Analysis of On-Demand Service Model: A 10 Year Review

Abstract

In recent years libraries have been exploring on-demand purchasing, which is an alternative acquisition model that orders resources when prompted by library patrons. On-demand requires rush processing to speed up acquisition and availability to ensure resources are provided in a timely manner. This has resulted in significant changes that affect both patrons and library workers. This poster presentation will provide an examination of making such a change in an academic library’s resource acquisition and access model over the past decade. The presentation will reflect on changes to workflows, discuss the additional support around outreach and collection assessment required for a shift in the model, share analysis on the impact on patron use and attitudes around library collection services before discussing the fiscal impact of the change in model for the library’s budget, and delve into our findings regarding circulation and use statistics of requested resources. Our poster presentation will use our own library’s journey with shifting our acquisitions model to on-demand. This conversion begins in 2015 when we began using on-demand vendors to purchase articles directory for journals with lower use. In 2016 our audio-visual efforts began and in Fall 2018 we piloted our books on demand program for some subject areas. In 2019 we expanded our books on demand program, making it library-wide.