Tag: license-types

Buying and Managing E-Books for Acquisitions Librarians. Part 4 – Statistics & Promotion

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In our previous post, we looked at the “invisible” life of an e-book once the invoice is paid. We explored the high-stakes world of metadata, the frustrations of DRM, and the ethical imperative of accessibility. We established that buying the book is only half the battle; the other half is ensuring it actually works for the human at the other end of the screen.

Here is a breakdown of the series so far:

But how do we know if it’s working? And once we have a collection that functions, how do we make sure people actually use it? Welcome to the latest part of my series, Buying and Managing E-Books for Acquisitions Librarians Part 4 – Statistics & Promotion.

Image by Pete Linforth from Pixabay

Statistics: The Signal, the Noise, and the Weapon

In the digital library, statistics are ubiquitous. We are currently awash in an exhausting volume of data, from COUNTER 5.1 reports to granular platform analytics, that promise to underpin our collection strategies. When harnessed correctly, this data is the engine of a truly dynamic service, it allows for Just-In-Time (JIT) acquisition and a responsive, data-driven strategy that mirrors the actual needs of our researchers and students in real-time.

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Buying and Managing E-Books for Acquisitions Librarians. Part 3 – Managing E-Books

Anth SinnottLeave a comment

Welcome to the third post in my series, Buying and Managing E-Books for Acquisitions Librarians. In our previous post, we navigated the high-level landscape of e-book procurement—exploring how Evidence-Based Acquisition (EBA), DDA, and big-brand packages allow us to scale our collections. We looked at the “how” and the “where” of getting content into our digital ecosystem.

Here is a breakdown of the series so far:

As any seasoned librarian knows, the work doesn’t end when the invoice is cleared and the license is signed. In many ways, that is where the real challenge begins. Managing an e-book collection is a continuous lifecycle of maintenance, troubleshooting, and advocacy. It’s about ensuring that the thousands of pounds we spend actually translate into a seamless, accessible experience for our students.

Welcome to Part 3 – Managing E-Books

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Buying and Managing E-Books for Acquisitions Librarians. Part 2 – Schemes and Packages.

Anth SinnottLeave a comment

Welcome to the second post in my series, Buying and Managing E-Books for Acquisitions Librarians. Over the coming weeks, I will be pulling back the curtain on the digital supply chain to explore methods of purchase, supplier relationships, and what happens next. Today we are looking at Schemes and Packages

Here is a breakdown of the series so far:

In our previous post, we looked at the foundational elements of e-book procurement: the “who” (suppliers) and the “how” (licences). We explored the delicate balance of choosing between a 3-user licence and a credit model, and the importance of having a robust local selection policy.

However, title-by-title purchasing is only one piece of the puzzle. To build a scalable, responsive collection, we have to look beyond individual transactions. Suppliers frequently sell using models that move away from the one book, one price logic. Welcome to Part 2 – Schemes and Packages.

Image by u_u06cx7dg6j from Pixabay

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Buying and Managing E-Books for Acquisitions Librarians. Part 1 – Purchasing E-Books.

Anth SinnottLeave a comment

In the ever-evolving landscape of academic library collections, the shift toward digital has often been framed as a straightforward evolution, a simple migration from shelf to screen. Yet, as any Acquisitions Librarian can tell you, the reality of building a digital collection is a complex dance of licensing, logistics, and strategic negotiation. While our patrons see the convenience of a click, we navigate a labyrinth of platforms, permissions, and pricing models behind the scenes.

Welcome to the first post in my new series, Buying and Managing E-Books for Acquisitions Librarians. Over the coming weeks, I will be pulling back the curtain on the digital supply chain to explore methods of purchase, supplier relationships, and what happens next

My plan is to cover the following elements:

Image by Michael Haderer from Pixabay

Purchasing E-Books

1 – Supplier Type: Aggregators

Aggregators—such as ProQuest (Ebook Central), EBSCO, and VLeBooks—act as the massive department stores of the library world. They host content from thousands of different publishers on a single, unified platform, providing a centralized hub for discovery and management.

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5 Inconvenient Facts All Librarians Should Know About E-Books

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During the Covid-19 pandemic, the promise of the digital library became clearer than ever. As physical doors closed, e-books offered a vital lifeline, foregrounding the incredible potential of on-demand access to information and culture. Yet this moment of digital promise also cast a harsh light on the dysfunctional infrastructure, predatory business models, and outdated legal frameworks that govern the lending of digital content.

For librarians on the front lines, the digital dream often clashes with a difficult daily reality. While lending a physical book is a straightforward and established process, licensing a digital one is complex, expensive, and often deeply frustrating. This has ignited a “palpable and widespread dissatisfaction” among library professionals who see a growing disconnect between their public mission and the commercial constraints of the e-book market.

This article uncovers five of the most impactful and often counter-intuitive realities that shape the world of e-lending today, revealing the hidden complexities that exist just beyond the reader’s click.

Image by Eli Digital Creative from Pixabay

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The Differential Model – A gold standard acquisitions workflow

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Everyone has an imaginary ideal acquisitions workflow, right…right?

If you don’t have your own, you can use mine. To explain, this is an acquisitions model that would fairly balance the need of Libraries to be selective and judicious in allocating their limited budgets to resources, whilst also accommodating the need for Publishers and Aggregators to make profits. This is not inherently a cost saving model, more of a cost reallocation model allowing Universities to direct their spend in a more strategic way

This is where the Differential Model comes in, a model that allows spending to be driven organically by need, ensuring our resources are directed to where they can have the greatest impact. The core principle involves re-profile spending away from speculative, front-loaded methods and towards a system that aligns with actual usage

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Ranking E-Book Licenses: A Tier List for Preference-Based Decisions

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We all know that e-book licenses can be intentionally complex and confusing. The difficulty often lies in choosing between licenses that seem similar on the surface. For that reason, understanding the nuances of different licensing models is key to making better purchasing decisions. This ranking system provides a clear hierarchy for the most common types of e-book licenses, helping you to make preference-based decisions.

Note: This post is a list based purely on the elements of the license itself. In reality, other factors like price and the presence of robust and configurable auto-upgrade systems often play a huge role in the final decision.

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