Atla Annual 2021 Online

While the question of whether to choose the print and/or electronic format of a given title is certainly not new, the circumstances in which we are making such decisions have changed, prompting many of us to reconsider collection development priorities. If, as seems likely, the changes accelerated by the COVID-19 pandemic – offering many if not all classes online, enabling many students and staff to work remotely – represent a watershed, prioritizing e-books and other electronic resources is a logical response. Of course, not everything is available electronically, so how can we make print-only sources available to students who do not have physical access to the library? Conversely, what about our print collections? When and why might one still prefer print, even when it is not substantially cheaper, or the only option? How might we continue to serve patrons who only have access to our print collections, such as alumni and local clergy, if we are acquiring most of our new resources electronically? Join us for a guided discussion of these and related questions. A panel of our colleagues will share their strategies for providing access to print-exclusive content, as well as their decision-making processes, identifying criteria they use in determining whether print or digital format is more suitable for a given title and sharing factors that inform such decisions. We will also reserve time for our participants to share their own experiences and observations, as well as questions, for the benefit of all in the session.