Beyond usage – Selection strategies for EBA programs.

Evidence-Based Acquisition (EBA) is a monograph-purchasing model in which a library licenses access to a large corpus of ebooks for a set period of time (typically a year). At the end of the term, the library acquires a number of permanent titles with a set dollar amount. Much has been published about choosing an EBA provider, with the focus primarily on usage during the full-access period. Little has been written about the decision-making process for permanent access monograph purchase. Our analysis of usage data at J. Paul Leonard Library has shown that year-to-year usage of monographs in an EBA program fluctuates markedly, so usage during one year is not a strong indicator of long-term value. Other factors are worth considering. This case report will document the library's overall EBA efforts and the development of a system whereby selectors advised on the purchase of ebooks in five different EBA programs, and the criteria they used in their selection. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]