Evaluating the value and impact of PDA: case studies from University College Dublin,

University of Leeds and University of Sussex

Eoin McCarney &

Mark Tynan

UCD Library

UKSG 37th Annual Conference & Exhibition, HIC, Harrogate Monday 14th & Tuesday 15th April 2014

What we will cover

• What is PDA?

• How PDA worked in UCD • Which subjects spent the most money?

• Print PDA versus electronic PDA

• The pros and the cons of PDA

University College Dublin

• What is PDA?

• How PDA worked in UCD • Which subjects spent the most money?

• Print PDA versus electronic PDA

• The pros and the cons of PDA

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How did it work?

• National Tender & Framework agreement – 18th October 2012

• Proceeded with Ingram Coutts as supplier –

2nd April 2013 • Subject profiling – April 2013

• Live with E-PDA – 3rd May 2013

• Live with Print-PDA – 27th June 2013

• Project ended – 18th October 2013

What next?

Users search the catalogue and click on the item

E-PDA item in the catalogue – 1st click

e-Books

They see this screen

Passing here is one view which last 24 hours

Passing here a second time triggers a seamless purchase

3 concurrent users

Perpetual access

E-PDA item in the catalogue – 2nd click

Print PDA items in the catalogue

PDA in UCD - Stats

• Records Uploaded: 35,167 (P) 19,337 (E)

• Total Spend: €216,000

• Total Orders: 2,172

• E–PDA Orders placed – 1,128

• Print PDA Orders placed – 1,044

• Average price of e-PDA book: €149.84

• Average price of print-PDA book: €45.51

Business 14%

Politics 9%

Philosophy 7%

English, Drama & Film 7%

Medicine 7%

Psychology 6%

History & Archives 5%

Law 5%

Education 5%

GPEP 4%

Business

Politics

Philosophy

English, Drama & Film

Medicine & Medical Science

Psychology

History & Archives

Law

Education

GPEP

E-PDA Orders by School (Top Ten Only)

Print-PDA Orders by School (Top Ten Only)

English, Drama & Film 10%

Politics 7%

History & Archives 7%

Business 6%

Medicine 6%

Law 6%

Sociology 6%

Art History 5%

Architecture 5%

Psychology 4%

English, Drama & Film

Politics

History & Archives

Business

Medicine & Medical Science

Law

Sociology

Art History & Cultural Policy

Architecture

Psychology

Comparative Usage of PDA and Non-PDA E-Book Titles

0

1000

2000

3000

4000

5000

6000

7000

8000

9000

10000

Total E-PDA Usageduring Pilot Period

Average E-PDA Usageper Title during Pilot

Period

Total Non PDA E-BookUsage during Pilot

Period

Average Use per Non-PDA E-Book Title during

Pilot Period

9507

8.43

1413

3.27

Comparative Usage of PDA and Non-PDA Print Book Titles

1.32

1.04

0.63

0 0.2 0.4 0.6 0.8 1 1.2 1.4

Print PDA

Reading Lists

Firm Orders

Challenges of PDA in UCD

• Communication and marketing

• Volume & timing • Disruption to departmental workflow

• Over 300 print orders not collected

• ‘Flooding’ of the Catalogue • Poor quality of print MARC records • Overlap: Multiple editions of the same text

What worked well?

• Subject profiling – Little, if any, inferior material ordered

• The money got spent very quickly

• Hugely popular with students and staff

• Broad subject appeal

• Technology very robust

Next steps

• We have continued with PDA (E & Print)

• Made slight amendments to subject profiles

• Re-launched PDA in March 2014

• Reduced allocation - €100,000

• Review again at end of project

Thank you

Eoin.McCarney@ucd.ie 01-7167575 @eoinmc73

Mark.Tynan@ucd.ie 01-7167165 @MarkTynan1