Patent ID: 8682796

Claim:
In a library computing environment a method of providing digital works to patrons, the method comprising: providing, by a computer, a user interface that performs a library check-out service for patron use; receiving, by the computer, a check-out request for a digital work from a patron through the user interface; determining, by the computer, that the digital work is not available in the library's inventory of available digital works; accessing, by the computer, a defined purchasing criteria for the library defining criteria for the library to follow when purchasing digital works; determining, by the computer, at least one of a characteristic of the library, a characteristic of the patron, or a characteristic of the digital work; determining, by the computer, that funds are available to procure one or more copies of the digital work based on at least one of a characteristic of the library, a characteristic of the patron, or a characteristic of the digital work; determining that the digital work is available from a catalog of purchasable items; determining that the one or more copies of the digital work meets purchasing criteria for the library; based on: determining that the digital work is not available in the library's inventory of available digital works; determining that funds are available to procure one or more copies of the digital work; determining that the digital work is available from a catalog of purchasable items; and determining that the one or more copies of the digital work meets the library's purchasing criteria, and automatically acquiring the one or more copies of the digital work to loan to patrons of the library; and checking-out the digital work to the patron.