Building on success: Evolving local and consortium purchase-on-demand programs

Purpose: Patron driven acquisitions (PDA) programs have emerged as an important component in library collection practices. The authors aim to report on four PDA programs (two completed, two currently underway) undertaken by the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign either by itself or in partnership with a statewide academic library consortium known as CARLI. Design/methodology/approach: The authors use a case study approach based on their professional experience and direct involvement with these programs. Findings: The programs were built on successful partnerships with both vendors and consortial partners; each program was informed by and built on the success of the previous one. The processes can be scaled up and applied to larger systems in order to maximize their impact and user satisfaction. Originality/value: Acquisitions librarians and selectors will find the local PDA programs of interest, while the consortial approach will be of interest to anyone involved with building and sharing collections in a multi-institutional environment.