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PDA in Libraries

Stephen Sposato

Content Curation Manager

ssposato@chipublib.org

@stephensposato

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Illinois State Library

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- Application of Chicago Public Library for a Grant for the Purpose of Patron Driven Acquisitions. April 2, 2013

“[P]ilot a patron driven acquisitions program to evaluate the impact of this method of patron engagement with collection development in a public library.

This grant will allow CPL to purchase titles selected by patrons and assess the cost effectiveness of allowing patrons to self select titles. CPL will also track circulation of these items.

This will allow CPL to provide titles to patrons that might not otherwise have been purchased and will also provide useful information for other public libraries to determine if they would consider implementing a PDA approach.”

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“So, why not turn over part of your budget to your public—you know, the folks who actually pay the bills and use the product—and let them decide what you should buy?”

-Brian Kenney,

Publishers Weekly, Jan 18, 2013

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What Would They Ask For?

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Patron Suggestion Form

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Lessons from Suggestion Form

Challenges

A few suggest a lot
Queries from self-published authors from around the country
Increased workload
Some treat as personal gift, do not return book

Benefits

Awareness of buzz / key titles we missed
Opportunity to promote ILL

Insights

NPR / traditional review sources,
Amazon / Goodreads (esp. romance) for discovery

Advice

Know your mission, set your parameters and goals
Be ok saying no but be flexible as much as you can
Ask if they want to place holds

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What *Wouldn’t* They Ask For?

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Some Statistics

14,000 titles loaded
5,650 titles requested
16,000 units ordered
217,000 total circs / 13.6 average*
63% circulated 10+ so far*
3% never circulated so far*

*as of Jan 2017

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Lessons from Loaded Records