Ordering e-books can be complicated with an ever-changing world of options for libraries to navigate. There are so many things to think about when trying to determine your e-book collection development and acquisition strategy, and it can get overwhelming.

First, you must decide what you want to order, and whether you want to order through an aggregator or through a publisher directly (if they have their own platform). Then, you must decide what acquisition method makes the most sense for your library’s collection development goals and budget. Depending on those goals, you may decide to mix it up, ordering title-by-title, or using Demand-Driven Acquisition (DDA), maybe a publisher eCollection or two, and you might even decide to try Evidence-Based Acquisition. Then, you must also think about access models — do you want unlimited user? Is DRM-free important to you?

Starting from single title e-book ordering in 2005 to more than one million DRM-free e-books in 2019, we are continually reaching new digital content milestones.

With all of these different options, you have to think about hidden complications when ordering from so many different places — the time spent checking to make sure you don’t order a title you already have access to, managing multiple invoices, working with different customer service contacts, handling cataloging records. 

GOBI Library Solutions understands how complex e-book collection development and acquisition can be, which is why we have continually adapted and evolved to make sure we continue to offer the broadest selection of e-book content options and acquisition models in one place — GOBI. When you order through GOBI, you get all the benefits of a diversified e-book collection, while also receiving best-in-class duplication control across formats and leveraging GOBI’s cataloging services and workflow support.

Starting from single title e-book ordering in 2005 to reaching more than one million DRM-free e-books in 2019, we are continually reaching new digital content milestones to make sure libraries get what they need.

View the infographic to see year-by-year how GOBI Library Solutions has worked to develop the broadest range of e-book acquisition options available for academic libraries.

The evolution of e-book choice in GOBI