ER&L 2014: DDA 2.0 Evidence-Based Selection of E-Books - Talking Points

DDA 2.0: Evidence-Based Selection of E-BooksGaladriel [email protected]

Abstract UConn Libraries PDA program is quite successful from an acquisitions perspective, but access to DRM-encased e-books is a less than ideal user experience. This presentation describes how UConn Libraries is working to provide access to thousands of DRM-free e-books while only purchasing titles with highest use.

Image Speaking PointsIntroductionTwitter hash tagTitle of presentation and correction from abstract

This is a work in progress

Backgrounda. Implemented PDA in July 2011

i. EBL – Profilesii. Ebrary – Profiles

b. Successful from an acquisitions perspective

For example, while we have over 60,000 e-books accessible via EBL, just over 15,000 have been used, there have been 14,500 STLs, and 417 purchases triggered between July 2011 and February 2014.

March 17, 2014This work is licensed by Galadriel Chilton under aCreative Commons Attribution- Non Commercial - Share Alike 4.0 International License .

http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-sa/4.0/





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Image Speaking Points

However, there are problems and serious frustrations when it comes to…

c. User Accessd. Interfacee. Limited simultaneous usersf. Impediments to downloadsg. Software required

Users encounter overly-complex unintuitive interfaces.

Faculty on Ebrary: why is the library buying things that are nearly impossible to use?

Far more than a 3 step process to access PDA books…

Let alone the ease of access users expect and experience when accessing the PDF of a journal article: one-click and go!

< < Here’s what UConn faculty member Jonathan Klassen said upon receiving links to two EBL e-books he had requested.

Yes, libraries can report functionality problems with e-books, but the reality is that we shouldn’t have to and it is increasingly harder to do so with % of online content increasing while staff are flat or decreasing.








Image Speaking PointsAdditionally, e-Book content is not integrated with other like content from the publisher.

Which isolates information discovery much like a bug in a jar.

It’s like this – we’re open for business in terms of spending money, but the door is closed and very complicated to open for uses.

So why this….

When – for the amount of money spent on PDA – we should be able to capture the acquisitions benefit of PDA but make e-book access and use a pleasant, easy experience for users?

a. Acquisitions Benefit1. Title-by-title purchase 2. Purchased upon use/demand

b. Striving For1. DRM free e-journal-like access2. Multiple simultaneous users3. Integrated with other content

With continuing flat or reduced budgets, and increased need to justify spend, we can neither afford, nor justify buying packages of e-books in order to gain access to select titles.








Image Speaking PointsAnalysis of Data

EBL PDA use data showed that out of 294 publishers with use, 75% of the use and spend was for books from 7 publishers

No. of other publishers with use: 294

Ebrary PDA use data shows that 48% of the use was for books for 7 publisher; many the same as EBL:No. of other publishers with use: 492

Meanwhile… We are simultaneously receiving requests

form faculty for university press publications from Spain, Mexico, and Latin America.

Had license-denial statistics for the publisher platform for some of the publishers with most used/in-demand e-book publishers.

An idea…

What if…

We paid a small deposit to publishers with e-book content for 12 months of access to all e-books with a guaranteed spend at the end of 12 months that would be used to purchase perpetual access to e-books with the highest use based on the libraries’ analysis of COUNTER reports and the e-book prices at the start of the 12 month period?

Goal:• Purchase only what is used• Purchase title-by-title instead of by

package• Guaranteed spend with some publishers

would be analogous to a package








Image Speaking Pointspurchase.

• Show that title-by-title purchasing is – despite the increased complexity on the ordering end – a viable and needed model.

• Enable reserve to purchase titles upon demand

a. Approached Publishers Taylor & Francis SAGE Elsevier Cambridge Springer Wiley

b. Publishers’ Response- SAGE began creating a similar model- Taylor & Francis- Since working with publishers

Must calculate for: Already-purchased DDA titles

a. Must decide whether to purchase again or seek discount.

b. Once active, remove titles from DDA profiles

Downsidea. Give then take away access to usersb. But, gain evidence to inform budget

allocations for following yearc. And to request funding increases

Balance between PDA model and package purchases.Due to great response and conversations with publishers, it looked like things were going to take off,








Image Speaking PointsStarted working with Digitalia and Springer. Not necessarily highest used publishers…

Springer is and Springer’s DRM-free, download whole e-books, and ILL-friendly licenses meet expectations. Began talking about a pilot that would facilitate some title-by-title purchases.

Digitalia is also DRM free and provides access to world-wide university press e-books and would help fulfill the need for Spanish-language scholarly content.

Then there were woes…1. Time, initial budget2. Budget cuts, and

Licensing woes…

Licenses for two DDA 2.0 pilots have been in the CT AG’s office since August.

Instead of just a flat tire, it’s as if the whole wheel of momentum has been removed.

Working to construct new models of acquiring content with…








Image Speaking Points Oxford

Wiley – in process

Gale – Archives Unbound primary source documents rather than e-books

Multi-Science Publishing, limited in scope/highly specialized journal articles Access to all journals, we pay $5 per download.

Continuing to hope to be able to license the pilots with Digitalia.

We can merge models of e-book acquisition and access to…

..unlock access…

…and make e-book access lovely, easy…

… elegant, and fast.

Give users the ability to easily discovery and access e-books within the context of related content.

But right now?








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We have work to do.

Conclusion1. Libraries need to ask for acquisitions

models that work…a. For usersb. In the age of

data-informed/driven decisionsc. For library budgetsd. For DRM-free and ILL-friendly e-

books

2. Time consuming, can feel like no progress, so celebrate little changes

a. Oxford title by titleb. Gale Archives Unbound

3. Then keep asking for the ideal

Recommendationsa. Look at licensing turn awaysb. Log faculty requestsc. If you have a PDA program, looking at

spend/use by publisherd. Use data to put together a need-based

proposal for publishersiii. Create your own package that excludes

titles bought via PDA or discounts them if you want to purchase DRM-free version

iv. Propose an evidence-based acquisitions pilot

Access fee up front Guaranteed spend

a. Estimate based on license denial stats

b. Quantitative proof of need from faculty, curriculum, etc.








Image Speaking PointsThank you!








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ER&L 2014: DDA 2.0 Evidence-Based Selection of E-Books - Talking Points