Collection Development

Overview

As Rialto continues to evolve beyond acquisitions toward a comprehensive vision for collection analysis and development, a major milestone has already been delivered: the introduction of Retention and Deselection workflows for print monographs. These data-driven tools support informed, strategic decisions about what to retain and what to deselect, based on usage, number of copies, holdings across institutions, and configurable criteria. Together, they lay the foundation for collaborative and sustainable collection management.

In 2026, the focus shifts to enhancing these workflows through greater customization, deeper analytics—including print and electronic overlap—improved title matching, and increased flexibility to meet diverse institutional needs. Later in the year, Rialto will take another significant step with the introduction of retention and deselection workflows for print journals, expanding support for shared print initiatives and cooperative efforts such as joint acquisitions.

These capabilities are available to all Alma subscribers and can be easily enabled by consenting to share holdings data, with no Rialto marketplace implementation required. This represents the next phase of a broader collection development roadmap shaped by insights from the Rialto community and early adopters.

Roadmap

H1 2026	H2 2026	H1 2027
Collection Development Workflows: Print Books Enhancements Analytics for Collection Development workflows	Collection Development Workflows: Print Journal Retention & Deselection workflows	Collection Development Workflows: Expansion

H1 2026 Enhancements

Collection Development Workflows: Print Books Enhancements

What's new

Highlights

Impact

Additional capabilities are added to both Retention and Deselection workflows for print books.

Examples include:

Export Holdings Comparison Report
Print and Electronic (P&E) overlap for deselection
Additional enhancements to support decision-making

Greater transparency into the data behind recommendations.
Support for P&E overlap use cases in deselection, including license considerations such as perpetual holdings.
Functionality designed to address real-world collection development needs.

Libraries can:

Lead collection development strategies with greater confidence.
Save time and resources.
Make data-driven decisions while maintaining relevant and forward-looking collections.

Analytics for Collection Development workflows

What's new	Highlights	Impact
A new dedicated Rialto Collection Development analytics subject area enables librarians to review their activities and track progress across collection development workflows.	At-a-glance visibility into collection development projects, including the total number of projects, status, and workflow type. Detailed access to item- and bibliographic-level recommendations for retention and deselection workflows. An out-of-the-box data visualization dashboard to monitor progress and analyze trends.	Clear visibility into all collection development projects and recommendations. Data-driven decision-making supported by actionable insights from a single dashboard. Time savings through the ability to export detailed workflow data.

H2 2026 Enhancements

Collection Development Workflows: Print Journal Retention & Deselection

What's new	Highlights	Impact
Retention and deselection workflows for print journals are introduced as part of Rialto’s continued evolution into a comprehensive collection development solution. These workflows support libraries in safeguarding essential titles and reclaiming space by leveraging institutional holdings data and peer benchmarking.	Advanced matching to address cataloging differences. End-to-end workflows from analysis through recommendations. Data-driven decisions based on holdings and peer benchmarks. Native integration in Alma for efficient execution.	Libraries are empowered to manage print journal retention and deselection with confidence, optimizing space and resources while preserving essential scholarly content.

H1 2027 Enhancements

Collection Development Workflows: Expansion

What's new	Highlights	Impact
An Expansion workflow extends collection development workflows by enabling libraries to grow collections through peer and marketplace benchmarking. The workflow surfaces high-quality options and guides users toward the most appropriate fulfillment method: acquisition, resource sharing, or open access.	End-to-end workflow from collection priorities to fulfillment. Benchmarking of holdings alongside marketplace exploration. Recommendations informed by quality indicators such as reviews and awards. Flexible fulfillment options, including acquisition, resource sharing, and open access.	Libraries can expand collections strategically and cost-effectively, filling meaningful gaps while positioning themselves as leaders in supporting teaching and research with high-quality resources.