Buying by the bucketful: a comparative study of e-book acquisition strategies

Abstract

The University of Liverpool (UoL) has been subscribing to and purchasing e-book packages since 2006. This article describes UoL’s experiences of evaluating the use and value of such packages, and considers whether alternative purchasing strategies – single-title selection (also known as ‘firm orders’), patrondriven acquisition (PDA) or evidence-based selection (EBS) – might offer a more cost-effective way to meet users’ needs. The discussion is informed by evidence from the University of Liverpool COUNTER usage statistics and includes modelling of the costs that might result from observed usage patterns if a PDA purchasing model were applied. Criteria for evaluating the success of e-book packages are discussed, including a consideration of how value for money can be calculated for different e-book purchasing models. An outline is provided of the implications for managing acquisitions budgets when e-book collections form part of the acquisitions strategy.