30.1.2024E-Books in the humanities, social sciences and law

Heidelberg University Library has been expanding its range of e-books for many years. Around 850,000 titles are currently accessible on the university network. Like all media, these are indexed via HEIDI, the University Library's online catalogue.

In addition to the purchase of e-book packages and individual titles, Evidence-Based Selection (EBS), the provision and selection of e-resources based on user behaviour, is a new acquisition model. This involves negotiating a financial deposit with a provider that grants access to extensive and up-to-date e-book lists for a limited period of time, usually one year. Part of this agreement is a number of titles that will be acquired for permanent accessibility at the end of this period on the basis of evidence-based use. There is also the option of renewing EBS packages.

At the end of 2023, a total of six EBS packages were purchased from the publishers Mohr Siebeck, C.H. Beck, Vandenhoeck & Ruprecht, Brill, utb Studi and Kohlhammer with a total of more than 30,000 titles. According to the profile of these publishers, the range of e-books on offer in the humanities, social sciences and law is catching up with the extensive range of e-books in the natural and life sciences that have been available for some time.