Effects of Demand-Driven Acquisitions on Law Library Collection Development

The Spring 2016 issue of Law Library Journal, a publication of the American Association of Law Libraries, has a feature article on The Effects of Demand-Driven Acquisitions on Law Library Collection Development :

"Many academic libraries have begun using demand-driven or patron-driven acquisitions (DDA or PDA). In this model of collection development, instead of purchasing materials and then adding records for them to the online catalog, a library adds records for certain items without purchasing them. Payment occurs only if and when the item is used."

"While generally thought of as being used for e-books, similar systems can be used for journal articles and print books. DDA has been around for almost two decades, but it is only recently that the convergence of several factors—the increasing availability of e-books on law topics, a strong and ever-growing preference for electronic materials by users, and closer scrutiny of both library collection budgets and library space—have made this a tool that law libraries, particularly academic law libraries, are likely to consider (...) "

"This article begins with a brief discussion of collection development practices in academic law libraries, followed by descriptions of both the mechanics and the goals of DDA programs. It then looks at possible changes to library collections as a result of these programs and suggests ways that librarians can continue to develop their collections in a professional manner while still taking advantage of the quick, easy, and possibly cost-saving aspects of DDA. The article focuses on academic law libraries, which are the most likely users of DDA, but in the long term, DDA will affect all law libraries because law firm and government law libraries frequently rely on academic law libraries to lend them materials that they do not own. "