and device features best meet client needs. Observations are made based on the lessons learned from active use. The paper also examines relevant issues, such as electronic formats, Digital Rights Management, and the role of e-readers as library technology that facilitates the ideals of mobile learning

Don’t close the book on print: Mid-term return on investment of print books purchased under different acquisition modes

Five years ago we conducted a study on short-term return on investment in print books purchased under different acquisition modes. Unsurprisingly, the demand-driven purchases - and course readings in particular - showed the highest level of engagement and return on investment within the first year after purchase. Approximately a third of all titles purchased on approval and as firm orders also saw at least one use in the first year, and the titles that were used experienced an average of 2.5 circulations. These results triggered some follow-up questions which we can now address with five years of additional data. Do demand-driven purchases of print books have enduring value past the first year? Do titles purchased through approval plan, standing order, and firm order see an increase in usage after the first year? Do any of our print titles reach a cost per use comparable to that of journal articles or e-book chapters within five years? Although this new data includes the 18 months when the library building was closed due to the Pandemic, it presents useful insights for the value of print books, and informs future collection development, space planning, and budgeting decisions at our library

DDA in Context: Defining a Comprehensive Ebook Acquisition Strategy in an Access-Driven World

Internet-based technology has birthed a variety of ebook acquisition modes that differ significantly in number of accessible titles per acquisition dollar. We review these acquisition modes and argue that it is crucial for libraries to define a well-reasoned, comprehensive acquisition strategy that represents their optimal mix of all six modes. Each library’s strategy should reflect its institutional priorities relative to five key factors (choice of content and quality, discount, ease of use, permanence, and cost predictability) and integrate three complementary tactics (relating to subscription, demand-driven acquisition, and ebook approval plans) rather than rejecting one or more acquisition modes on principle. The goal of each library’s strategy should be to maximize access while ensuring that library users are served as effectively as possible over time, as we proceed in search of a sustainable future for academic ebook publishing, in collaboration with our publisher and vendor partners

Redesigning the Academic Library Materials Budget for the Digital Age: Applying the Power of Faceted Classification to Acquisitions Fund Management

Most academic libraries are facing increasing funding challenges that necessitate improved budget communication and advocacy, in addition to the more traditional planning and monitoring of funds. Moreover, electronic resources continue to evolve rapidly, spawning new material types and modes of acquisition. This paper defines four key facets of a materials budget that has been optimized for the electronic resources environment and describes a process that can be used to redesign any academic library budget structure for the digital age. Specific examples of important practical advantages, that have accrued over the six years since the fully-faceted materials budget structure was implemented, are included

Ready or Not: Two Libraries’ Approaches to Making Collections Budget Reductions During a Pandemic & What We Can Learn from it

When faced with an urgent need for dramatic budget cuts due to the Pandemic, two libraries applied their own unique strategies and criteria to identifying, collaborating on, implementing, and communicating resource cancellations under strict timelines. Library values helped inform these decisions with lessons to be learned in the process