Eight proven steps to improve eBook collection development in libraries

Author: Saskia Hoving

Editor-in-Chief

As libraries continue to adapt to the growing demand for digital resources, developing a well-rounded eBook collection has become a key part of supporting research and learning. But with so many options and limited budgets, how can librarians make informed, sustainable decisions? Based on insights from Springer Nature’s eBook specialists, this guide outlines eight practical steps that can help libraries shape their eBook strategies, balancing user needs, budget constraints, and long-term value.

This guide draws on the expertise of three Springer Nature professionals who support eBook strategy and development in collaboration with libraries worldwide:

• Marianna La Martire, eBook Sales Specialist, is focused on Southern Europe.
• Wouter van der Velde, Global Director, Books Solutions Portfolio, has extensive experience with eBook collection development worldwide.
• Yuki Suganuma, Business Development Manager, eBooks, is focused on Japan, Southeast Asia, and Oceania.

Step 1: Assessing your library’s eBook needs

The foundation of effective eBook acquisition is a clear understanding of user needs, something best achieved through a data-driven approach.

Marianna says, “Usage statistics and denials provide valuable insights into actual demand, helping to guide informed collection development decisions. However, it is equally important to consider the quality of the books, looking at factors such as the number of citations, impact factor, and specific features like DRM (digital rights management)-free access. Ensuring easy and unrestricted accessibility is key to meeting the diverse needs of all users.”

“Usage/denials are key metrics,” Yuki concurs, “and it’s also important to assess actual/repeated needs through chronological data as academic research trends change.”

According to Wouter, it’s the combination of librarians’ data analysis skills and their deep understanding of researcher communities that transforms raw data into meaningful insight. “Librarians are essential to analysing the data and more importantly, they combine the analysis with their deep knowledge about the research areas they are supporting. Not all crucial content shows by high usage for instance, but a library’s connection to the departments help to identify the right content strategy. Keeping the communication lines with departments and faculty open is crucial.”

Why choose to license collections instead of selecting titles individually? Purchasing complete collections can be a more cost-effective approach, offering greater long-term value. As usage accumulates over time, the cost per download decreases significantly, making collections a strategic investment.

It’s also important to consider the types of books that best align with your library’s needs, whether that’s a balanced mix of reference works, monographs, or textbooks.

Step 2: Budgeting

With budgets under pressure, making a strong case for investing in eBooks, rather than other resources like journal, requires solid data. Flexible eBook models such as Evidence-Based Acquisition (EBA) can support this by providing usage insights that help demonstrate value and guide purchasing decisions.

As Marianna explains, “One of the best strategies is to move beyond traditional purchasing models and adopt more flexible, data-driven approaches... EBA models allow libraries to offer broad access to a large catalogue of eBooks for a fixed period, usually 12 months. During this time, usage data is collected, helping librarians identify which titles truly meet the needs of their users. At the end of the access period, only the most relevant and highly used titles are purchased for permanent access.”

That last point on continuity of access is important. Yuki notes, “Continuity is important for the model... From a return on investment point of view, collections would be more economical based on the peak usage of eBooks.”

The EBA approach could be complemented with others to serve the library best. Wouter suggests that “core research areas can be served by Continuing Access Models, while research areas with less immediate content needs might be served by other licensing models.” Librarians’ expertise and familiarity with their users will guide them in identifying licensing models that match their collection development strategies best.

Step 3: Selecting titles

Curating a well-balanced eBook collection is a core strength of librarianship, but the pace of new publications makes it increasingly important to have a clear strategy and the right tools. According to our experts, data-driven decision-making, particularly through usage statistics and denial reports, is key to identifying high-value content and aligning acquisitions with user demand.

Marianna finds that “adopting a flexible acquisition strategy helps diversify the collection, allowing libraries to respond to a wide range of user demands and build a comprehensive, well-balanced digital library that serves the entire academic community.”

“With budget usually being the limiting factor,” says Wouter, “Librarians need to weigh a number of tools and consider different licensing models to effectively build their collection, for example taking on a broad Evidence Based Selection model, where content is available to the patrons without limitations, and analysing usage statistics to license essential content in perpetuity. Or a library can choose to select individual books using smart selection tools, acquiring only books that are requested or have high denials, or it can use a combination of licensing models.”

Step 4: Licensing and access

To support seamless access, it’s important to avoid licensing restrictions that limit how users can engage with content. Choosing DRM-free models with no user limits helps ensure that eBooks are readily available whenever and wherever they’re needed.

Marianna notes, “Libraries should look for content that offers continuous access, no DRM limitations, and unlimited simultaneous users. Providing unrestricted access removes barriers to usage, ensuring that all users can consult the materials they need at any time without restrictions. These features should reassure libraries that they are offering a reliable, user-friendly digital experience for their academic communities.”

Yuki says, “DRM-free across campuses and departments would be helpful for eBooks because books provide fundamental knowledge across disciplines to conduct research. According to customer feedback, institutional purchases are key to early career researchers and students, as they wouldn’t need to buy all relevant titles by themselves and they can read as many titles as they want without incurring personal cost. Similarly, with eBooks, end users wouldn't have to wait for print titles to be returned and could read or even take notes offline directly in PDF or ePub just as they would with their own print copies, through our full download and offline functionality.”

And, you also need to have excellent metadata and cataloguing. Wouter points out, “Equally valuable is the quality of metadata: ‘a book is only as good as its metadata,’ as this will make a title discoverable. A key element to make sure that licensed books are available and findable is to prioritize cataloguing the content. Studies showed that usage has more than doubled when MARC (machine-readable cataloguing) records are loaded into catalogues. Secondly, a licensing model and hosting platform should make sure that the author’s work is protected against illegal dissemination, but at the same time make it as easy as possible for a reader to use the content, for instance by liberal DRM protection.”

Step 5: Technical infrastructure

A reliable technical infrastructure plays a key role in ensuring users can easily discover and access the eBooks they need. Strong discovery tools, in particular, help surface relevant content and improve overall engagement with the collection.

Marianna says, “A strong discovery service is essential to support an eBook collection, enabling seamless search across a wide range of licensed content. Libraries can address common technical challenges by integrating their eBooks into discovery tools like ProQuest-ExLibris Primo, Summon, EBSCO Discovery Service, and WorldCat Discovery.” To help with this, Springer Nature “provides full metadata and text to ensure our content is easily indexed and discoverable, helping libraries offer a smooth and reliable user experience.”

Step 6: Promotion and outreach

While making licensed eBook content discoverable is essential for increasing usage, it’s equally important to take proactive steps to ensure users are aware of what’s available to them.

Marianna’s advice is, “To promote an eBook collection effectively and increase usage, libraries should actively communicate through websites, newsletters, and social media, and organize training sessions or webinars (services that we regularly offer to support our library partners). Collaborating with faculty to integrate eBooks into course materials and promoting open access content within departments are also powerful ways to boost visibility and engagement across the academic community.”

Step 7: Training and support

Maximizing the value of an eBook collection also requires staying informed about new technologies, trends, and developments in digital publishing.

“Libraries,” Mariana explains, “provide regular training and support to both staff and users, helping them navigate digital resources effectively.” But librarians, too, require ongoing training. “Staying updated with the latest eBook technologies and trends is essential, and continuous professional development through webinars, vendor updates, and participation in library networks can help libraries keep pace with new developments.”

Springer Nature supports librarians as well as researcher and staff. “[Springer Nature has] developed the Librarian Portal, a dedicated platform for libraries, where we offer training sessions and webinars on how to access purchased content, download MARC Records, KBART files, and title lists with key bibliographic information. We also support librarians in using the Single eBook Shop, our online platform for selecting individual eBook titles. Staying updated with the latest eBook technologies and trends is essential, and continuous professional development through webinars, vendor updates, and participation in library networks can help libraries keep pace with new developments.”

Yuki adds, “Besides just technical support, we also organise an eBook summit with librarians, authors, senior academics, university research administrators, and others to have a better understanding of eBooks as well as the global situation around eBooks. Topics include the latest use of AI in eBooks for example, so we try to provide comprehensive information and collaborate with libraries to make eBooks better in many ways.”

Step 8: Evaluation and improvement

Just as data plays a key role in planning and developing an eBook collection, it should also inform ongoing evaluation, helping identify which resources to expand, adjust, or retire based on usage and relevance.

Marianna says, “Libraries should evaluate the success of their eBook collection primarily by analysing usage data within their community, as it remains a key indicator of engagement. Continuous promotion of available content is also essential to encourage more active use. Additionally, libraries should consider qualitative aspects, such as identifying top-performing eBooks, highly cited titles, and subject relevance, to ensure that their collections align with the academic and research needs of their users.”

However, Wouter also observes, “Indeed usage and cost per download are important indicators of success, but a librarian should also realise that quantity is not necessarily an indicator of success. For example, while a group of students all using the same textbook at the same time will result in high usage — which proves success without doubt — it should also be considered that few uses in a specialist book by a single advanced researcher working on a high-profile research project could be equally valuable.”

And Yuki adds, “It’d be helpful to analyse usage by copyright year, subject, book-series, book-type, or even taxonomy, so that a fairer picture (not dependent on specific subject areas with large numbers of researchers) could be obtained.”

Strengthening library collections through strategic eBook planning

These eight steps reflect the insights and experiences shared by librarians as they navigate the evolving landscape of eBook collection development. For a deeper look at how these strategies are applied in practice, case studies from institutions such as the University of British Columbia and Virginia Tech offer valuable context. To explore additional resources and tools, visit the Springer Nature eBooks platform.

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