Open Access Kent State (OAKS)

In January 2012, Kent State University Libraries implemented a

six-month pilot project for a Demand-Driven Acquisitions (DDA)

ebook purchasing model that uses a combination of the acquisition

services provided by the primary book jobber (YBP) and the ac-

cess services provided by a well-known ebook distributer (eBrary).

Using the book jobber mediated DDA model provided the library

with selected discovery records that closely matched specifications

of the library’s print approval plan. This report provides an assess-

ment of the DDA acquisitionmodel as compared to that of the print

books approval model in terms of budget, costs, workflow, subjects,

publishers, and publication dates. Because DDA empowers library

users to choose which ebooks are purchased based on actual use,

this assessment also compares ebook usage from a DDA discovery

pool with print book circulation of an equivalent amount of recent

print acquisitions. The results of this study will help answer some of

the key questions about the DDA acquisition model: (1) How does

DDA align the library’s collection with current user requirements?

(2) Does DDA lead to more active use of library book collection?

(3) Is DDA cost effective as an acquisition model?

(4) What issues are associated with DDA, and how may these issues be addressed?