Demand-Driven Acquisitions for Print Books: How Holds Can Help as Much As Interlibrary Loan

Abstract

While there is a growing field of literature surrounding demand-driven acquisitions (DDA) for electronic books, libraries have been relatively silent regarding DDA for print books, with the notable exception of using interlibrary loan (ILL). This study will discuss how libraries can examine holds queue demand in conjunction with ILL to make collection development decisions related to print materials. It will also discuss how to work with catalogers to deflect ILL requests for these same high-demand items, so they can stay in the library for local patrons.

KEYWORDS:

• Circulation
• interlibrary loan
• access services

Notes

¹For the purposes of this article, holds describes the process in which a user designates an item for use as soon as it becomes available again for checkout, ideally generating a notice from the library saying the item is now available for pick up. In some libraries, this process is called “recalls,” while in others recalls are only those items that for whatever reason, must be returned immediately to the library, despite the fact that a user might have several days or weeks before the original due date.

²See van Dyk, G. (2011).

³We began in this year because it was the first full year where we had automatically purchased additional copies based on holds queue activity.

⁴Our ILS does not allow patrons to place holds on titles that are checked out to our interlibrary loan lending team.

⁵See http://www.loc.gov/marc/holdings/hd008.html