What is Controlled Digital Lending (CDL)?
Answer
Controlled Digital Lending (CDL) is the lending of a digitized copy (or portion) of a library material in place of the original, physical copy. The basic idea is that if a library owns a physical copy of a text, it can be scanned and then the digital copy can be loaned out as long as a one-to-one ratio is maintained. The one-to-one ration means that for every digital book available, the library has a corresponding physical book, which has been taken out of circulation. See this website on Controlled Digital Lending to learn more about the concept of CDL, including a white paper on the topic.
The Los Rios Libraries are beginning to offer CDL via Alma, which allows for the storage, representation, controlled lending, and viewing of digital materials. Beginning in summer 2022, you may see digital books available via OneSearch. Here is a link to a guide on digital lending.