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PDA is Pretty Darned Awesome!

  • Posted by: Barbara Quintiliano
  • Posted Date: October 6, 2015
  • Filed Under: Library News

It’s the latest thing in library collection development: PDA or patron-driven acquisition, also called DDA (demand-driven acquisition). Instead of purchasing materials “just in case” users may wish to read them in the future, materials are acquired “just in time,” that is, at point of demand. Many PDA plans are automatic. If one or more users try to access portions of an ebook beyond the table of contents, a purchase is triggered and the content is instantaneously available.  Other plans are mediated.  This means that the librarian is sent a report of attempts to access content, allowing her to gauge interest in the title. She can then decide whether or not to place an order for the ebook.

Falvey Library has recently instituted a mediated PDA plan through Rittenhouse Book Distributors for the more than 150 ebooks comprising the Doody’s Core Nursing Collection. A Doody’s Core title “is a book or software title that represents essential knowledge needed by professionals or students in a given discipline and is highly recommended for the collection of a library that serves health sciences specialists.”

For the list of Doody’s Core Titles in nursing, click here.

The plan works like this:
Metadata for the items are preloaded into the library’s online catalog.  “Connect to this resource online” allows users to view the table of contents and to attempt to access portions of the book. The nursing librarian receives weekly email notifications of these attempts. From the number of attempts reported she can decide whether or not to order the ebook as a permanent addition to the collection.

Pretty darned amazing when you think about it!

Questions? Comments! Contact Barbara.

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  1. […] Nursing/Life Sciences & Instructional Services Librarian, Falvey recently instituted a mediated PDA plan through Rittenhouse Book Distributors for the more than 150 ebooks comprising the Doody’s Core […]

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Last Modified: October 6, 2015

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