The library is updating its collection strategy to incorporate Evidence-Based Acquisition (EBA) strategies. EBA is a hybrid subscription and purchasing model for ebooks, enabling access to large, multi-disciplinary ebook collections at a low cost per title. The library can use usage data to help inform decisions about which books to add to the library's permanent collection, creating a more direct link between use of the collection and our purchasing decisions.
With the recent licensing of Wiley and Cambridge ebooks using EBA agreements, we have added access an additional 32,000 ebook titles.
Evidence-based Acquisition complements traditional librarian-selected and faculty-requested purchasing. It is a type of agreement that permits libraries, and their users, full access to a large pool of ebooks for a period of time. After that period of time ends, libraries are given the option to purchase titles to add to their permanent collection.
By assessing which titles are used during the 'full access' period, libraries can make data-driven decisions on which titles should be added to permanent collections. It helps libraries build collections that are truly based on user need and preference.
KPU Library has entered into an EBA subscription agreement with these publishers for 2021. At the end of our full access subscription period, KPU Library will select titles to purchase for perpetual access. Extending the full access subscription period will be considered depending on the success of the program.
Users can access these collections directly through the publisher databases listed below. Titles from these publishers are also all fully integrated into our catalogue, so searching via Summon or our catalogue will also gather results from these new ebook collections.
During the full access subscription period, users will be able to access the all the ebooks included in the licenses from the participating publishers. This means that our users benefit from a huge increase to our ebook collection during this time.
After a full access subscription period ends, the library will select material to purchase for permanent access. There may be some titles we cannot include, even if they were used during the full access subscription period. However, by basing our purchasing decisions on what books our users accessed, the library will base our purchasing decisions on user need and behaviour.
Supporting a blend of purchasing models that includes EBA does mean that your subject liaison librarian may have less funds to purchase individual titles and requested materials. We continue to prioritize faculty requests and encourage our users to let us know what type of material they wish to see in our collections.
A combination of this new EBA approach with our more traditional selection model means that we can continue to use a measured and sustainable approach to build the collection in KPU's areas of teaching and learning.
Have questions regarding the EBA process? Contact Jen Adams, Collections Librarian or Allison Richardson, eResources Librarian.