StaffGuide: Collection Development

Ordering Calendar

Acquisitions ordering calendar
July
  • Fiscal New Year Start-Up
  • Library Finance Department notifies library about endowment income.
  • Selectors advised to begin ordering, assuming there are no budgetary constraints
August
  • Estimate price increases
September
  • 2nd week of the month, selectors reach out to departmental liaisons for input about selections.
October
  • Oct. 1, Monographic funds should be 30% submitted.
  • Oct. 30, Monographic funds should be 30% encumbered
December / January
  • December 15, Monographic funds should be 50% submitted.
  • Jan. 31, Monographic funds should be 50% encumbered.
  • Jan. 31, All non-U.S. source orders (printed format) should be submitted by January 31st to allow for shipping time and payment to be completed before the end of the fiscal year.
March
  • March 1, Monographic funds should be 90% submitted.
  • March 30, Monographic funds should be 90% encumbered.
  • March 1, Subject group orders due.
  • Budget Proposals due to the University.
April
  • April 15, 100% of selections must be submitted. (Must allow time for record and invoice delivery plus payment)
May
  • Uncommitted general funds pooled for special purchases.
June
  • June 30, fiscal year end close.

Notes:

  • Budget allocations from the University are distributed one-time during the year and have not been on a set schedule. The timing of Library allocations is heavily dependent on the timing of University allocations.
  • Funds for reserves, faculty publications, replacements, and some awards titles are available year round.
  • It is an increasing trend that books go out of print very quickly and therefore are more difficult to purchase.
  • Early monographs ordering is encouraged where possible. It is difficult for acquisitions staff to handle large numbers of orders received on or near the deadline.
  • Rialto Market in Alma is the preferred method for submitting book selections.
  • Using Gobi folders is also acceptable to select titles for collection development purposes. Make the folder visible and the type shared. Best practice is to use your fund code and the year as the title. Email books@uark.edu when you are ready for the selections in your folder to be ordered.
  • Unit email addresses

book selections: books@uark.edu

book rush requests: rrequest@uark.edu

serials acquisitions questions: libacq@uark.edu

Policies and Procedures

Fund Reports

Alma Fund Reports

  1. Log into Alma.
  2. On the left menu, choose Analytics, then Out of the Box Analytics, then Acquisitions - Fund Reports, then View Full Report. If you pin that report you will see the link to the Acquisitions Fund Reports when you click on Analytics under Pinned Objects. 
Note that the reports and functions listed will vary depending on your Alma roles. 

OverDrive

GOBI

Other Tools

Definitions

DDA "Data Driven Acquisition"  -  Also referred to as PDA (Patron Driven Acquisitions).  Titles are generally triggered for purchase in a dda plan. We currently have a DDA program through JSTOR for ebooks.  We also have a mediated dda (email requests) through Kanopy for streaming video.

EBA "Evidence-Based Acquisitions" - Titles are chosen to keep with perpetual access from a pool of titles at the end of the contract (Usually May or June).  We have several Ebook EBAs currently.  See the files in the Collection Development Assembly (CDA) Team for more details.

DRM-free - DRM is a set of techniques that restricts the access, copying, and sharing of copyrighted digital media files.  For instance, DRM typically limits how much an e-book reader can print and how long they can check it out.  DRM-free content allows users to freely use and transfer the content without any limitations. Buying directly with the ebook publisher usually provides a DRM-free experience.