Libraries around the world are saving staff time, stretching budgets and creating user-focused collections by simplifying book selection and acquisition
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 system. 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 over 550th institution as part of its community.
The growing community of Rialto libraries have become advocates for this streamlined way of working, speaking at about their experiences, providing and appearing in about modernizing library experiences.
Five ways Rialto makes librarians happy
Consistently, our institutions, 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). 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.”
Rialto is strongly focused on collection development. During 2024 and 2025, significant effort has been dedicated to introducing new ways of viewing, analyzing, and enabling staff to make decisions, as well as simplifying the management of library collections. We are working closely with a large group of institutions around the globe to shape new workflows, which will be available by the end of 2025, such as retention and de-selection.
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, 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. Rialto delivers relevant search results and recommendations to selectors, allowing staff to review best-fit titles with minimal effort. 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 Judith Fraenkel, Director of Product Management at Clarivate. “We look forward to adding more members to this vibrant community.”
Learn why more than 550 libraries have chosen to simplify the process of selecting and acquiring books with Rialto by contacting us .
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