DDA and EBA Plans
In the meantime, many of you have asked us when we expect to offer a Demand-Driven Acquisition (DDA) sales model in response to the overwhelming library market demand, and we are pleased to share some preliminary plans with you. Many libraries---both national and international---are asking to make large purchases of single titles on MUSE using DDA, and we’ve deemed the creation of a DDA model a top priority.
- Demand-Driven Acquisition (DDA) is an increasingly popular practice where libraries purchase only the titles that their constituents decide to use out of a larger pool of titles to which they have access (e.g., in library catalogs).
- Evidence-Based Acquisitions (EBA) is a flavor of DDA where a library commits a pre-negotiated amount of money up front, and libraries make book purchase decisions based on usage (the so-called “evidence”) during a trial access period.
As mentioned at the recent Publishers Meeting, MUSE has conducted a DDA pilot program with the University of Texas System using an Evidence-Based Acquisitions model (EBA). This sale represents almost a quarter of a million dollars in net revenue. (By comparison, net revenue for the MUSE single title sales program from inception in 2013 through May 2014 is around $130,000.)
The Basics of our EBA Plan:
MUSE’s proposed new EBA model would be simply an additional mechanism through which libraries can make single title purchases, with all books in the single title program eligible for purchase through EBA. Thus, all features of the single title sales program would apply:
- The library list price is either set by the publisher or created by applying the MUSE multiplier of 2 to the publishers’ submitted prices. See recent update on pricing.
- Books are DRM-free, unlimited use, and perpetual access.
- Sales distribution is a 70%/30% split of net.
An EBA purchase would entail the following:
- Library customers would work directly with Project MUSE to set parameters for the sale (revenue commitment, the books and time period for which users will have access, and designated time(s) when the library makes permanent selections of specific titles.)
- MUSE would collect the full amount committed for the sale up front and place the funds into deposit.
- Customers would receive and evaluate monthly usage data in order to decide what books to acquire permanently.
- MUSE would draw funds from those placed on deposit and apply them to the purchase of selected titles. MUSE would then report and pay out sales distributions to publishers for these orders via existing Single Title Sales processes.
- For purchases of titles to be held at more than one site (multiple campuses or multiple institutions of a consortial arrangement), MUSE would negotiate an appropriate multiplier on the Single Title Sales library list price.
- Instead of automatic purchase “triggers” common with some DDA models, the EBA model would feature a usage threshold above which a Customer will be required to select a title for purchase. We will want publisher and library input on this threshold.
Obviously, there is more detail to be worked out for the plan, but we are interested in hearing everyone’s initial response. Please respond to this email with your feedback, or go to the newly unveiled
MUSE UPCC Commons group* and engage in conversation with us and your fellow publishers. Several of us from MUSE will also be at AAUP this month and available to chat.
*You should have received your invitation (sent from "Project MUSE Commons" with email address "wordpress @ musecommons.org") to register for the Commons today or yesterday---if not, please check your SPAM folder then
let us know if you didn't receive your invitation.
Let us know your thoughts and questions!
