The University of Florida libraries are revising their outdated collection development policies to implement SMART collection policies that focus on strategic just-in-time collection building rather than traditional just-in-case purchasing. This will include modifying selection procedures, emphasizing shared collection projects, reallocating materials budgets, and targeting areas that support UF's strengths. The reasons for this change are that patron-driven acquisition plans have proven successful in purchasing books and e-books accessed through interlibrary loan, course reserves, and consortia-wide e-book purchasing. Additionally, analysis showed that a significant portion of print books purchased between 2007-2011 received few or no circulations, suggesting funds could be better spent. The goals of the new policies

1. Devising New Collection
Policies in Academic Libraries:
Let‟s Be Smart!
Facilitators:
Diane Bruxvoort, Sr. Associate Dean
&
Steven Carrico, Chair, Acquisitions

2. At UF outdated collection policies are being reviewed
and overhauled with
* SMART Collection Policies:
Strategic „Just in Time‟ collection development
Modify traditional selection procedures
Accentuate shared collection projects with other libraries
Revise allocation of materials/resources budget
Target collection building that supports UF‟s strengths

3. Why switch collection development
philosophy from the old school
„Just in Case‟ methodology
to the emerging
„Just in Time‟ approach?

4. Reason #1 : Patron-Driven Acquisitions Plans are working!
Early PDAs at UF:
** Books on Demand
• Print (now some e-books) purchased from ILL requests
- start-up 2006
** Course Reserves
• Print (now some e-books) purchased from Faculty &
Grad Student requests
– start-up 2008

5. Reason #1 : Patron-Driven Acquisitions Plans are working!
Development of e-book PDAs:
** UF-FSU PDA – shared purchase plan
• E-Books accessed by users at both universities
– start-up 2011
** STEM + Medicine PDA
• E-Books accessed/purchased in targeted disciplines
– start-up 2013
** FL consortium statewide e-books PDA
• E-Books accessed/purchased throughout consortium
– start-up 2013

6. Reason #1 : Patron-Driven Acquisitions Plans are working!
Ongoing Pilots & Future Plans:
** Two ongoing e-journal PDAs
- start-up 2013
** Expand the scope & size of the UF-FSU PDA
** Launch a print book PDA

7. Reason #2 : Too Many Unused
(and Under-used) Books
Smathers Libraries Purchased Book Circulation Analysis
Sample of Books Purchased in Years = 2007 - 2011
purchase
method
books added to
collections
number of books
with 0 circulations
number of books
with 1 circulation
Firm Orders
1,551
591
297
202
461
38.1%
19.1%
13.0%
29.7%
287
141
104
227
37.8%
18.6%
13.7%
29.9%
878
438
306
688
38.0%
19.0%
13.2%
29.8%
3,860
491
470
242
76.2%
9.7%
9.3%
4.8%
4,738
929
776
930
64.3%
12.6%
10.5%
12.6%
percentage
Approvals
759
percentage
Firm &
Approval
2,310
percentage
Gifts
5,063
percentage
grand total
percentage
7,373
number of books number of books with 3
with 2 circulations or more circulations

9. Some budget highlights:
• Resource (Materials) Budget 2012-13: 11.7 mil.; 80
percent spent for online resources; 8.88 mil. budget for
main libraries: 760k for print books - 450k for firm, 235k
for approval, 75k for PDA (mostly print). 8.5% of main
budget spent on print books.
• Resource Budget 2013-14: 400k reduced monographs
budget: 200k for firm, 85k for approval, 80k for PDA
(mostly print). 4.25% of main budget spent on print
books.
• 40 selectors, 60 subject disciplines, and dozens of firm
and approval budgets = less funding per subject
discipline.

10. Considerations for Budget Reallocation:
• How dependent are subject disciplines on print books?
• Are there endowment, grants, or other sources of funds
available – and how much is there - in subject areas to
augment book budgets?
• What is the overall percentage of the monographs budget
spent on specific disciplines or broad subject areas?

11. Goals of New Collection Policies
• Set collection strategies by subject areas and
disciplines, but apply key „umbrella policies‟:
- print serials to online
- purchase e-books over print books when
e-versions are available
• Reallocate budgets to target disciplines or collections less
supported in an online environment (e.g. Art).
• Create new programs that support disciplines and
collections in a variety of formats (e.g. LAC e-book plans)
• Streamline traditional methods of collection building
- reduce print book purchases (firm orders)
- revise gift acceptance and selection parameters

12. SMART Collection Policies
Strategic „Just in Time‟ collection development
Modify traditional selection procedures
Accentuate shared collection projects with other libraries
Revise allocation of materials/resources budget
Target collection building that supports UF‟s strengths

13. Questions & Discussion Points:
Is your library currently revising or considering revising its collection
policies? If so, will you incorporate “Just in Case” strategies?
Is you library running pilot or ongoing patron-driven acquisitions plans?
If so, how are you balancing these programs with your traditional
collection development? How are you allocating budgets to pay for PDAs
and traditional methods of selection?
Given that a significant percentage of print books are either unused or
under-used, what justification does a library have to continue
purchasing and building print collections?
Some librarians are suggesting that e-books acquired by package or firm
orders have a similar pattern of non-use or under-use to print books. If
so, how would this affect collection development strategies?
Are there any questions or issues that were not covered? Feedback?

14. Diane Bruxvoort, Sr. Associate Dean
dbruxvoort@ufl.edu
Steven Carrico, Chair, Acquisitions
stecarr@uflib.ufl.edu
*