Does the library have print books anymore? Are they saving money buying the electronic versions instead? While UCM continues to grow online course offerings and degree programs, the library balances its collections with all students and faculty in mind. In some cases, the electronic version of a book makes more sense to purchase than a print copy, and vice versa. However, misconceptions about the cost of these books abound. When an individual looks at the cost of an ebook vs. a print book, they are only considering their own personal use. Ebooks purchased by libraries, however, may be exponentially more expensive than print books. This is because vendors license books to libraries based on the number of potential users; librarians can purchase access for 1 user at a time, 3 users at a time, or unlimited, concurrent user access. Even single use licenses for these electronic versions can be triple or quadruple the cost of a print book, and certainly more than the cost for personal use. In contrast, print books are purchased by the library once, owned outright, and can be circulated indefinitely depending on their physical condition.
Our JCKL librarians routinely engage in assessment to determine the appropriate content and format to purchase for the university’s curricular needs. As we navigate questions of content and format with regard to budgets, we importantly consider S.R. Ranganathan’s 5 Laws of Library Science:
The last law may be the most applicable here: our library is ever-evolving and we as librarians must consider how changing models can be balanced with our mission to serve our users.
Post contribution by Sara Evans
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