2017 Charleston Library Conference

eBooks play an important role in providing students on-demand resources for their research and classroom readings. Textbooks are not traditionally purchased by libraries, but could this change with course-use eBooks? Is this a viable option to alleviate the additional cost of supplies to students? To implement this as an option, many factors need to be examined beginning with collection development policies and eBook value statements. My poster provides a visual highlighting the results of the unique research I did on eBook value statements while working on the Mellon-funded Charlotte Initiative.

My search of collection development policies for the grant lead me to find thirteen eBook value statements online. I analyzed each to identify similarities and pinpoint common concerns libraries have with eBooks and what they consider when acquiring them for their collection. My poster identifies the top five priorities found within the statements and a list of all nineteen of the priorities found in a majority of the statements with some discussion. Handouts will include a list of the value statements found with links to them and a list and/or table of all the priorities in order of popularity.

Many of these statements encompass the concerns of a group of academic libraries working together to provide the best in access and discoverability of eBooks in their collections, therefore representing many more than thirteen academic libraries.This information is helpful to publishers and vendors in identifying what the libraries are looking for in eBook products, and useful to libraries and collection development librarians when considering eBook purchasing.