what to buy and from whom? guidelines for academic e-book collecting
DESCRIPTION
With the proliferation of electronic book formats and content providers it is increasingly important that libraries develop guidelines for the selection of e-content. The LUC Libraries recently undertook a project to establish a set of guiding principles or standards intended to better inform the selection of e-book platforms and individual e-books by those charged with making acquisition decisions. This session will briefly discuss the criteria created for evaluating platforms and the resulting documents outlining the library’s vendor platform preferences. In addition, it will describe the process of creating e-book selection guidelines, and the criteria with which title-by-title decisions should be made. We will also touch on future considerations for libraries, including the continued assessment of evolving e-book platforms and whether individual e-book acquisition is adequately meeting the needs of a diverse academic community.TRANSCRIPT
What To Buy & From Whom?
Guidelines for academic e-book collecting
iACRL Annual ConferenceOak Brook, ILMarch 16, 2012
David Givens & Tara Radniecki
Loyola University Chicago
Loyola University Chicago
• 16,000 FTE
• 3 campuses
• 370 students abroad
• 1000 students solely online
• Over 350,000 e-books in our current collection
E-Book Sub-Committee• EBL Pilot in 2010
• Numerous other e-book collections
• Sub-Committee Memberso Acquisitionso Catalogingo Referenceo Interlibrary Loano Electronic Resourceso Library Administration
Sub-Committee Charges
• Document features of current e-book offerings
• Develop guidelines for future vendor selection
• Create collection development policy for e-book acquisition on both packages and title-by-title selections
Vendor Guidelines
Required• Proxy server compatibility
Strongly Preferred• Device neutrality• Downloadable content• Printing options• Simultaneous users
Vendor Guidelines
Preferred• Discovery interface & personal accounts• ILL & e-reserve rights• Archival access • MARC records• Open url linking• Library branding options• Title-by-title selection available via YBP/GOBI
Vendor Evaluation Chart
Please contact Tara Radniecki at [email protected] or David Givens [email protected] for any additional information about the chart.
Criteria (most are y/n)
Subscribed or Owned Course reserves
Proxy compatible Archival rights
Reading device neutrality In Portico
Downloadable content MARC records supplied
Printing Open URL compatible
Multiple/Simultaneous users Brandable
Interface for discovery Individual title purchasing avail.
Personal account Direct purchase with vendor
ILL friendly Purchase via Gobi
Remarks/Notes/Questions/Exceptions
Selection Guidelines
• Guidelines intended for subject specialists to make decisions mainly on title-by-title e-book selections
• Strictly guidelines: subject specialists are encouraged to take their departments' and disciplines' needs into consideration.
Selection Guidelines
E-format should be considered
• items often used in discrete segments • provides added utility• users need remote or simultaneous access• frequently updated materials
Selection Guidelines
E-Format should be avoided
• Does not accurately portray content• Incomplete or difficult to use• Lack of archival rights
Selection Guidelines
Duplication• Discretion of subject specialist• PDA not a substitution for collection development
Vendor Considerations• Established relationship
Other Considerations• Requester's preference• E-format publication dates• Purchase vs. subscription
