As a follow up to the survey, volunteer participants across industries were interviewed in order to gain additional insight into the eBook collection development and evolvement process.
Participants were from aerospace, agriculture/food, conglomerate, medical device and oil & gas industries. While some of the libraries reported still having a physical space with print holdings, others went through space restructuring that forced them to move to all-digital content.
Uniformly, the eBook purchase process started with the first large eBook collection emergence on the market (Knovel). DRM free and offering content from versatile subject areas, the large collections became the backbone of the eBook content space across industries. Once the market provided more choices in aggregate eBook platforms that promised delivery of publisher agnostic content, librarians tried platforms side by side often to discover that the native publisher platforms still offered better functionality. In the cases where aggregate platforms were chosen, it has been done to benefit budget decisions and accommodate the need for less contract bureaucracy.
Additionally, some of the aggregate platforms allow temporary use of content as a loan, which can lead to recommendation for purchase. While one of the interviewees reported having both a print collection and online subscriptions, the latter being preferably title-selected, not collections, and fulfilled on demand via document delivery, without PPV accounts; another interviewee who also had a print collection and collection and title based online subscriptions, preferred having access to an aggregate platform with a deposit account that allowed them content acquisition on the go.
Collection development process for eBooks has mirrored that of journals in the sense that librarians utilize usage statistics reporting to determine the best purchase decisions. When addressing new eBook content, utilizing the document delivery book chapter demand as both a way to negotiate the appropriate eBook purchase (title selection vs collection purchase), shift from PPV to subscription access, as well as gain approval from the budget decision makers was reported as a common best practice; in the scenarios where library budgets are often charged back or allocated to user divisions, having a clear view of the actual usage is the best argument for ensuring budget support.
Even when the shift to subscription access is done, usage statistics are the best, and most transparent way to show utilization and secure the funding. Trial availability for eBook platforms is key when making a decision whether a new platform will be added to the library’s eBook portfolio. Long term trials are preferred. They allow enough time for the users to be informed about potential new sources of information, get training, take the time to test the functionality of the platform, and lastly, provide feedback on whether or not the resource is deemed useful enough for purchase. Thus, the usage review and user feedback during the trial are a clear and honest way of evaluating a new resource and making the case for budget sponsorship.
That is why usage statistics remain the most important element of that ROI calculation for the collection measure. Gathered both from the document delivery providers and individual content platforms, usage determines the purchase and the budget drive.
Availability of standardized statistics has made a difference in the review process in that librarians are comparing the same sets of data vs the early adoptions of eBook platforms where statistics differed from platform to platform, which presented an additional hurdle in evaluating and justifying eBook spend. Nevertheless, even with standardized metrics, librarians recognize that there is not enough time to be dedicated to metrics, in particular in solo-librarian scenarios, where the single headcount library function is responsible for provision of services and resources to thousands of information seekers.
There is simply not enough time to dedicate to statistics, and they are reviewed mostly if not only in anticipation of budget review and planning.
Another relevant part of the standard usage reports is feedback in the form of individual requests or user surveys. One of the interviewees reported that an annual survey on library resources, sent out by a member of the executive team is a key measure and driver of the collection development process. Anecdotal feedback from users is also beneficial but it does not happen as often - when there is an access issue, or when availability of content proves critical on a project delivery; one of the interviewees did say that they occasionally interview users on ebooks and other topics, and utilize the feedback in budget justification.
Though those coming from companies with library teams also highlighted the importance of the ROI analysis. While some companies charge back for all of their budget, others allocate percentage by division.
Showing value via ROI reports, based largely on the usage statistics for both resources and services, measures value and speaks to stakeholders and budget deciders
Technology improvements such as Single Sign On (SSO) and implementation of Open Athens, which echoed both in the survey and interview feedback, as well as discovery platforms and catalogs proved critical in both usage enhancements and marketing channels of the eBook content. These special authentication methods force users to utilize the library site and library links, proving for one of the interviewees that eBooks top the list of most used resources based on the OpenAthens statistics. Simple apps developed in-house for a variety of resources are utilized at one company as a means of advertising library resources, while another company uses mobile apps to browse the journal and eBook listings. eBook mobile apps in general are helpful, but not all companies provide tablets/iPads to all employees and eBook access on a smartphone may not be ideal for all eBook platform functionalities.
Other marketing and deployment tools include raising awareness via library’s/information center’s intranet site, news alerts pushed to clients and the company intranet or company chat software, blogs which are used to cover a variety of collection development topics, targeted emails to teams that would most benefit from select resources, team and new employee orientations and topic specific training, as well as best ways to include eBooks in HR platforms and integrate in professional development programs.
Training sessions are more effective and more attended when limited to 30 minutes; when training is provided by the publishers/content providers, the librarian acts as a host, using the opportunity to market the library services and site to the attendees. Recordings of the training sessions are retained for future new users and where possible shared in the company training repositories.
Though this was not specifically asked, interviewees could not avoid commenting on the impact of the pandemic on their outreach to users. For most companies, library staff have been working remotely since February/March 2020. While remote work perhaps allowed more online communication and awareness, at the same time there was a recognition of the online communication overload created by webinars and conference calls.
While interviewees with digital-only resources have seen an increase in online content demand; those with physical library spaces have missed the in-person interactions and benefits of utilizing the library spaces for collaboration, meetings, browsing of print content, and last but not least, places to relax and think in silence. With many companies adopting new remote work or hybrid work policies, the impact of the physical presence of the librarian or team will continue to evolve.
In general, all interviewees agreed that the requests for eBooks are less frequent than for journal content. For those libraries that still have print collections, there is an ongoing demand for new print content. The preference of print in certain roles (engineering, research) bypasses the stereotypes of generational preferences of print vs digital.
As far as predictions for the next 5 years in the world of eBooks and their collection development process, flexibility of content availability and licensing is key.
By relying on usage and user feedback, using established marketing and deployment strategies, creating a transparent ROI, the eBook collection is becoming standardized like the one for journals. With the recognition that not all collections are necessary, or that not every title will need a subscription, and that document delivery channels can be the backup option for content access, librarians are applying the same selection decisions to eBooks as they do to journals.
Some of the eBooks, often reference works, are part of the core content, essential for researchers; however, there is a good amount of eBook content that is part of the “nice to have” content category. With that varied relevance of content, it is beneficial that there are options with eBooks, chapter purchase, title selections, and collection purchase. For the subscriptions, if the usage is good, then cost can be negotiated even to multiyear access options with price control.
In the same way that users who are digital natives will keep expecting platform agnostic content, good search capabilities, simple and clean platforms, librarians expect more licensing flexibility, continuing title and collection options, and even as flexible options as purchasing a title for a set number of licenses. With eBook platforms and licenses flexible, the future will be good.