Buy Request: Just in Time v. Just in Case at OSU Libraries

Presentation at the 2010 Acquisitions Institute, May 17, 2010, Timberline Lodge, Oregon.Libraries have long encouraged academic researchers to be involved in the collection development process. Faculty and students can submit purchase requests via email or online forms; even so, most purchasing is of the “just in case” variety. With collection budgets static or shrinking, “just in time” purchasing offers one way to increase the immediate, and potentially long-term, value of collection purchases. Oregon State University Valley Library took advantage of Interlibrary Loan (ILL) requesting, a long-standing and consistently used service, to identify materials for “just in time” purchases. Stated goals of the Buy Request pilot project include 1) meeting researchers’ point-of-need material requests while 2) enhancing the current and future value of the collection. We will present a brief overview of the project, including purchase criteria, along with a more detailed discussion of the project measures of success: patron satisfaction (obtained via survey) and circulation statistics for Buy Request materials vs. approval/firm fund purchases. Finally, we’d like to invite audience participation in the broader discussion of patron-driven acquisition trends including use of tools like GIST (Getting It System Toolkit) and benefits of enhanced collaboration between ILL and collection development/acquisition departments