Against the Grain V34#1, February, 2022

eBooks in Academic Libraries: The Publisher/Aggregator Perspective

By David Gibbs (Interim Associate Dean, University Library, California State University, Sacramento) <david.gibbs@csus.edu>

In the September 2021 issue of this publication, librarians shared their experiences with the challenges and opportunities of acquiring eBooks for academic libraries, twenty years after this format first appeared on the scene. As promised, this issue offers publishers and aggregators an opportunity to respond.

Our first two articles address lessons learned from COVID-19 and the abrupt shift to online learning.

EBSCO’s Kara Kroes Li writes about the COVID-driven transition toward eBook course reserves and “curriculum-driven acquisition,” as well as the aggregator’s role in educating publishers and pushing them to adopt more open eBook models and more reasonable pricing. She observes that COVID seems to have accelerated users’ preference for eBooks over print.

When Elsevier opened up its catalog during the first year of COVID, Melissa Fulkerson was surprised by how much of the increase in STEM eBook usage could be attributed to undergraduates, which the publisher had never considered a core market. She now has a more expansive idea of what can be considered STEM “reference” content and who counts as a researcher.

John Lenahan explains how JSTOR has expanded access to eBooks by surfacing content at the chapter level, pushing publishers to expand unlimited DRM-free access, and facilitating the inevitable move toward Open Access.

Finally, Andrea Ferro of Casalini takes a historical look at the evolution of eBooks over the past twenty years, from mostly backlist print supplements sold in packages to today’s complex patron- and evidence-driven acquisitions models and multiple pricing options. He lays out the challenges of an aggregator specializing in niche content in trying to meet the needs of multiple and diverse stakeholders.

All of these publishers and aggregators clearly understand the frustrations expressed by the librarians in the September issue. It is reassuring to see that they are addressing the shortcomings of eBooks in the academic marketplace and advocating for libraries and users to their publisher clients. I come away optimistic that the next 20 years will see continued improvements in the eBook experience for librarians and users alike.

Against the Grain / February 2022<https://www.charleston-hub.com/media/atg/>