Case Study: Easing Budget Pressures for High-Demand Titles with KoganPage+

Challenge: Balancing Budget Limitations with a Demand for Core Titles

Maeve Byrne, Assistant Librarian at the National College of Ireland, is responsible for managing the library’s print and ebook acquisitions and supporting faculty with teaching resources.

Before adopting KoganPage+, one of the key challenges facing the library was balancing budget limitations with a demand for core titles. Maeve explained that the cost of buying individual and multi-user licenses is high, and with the uncertainty of not knowing how many turnaways the library will see, this sometimes results in them having to purchase more licenses than budgeted for.

Furthermore, Maeve noted that there was always “a number of students who didn't get access on the first try.” While chapter downloads were available through their previous supplier, access could be limited. As a result, “faculty had to use several core texts on modules to try to spread the load.”

Solution: Subscribing to KoganPage+

The library began exploring alternative options after changes in the ebook marketplace. Maeve explained that when ProQuest withdrew their involvement in the provision of individual ebook purchases, it prompted the team to consider new solutions. Individual titles could still be sourced through other vendors, however, as there were no chapter downloads, usage would be more limited.

In addition to this, with high numbers of CIPD students spread out globally during and post-COVID, the university started offering courses with “blended or online learning options”

As a result, the library decided to subscribe to the HR Ultimate Collection on KoganPage+, providing their students and faculty access to a wide range of HR titles through a single platform.

Maeve reported that the transition to the platform “went very smoothly.”  Since subscribing, she noted that the library has also been able to plan its budget more effectively. Maeve stated that they can now “budget the exact cost on an annual basis.”

Outcome: Improved Access and Resource Provision for HR Courses

The implementation of KoganPage+ has delivered several benefits for the National College of Ireland:

1. No Turnaways: Students now benefit from “seamless access to core resources and the ability to provide for large module groups with no problems.”
2. Expanded Range of Resources: The platform has enabled the library to offer an “increased range of resources” with “effortless provision for all of [their] CIPD and UG [undergraduate] HR courses.”
3. Simplified Budgeting and Resource Planning: The library agreed with HR faculty that Kogan Page titles will serve as “the core resource for all our UG HR courses going forward.” The library can now “budget for the exact cost per year and don't have to worry about the cost for more individual licenses to meet turnaway demand.”
4. Positive Feedback from Faculty and Students: Maeve reports that “lecturers are happy with the resources,” and that students are actively using the ebooks, which “is evident in their assignments.” Faculty are also pleased that “there is a wide range of resources available, which will allow them to expand reading lists going forward.” Students, meanwhile, “are happy with the ease of access.”

Looking Ahead: Digital Resources and Platform Based Models

Looking to the future, Maeve believes that the library’s approach to digital resources will continue to evolve. She explains that “as the ebook market evolves, [they] anticipate moving away from purchase of individual ebooks towards a more platform based model.”

By adopting the HR Ultimate collection on KoganPage+, the National College of Ireland has improved access to key HR resources for both students and faculty, while simplifying resource management for high-demand titles.

To learn more about KoganPage+ and the collections available to academic libraries, please click here.