Why 500 libraries rely on Rialto for collection development

One of the most complicated, time-consuming workflows in an academic library is selecting and acquiring books. Hundreds of publishers, thousands of user requests and multiple systems create workstreams that are loaded with manual steps and silos of information, absorbing an already stretched resource: staff time.

An innovation in workflow

In 2018, ProQuest^™ and Ex Libris^™, part of Clarivate^™, collaborated to simplify book selection and acquisition in academic libraries. Combining the software capability of Ex Libris with the deep book content expertise of ProQuest, Rialto^™, a marketplace for library resources, was introduced on the Alma^™ library management platform. Rialto brought a familiar e-commerce style buying experience to library teams – one resource for finding titles, comparing prices, sharing lists, as well as managing and tracking acquisitions in a simple fashion. This approach has resonated with library teams, and Rialto has now welcomed its 500^th institution to its community.

The growing community of Rialto libraries have become advocates for this streamlined way of working, speaking at conferences about their experiences, providing case studies and appearing in white papers about modernizing library experiences.

Five ways Rialto makes librarians happy

Consistently, they cite five ways Rialto has improved their libraries:

• • They get more done in less time. Rialto’s automated processes save staff time and aggravation by eliminating manual steps (and errors). Charles Sturt University can “automatically see whether we hold the book or not, so that’s saving time now that we no longer have to search and double check our holdings.”
  • They increase focus on patron needs. The easy integration of patron-centric acquisition models like Evidence-Based Acquisition (EBA) and Demand-Driven Acquisition (DDA) in Rialto means collection development is centered on users. With Rialto, staff members manage their own EBA pool, customized to the library’s criteria. Sara Duff at the University of Central Florida describes it as “a total game changer. It is so simplified.”
  • It synchronizes teams. Rialto’s transparent processes align all teams, eliminating duplicate purchases and lost time. At Imperial College London “Rialto has enabled multiple teams to both place and investigate orders, and we no longer have to send long email chains between teams when ordering books.”
  • Collaboration among teams is easier. At the University of Central Florida, subject selectors choose books and acquisition librarians approve the purchases. Both teams work in the Rialto environment and save “a ton of time,” according to Duff. “It’s really changed the workflow for selectors. The advanced search is really powerful.”
  • They get expert support. Rialto’s implementation is as simple as its workflow. Jenni MacLean, Library Assistant for Systems & Acquisitions at the Lila D. Bunch Library at Belmont University, said that implementing Rialto “felt seamless, even though it happened during a busy ordering season. There were no interruptions to our acquisition processes. We have regular check-ins with our Rialto representative.”

Jeremy Brown, Associate Library Dean at Florida Gulf Coast University, sums up the reason Rialto libraries are enthusiastic: “[Rialto] has been a positive experience. It empowers librarians and books are getting used.”

Data when and where you need it

The Rialto marketplace is fully unified within Alma, surfacing essential library data throughout the purchasing process in real-time, making library holdings, fund balances, reading list information and more available when it’s needed. Using the power of AI, Rialto delivers relevant search results and recommendations to selectors, allowing staff to review best-fit titles with minimal effort. Rialto enables libraries to make the best purchases for their budgets, meet their users’ needs, and achieve their goals.

Join the community

“Thank you to our library partners, who helped reimagine a more simplified, coordinated way of selecting and acquiring materials,” said Audrey Marcus, Senior Vice President, Books at Clarivate. “We look forward to adding more members to this vibrant community.”

Learn why 500 libraries have chosen to simplify the process of selecting and acquiring books with Rialto by contacting us for a demo.