E-books

OU Libraries purchases some e-books through a Demand Driven Acquisitions (DDA) plan. We purchase DDA e-books from EBSCO and JSTOR. As books that match our DDA approval plan become available in e-book form, records are added to our catalog. When patrons find these books in the catalog, they click on the link and are taken seamlessly to the e-book. 

The key benefit of this program is that we are not charged for books until they are actually used, thus enabling us to make more books available than if we had to purchase them all up front whether or not they are used.

EBSCO DDAs: Each title is allowed three short term loans. Short term loans are created by one of the trigger events listed below. We are charged a percentage of the book price for each short term loan and on the fourth STL we automatically purchase the e-book. All EBSCO e-books are single user e-books once fully purchased on the fourth use (EBSCO e-books purchased by other means may have different user limits). 

Trigger events for EBSCO DDAs:

• Viewing of the book for more than 5 minutes (by an individual patron)
• Copy
• Print
• Download a page-range or chapter
• Full-download

JSTOR DDAs: Each backlist title (copyright of four years or older) is allowed seven free uses. On the eighth use we automatically purchase the e-book. Frontlist titles (copyright within the last three years) are allowed three free uses and are automatically purchased on the fourth use. Uses are created by one of the trigger events listed below. All JSTOR e-books are unlimited user once perpetually purchased.

Trigger events for JSTOR DDAs:

• a chapter view for any length of time
• a chapter download
• use of front and back matter of a book does not count 

Evidence Based Acquisition (EBA) allows the library to make data driven purchase decisions, building collections that are based on user need and preference. EBA allows unlimited access to large multi-disciplinary e-book collections at a low cost per title over a period of time (typically a year) with an upfront access cost. At the end of the program period the library can select and perpetually purchase titles from the collection based on usage data. The upfront access cost paid at the beginning of the program is applied toward the acquired titles. 

EBA Programs We Participate In

• JSTOR: Access to more than 76,000 backlist titles from more than 100 publishers. Titles in this program appear in the catalog as "JSTOR eBooks EBA."
• Taylor & Francis/Routledge: Access to thousands of Routledge current titles in the subjects of Architecture, Sociology, Social Work, Anthropology, Art, Education, Music, Journalism, and Dance. Titles in this program appear in the catalog as "Routledge EBA."

User Limit: All e-books in our EBA programs are unlimited simultaneous user.  

Title List Stability

• JSTOR: Throughout the program the vendor may add new titles and some titles may be removed at the request of the publishers. The JSTOR title list is accessible online. 
• Taylor & Francis: EBA program is for a set list of titles and will not change. 
• If an EBA program is not renewed, access is lost for any title we do not choose for perpetual access.