Collection Development: E-Preferred Acquisitions

In light of the COVID-19 pandemic and the resulting need to pivot to hybrid or virtual learning environments, the College Libraries' will be transitioning our book acquisitions strategies towards becoming e-preferred. This means that all book requests will be considered as an e-book purchase first rather than a print purchase.

E-books provide these benefits to the College of Charleston community:

• Quick Access: E-book purchases typically become available in a number of days while print purchases may take weeks and perhaps longer in the current circumstances due to delays with receiving and processing materials during the pandemic.
• Accessibility: E-books can be accessed 24/7 both on-campus and remotely by anyone with active CofC credentials.
• Functionality: E-book links can be embedded directly into your OAKS courses for ease of accessibility by your students. Some eBook platforms also provide additional benefits such as the ability to quickly search full-text or to highlight and add notes.

In the current e-book marketplace, there are many platforms and access models. When making your monograph requests, it is extremely important that you let us know what your specific needs are for your students and your courses in terms of potential concurrent users. This way we can ensure that we are purchasing the best access model for your needs.

Print purchases will still be considered based on the following exceptions:

• Unavailability of the text in electronic format
• Specific faculty request

Please be advised that print material processing will potentially be delayed during the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic. Please plan accordingly.

All material requests can be made using the New Library Resource Order Form. 

If you have any questions about this policy, please reach out to the Collection Development Librarian, Kayla Kipps.