Presented by: JSTOR and Library Journal
Event Date and Time: Wednesday, April 29, 2026 |  2:00 PM ET / 11:00 AM PT

How are academic libraries assessing new approaches to ebook acquisition, and what early signals help determine their value?

Since its introduction, Publisher Collections has moved from a collaborative concept to active implementation across a growing collective of academic libraries and publishers. It enables libraries to efficiently acquire and access comprehensive scholarly ebook collections from trusted academic publishers, with perpetual access to current-year titles and backlist access for participating institutions. This evolution reflects a highly collaborative process grounded in shared exploration and trust.

This session features perspectives from participating institutions including Southern Methodist University and the University of Hartford, alongside Duke University Press, Fordham University Press, and New York University Press.

Speakers will discuss how Publisher Collections are being evaluated in practice, with librarians sharing the factors shaping selection decisions, including collection priorities, evaluation criteria, budget considerations, and how the model fits into existing workflows. Publisher perspectives will complement the discussion with insights on how they are shaping their collections, and how the model is helping address key challenges. JSTOR will round out the conversation with early indicators of impact, including how the model is being experienced across a diverse range of institutions in support of shared community goals.

Grounded in real-world experience, this webinar examines how community-informed models are being applied in practice, and what that means for building and sustaining academic ebook collections.

Follow LJ and JSTOR on Bluesky: @libraryjournal.bsky.social and @jstor.bsky.social |#JSTOR #PublisherCollections

Presenters:

Sarah Haight Sanabria, Associate Dean for Collections & Discovery, Southern Methodist University Libraries

Alicia Hansen, Director, Harrison Libraries, University of Hartford

Brian Hughes, Sales and Marketing Director, New York University Press

Fredric Nachbaur, Director, Fordham University Press

Dean Smith, Director, Duke University Press

Moderators:

John Lenahan, Vice President of Publisher Relations, JSTOR

Rebecca Seger, Vice President of Outreach, JSTOR

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