Implementing and Assessing Use-Driven Acquisitions: A Practical Guide for Librarians

by Steven Carrico, Michelle Leonard, Erin Gallagher

This enlightening new book in the Practical Guides for Librarians series presents the practicalities of developing, implementing, and evaluating use-driven acquisition (UDA) in academic and special libraries, from the multi-dimensional perspectives of collections, acquisitions, and e-resources. Now that UDA is a proven method of collection management being utilized by an array of libraries around the globe, the need for a straightforward, uncomplicated guidebook is more essential than ever.

This book is both a reference source and a guide for current and future librarians. In addition to chapters highlighting e-book, print, and article-level UDA plans, the book will also include considerations for budgeting, interlibrary loan, consortia UDA, ongoing management and assessment strategies, and stimulating future trends. Of special interest are project management cycles detailing each phase and steps of implementing UDA plans, and relevant case studies involving librarians and vendors who have established UDA plans in libraries of various types and sizes.

This book provides a practical methodology for setting up use-driven acquisitions plans to acquire access to print and e-books for users in academic and special libraries. Every chapter covers important collection development and budgeting objectives of the library, and proposes methods to assess cost and usage of the content received to determine effectiveness and potential modifications to UDA plans.

Practical features that can be used in day-to-day operations
• Project management lifecycle with phases and steps for successful implementation
• Sample reports and executive summaries for administrators
• Marketing and branding strategies
• Step-by-step checklists
• Assessment tools and examples
• Multiple case studies of various types of libraries, including budgets and current UDA policies
• Evaluative survey questions
• Interview transcripts
• Glossary of terms and acronym explanations

176 pages, Paperback

First published February 16, 2016

Reviews

[Catie Carlson · Rating 4 out of 5]

I think this is one of the few times (if not the first time) that I have read a book dealing with an aspect of technical services without feeling confused or bored. The focused nature of the book stays on point explaining the many different models. Case studies, vendor profiles, and highlighted text keep the book relevant and easy to read. However, it does lean heavily towards large scale models rather than the small scale library, but it seems easy enough to transfer this knowledge to a smaller setting. Recommend to anyone seeking to learn and implement UDA models in libraries.