Balance in Demand Driven Acquisitions: The Importance of Mindfulness and Moderation When Utilizing Just in Time Collection Development

Abstract

The realities of budgetary constraints, and a transformative digital world, point to a future in which academic libraries continue to expand demand driven acquisitions in order to maintain necessary access. However, legitimate concern has arisen regarding the affect this shift might have on the coverage and scope of library collections. The gathering of diverse perspectives, and subjects that support minorities may fall to the way side through the further embrace of DDA, buried in fulfilling the needs of the majority. This paper investigates the University of Utah’s demand-driven acquisitions program and the potential for imbalance in the collection. Data regarding campus demographics and the DDA pool itself are considered. Rather than discouraging the use of DDA, the primary purpose of this research is to put forth tangible ways in which librarians can deliberately counterbalance the focus of DDA purchases in order to ensure collections remain inclusive and diverse.