The monograph question

Citation

Cassell, K.A. (2014), "The monograph question", Collection Building, Vol. 33 No. 1. https://doi.org/10.1108/CB-11-2013-0045

The monograph question

Article Type: Editorial From: Collection Building, Volume 33, Issue 1

I wanted to take a look at e-monographs since after so much of our focus for the last couple decades has been on serials and databases, libraries are now looking at e-monographs. It is here that we see completely different patterns between academic and public libraries as each is trying to meet the needs of their users and work with the vendors who supply the e-monographs that they need.

Academic libraries have, in the last couple decades, spent more and more of their funds on electronic resources, mostly databases. Slowly, the amount of money spent on monographs has decreased so that the monograph holdings have drastically shrunk. Academic libraries, given a choice with their monograph funds, have been buying the electronic version of titles. These titles are accessible to their users 24/7 and although usually more expensive, they have the advantage of not taking up space in the library and not wearing out. A number of vendors now offer academic libraries packages of e- monographs. This seems to have been quite successful. It is more expedient that selecting title-by-title, and the collections are fairly well used by students and faculty. The Adelphi University Library article in this issue discusses their experience with one such package. The titles in the package are being used, and many are titles not owned by the Library in print. The author concludes that this is a good way to add to the monograph collection in the Library.

Public libraries have struggled to have popular titles available in electronic format. Early on, the titles available electronically were primarily academic titles which were of little interest to the public library’s users. Overdrive was the first company to begin to work with the trade publishers to convince them to offer their titles electronically to public libraries. It began slowly with a couple publishers agreeing to sign with Overdrive. Other publishers waited to see how this would work. Several stayed on the sidelines for a couple years not sure what the impact of making their titles available electronically would do. They were afraid of losing sales of their books. Now most trade publishers are on board although their businesses models vary considerably. Still public libraries are only leasing the titles, and some would like to own them. Douglas County (Colorado) is one of the leaders in this movement to buy electronic titles and have them available for their users. They have arranged to buy electronic titles from small publishers and titles that are self-published. Others are joining Douglas County in their program. Public library users are very enthusiastic about having e-books available so it seems that this will continue to be an additional format offered by public libraries. It will be interesting to watch as perhaps other business models emerge.

Kay Ann Cassell