Charleston ebooks Levine-Clark

What Do Our Users Think About eBooks? 10 Years of Survey Data

at the University of Denver

Charleston ConferenceNovember 5, 2015

Michael [email protected]

What Do Our Users Think About eBooks AND PRINT BOOKS? 10

Years of Survey Data at the University of Denver

Charleston ConferenceNovember 5, 2015

Michael [email protected]

Three Surveys

• Spring 2005, 2010, 2015– Entire university community– Similar, but not exact, questions

• Two articles from 2005 survey:– Levine-Clark, M, “Electronic Book Usage and Humanities:

A Survey at the University of Denver,” Collection Building26, no. 1 (2007): 7-14.

– Levine-Clark, M, “Electronic Book Usage: A Survey at the University of Denver,” portal: Libraries and the Academy6, no. 3 (2006): 285-299.

University of Denver

• Private institution

• 5,643 undergraduates

– Liberal arts and sciences, business

• 6,166 Graduates

– Many professional programs

– Strong social sciences focus

eBooks at the University of Denver

1999-2005Colorado Alliance NetLibrary DDA

2005-presentEbrary Academic Complete subscription, additional subs, EBSCO subs

2006-presentVarious publisher packagesDuke, Springer, OUPE-preferred approval plan

2010-presentDDA – EBL, ebrary, JSTOR

2012-presentCO Alliance DDA

2013-presentEvidence-Based Selection

Off-Campus Storage

• In 2011 we moved 60% of the monographs to offsite storage

– One criterion is availability of an e-version

Responses

0 200 400 600 800 1000

2005

2010

2015

Other

Grad

Undergrad

Faculty

877

2,067

1,818

Are you aware we have ebooks? (% answering Yes)

0.0% 20.0% 40.0% 60.0% 80.0% 100.0%

2005

2010

2015

Grad

Undergrad

Faculty

Are you aware we have ebooks, by discipline (% answering Yes)

0.0% 20.0% 40.0% 60.0% 80.0% 100.0%

2005

2010

2015

Arts & Humanities

Business

Nontraditional

Professional

Social Sciences

STEM

Have you ever used an ebook? 2015

0.0%

10.0%

20.0%

30.0%

40.0%

50.0%

60.0%

70.0%

80.0%

Faculty Undergrad Grad

Yes - Personal DeviceSuch as Kindle

Yes - Coursework,Research

No

Have never used an ebook

0.0%

10.0%

20.0%

30.0%

40.0%

50.0%

60.0%

2005* 2010 2015

Faculty

Undergrad

Grad

*For 2005, data about differences between groups for this question are missing

2015: Why have you never used an ebook?

• Prefer physicality of print books/dislike reading on screen

• Like taking notes

• Don’t like functionality of ebooks

• Unaware of option

• Don’t have a reader

How often do you use ebooks?

0% 20% 40% 60% 80% 100%

2005

2010

2015

One-Time Only

Occasionally

Frequently

2015: How often do you?

Read ebooks for pleasure?

0%10%20%30%40%50%60%70%80%90%

100%

One-Time Only Occasionally

Frequently

Use ebooks for research/teaching?

0%10%20%30%40%50%60%70%80%90%

100%

One-Time Only Occasionally

Frequently

Why do you use ebooks? (Pick all that apply)

0.0%

10.0%

20.0%

30.0%

40.0%

50.0%

60.0%

2015 2010

No Print Version Available Easier than Going to Library

For Searching For Reading Small Portions of Text

Other

2015: Why do you use ebooks? (Pick all that apply)

0.0%

10.0%

20.0%

30.0%

40.0%

50.0%

60.0%




Other

2015: Why do you use ebooks? (Pick all that apply)

0.00%

10.00%

20.00%

30.00%

40.00%

50.00%

60.00%

70.00%



Other

2015: Why do you use ebooks? (other)

• Cheaper/free

• Portable

• Faster/immediate access

• Ability to highlight, take notes

• For pleasure, not for academic work (or the other way around)

• Similar reasons in 2010

How do you typically use books?

EBOOKS Entire Book (4) Chapter (1) Single Section (2) Multiple (3)

2010 3.31 2.05 2.17 2.38

2015 2.75 2.19 2.30 2.32

PRINT Entire Book Chapter Single Section Multiple

2010 2.44 (3) 2.17 (1) 2.93 (4) 2.31 (2)

2015 1.88 (1) 2.23 (2) 2.73 (4) 2.50 (3)

Please rank choices from 1 to 4:• Read the entire book• Read a chapter within the book• Read a single entry or a few pages• Skip around/Read multiple sections

2005: How do you typically read an ebook? (pick one)

0% 20% 40% 60% 80% 100%

Arts & Humanities

Business

Nontraditional

Professional

Social Sciences

STEM

Read the Entire Book

Read a Chapter

Read a Single Entry or aFew Pages

2015: How do you typically read a book? (rank these)

EBOOKS Chapter Single Entry/A Few Pages

SkipAround/Multiple Portions

Entire Book

Arts & Hum 2.17 2.28 2.55 3.04

Business 2.36 2.41 2.13 2.72

Nontraditional 2.14 2.33 2.28 2.29

Professional 2.18 2.32 2.28 2.79

Social Sciences 2.10 2.31 2.32 2.82

STEM 2.29 2.23 2.39 2.97

PRINT Entire Book Chapter Skip Around/ Multiple Sections

SingleEntry/A Few Pages

Arts & Hum 1.82 2.06 2.22 2.57

Business 1.96 2.56 2.68 2.85

Nontraditional 1.87 2.23 2.72 2.65

Professional 1.85 2.18 2.36 2.59

Social Sciences 1.88 2.18 2.41 2.84

STEM 1.91 2.24 2.52 2.78

How do you read an ebook?

0%10%20%30%40%50%60%70%80%90%

2015

0%10%20%30%40%50%60%70%80%

2010

If you had p and e versions of the same book, which would you use?

0% 20% 40% 60% 80% 100%

2015

2010

2005

Always Print

Usually Print

Usually Electronic

Always Electronic

It Depends

2015: If you had access to p and e versions of the same book, which would you use?

0% 20% 40% 60% 80% 100%

Faculty

Undergrad

Grad

Always Print

Usually Print

Usually Electronic

Always Electronic

It Depends

0% 20% 40% 60% 80% 100%

Arts & Humanities

Business

Nontraditional

Professional

Social Sciences

STEM

Always Print

Usually Print

Usually Electronic

Always Electronic

It Depends

2015: If you had access to p and e versions of the same book, which would you use?

2015: If you had access to p and e, which would you use? (It depends)

• Price

• Amount of book needed

• Whether it’s a one-time need or an ongoing need

• Images = need print

• Where you are (portability)

2015: Do you prefer an ebook or print when…

0% 20% 40% 60% 80% 100%

print available but can get ebook within aday

ebook available but can get print in 3-5 days

ebook available but can get print in 3 hours

need to answer a specific question

need to find some information to back up myargument

need to read a chapter within a book

need to read an entire book, but I can skim

need to read an entire book, cover to cover

Always Print Usually Print Usually Electronic Always Electronic

0% 20% 40% 60% 80% 100%

Grad

Undergrad

Faculty

need to answer a specific question

Grad

Undergrad

Faculty

need some info to back up my argument

Grad

Undergrad

Facultyneed to read a chapter within a book

GradUndergrad

Faculty

need to read an entire book, but can skim

Grad

Undergrad

Faculty

need to read an entire book, cover to cover


2015

0% 20% 40% 60% 80% 100%

Grad

Undergrad

Faculty

print available, can get ebook within a day

Grad

Undergrad

Faculty

ebook available, can get print in 3-5 days

Grad

Undergrad

Faculty

ebook available, can get print in 3 hours


2015

2015: Preference for e or p when I need to read an entire book, cover to cover

0% 20% 40% 60% 80% 100%

Arts & Humanities

Business

Nontraditional

Professional

Social Sciences

STEM

Always Print

Usually Print

Usually Electronic

Always Electronic

2015: Preference for e or p when I need to read an entire book, but can skim

0% 20% 40% 60% 80% 100%

Arts & Humanities

Business

Nontraditional

Professional

Social Sciences

STEM

Always Print

Usually Print

Usually Electronic

Always Electronic

2015: Preference for e or p when I need to read a chapter within a book

0% 20% 40% 60% 80% 100%

Arts & Humanities

Business

Nontraditional

Professional

Social Sciences

STEM

Always Print

Usually Print

Usually Electronic

Always Electronic

2015: Preference for e or p when I am writing a research paper and need to find some information to back up my argument

0% 20% 40% 60% 80% 100%

Arts & Humanities

Business

Nontraditional

Professional

Social Sciences

STEM

Always Print

Usually Print

Usually Electronic

Always Electronic

2015: Preference for e or p when I am trying to answer a specific question

0% 20% 40% 60% 80% 100%

Arts & Humanities

Business

Nontraditional

Professional

Social Sciences

STEM

Always Print

Usually Print

Usually Electronic

Always Electronic

2015: Preference for e or p when the library has ebook but can get print version in 3 hours

0% 20% 40% 60% 80% 100%

Arts & Humanities

Business

Nontraditional

Professional

Social Sciences

STEM

Always Print

Usually Print

Usually Electronic

Always Electronic

2015: Preference for e or p when the library has ebook but can get print version in 3-5 days

0% 20% 40% 60% 80% 100%

Arts & Humanities

Business

Nontraditional

Professional

Social Sciences

STEM

Always Print

Usually Print

Usually Electronic

Always Electronic

2015: Preference for e or p when the library has print but can get ebook within a day

0% 20% 40% 60% 80% 100%

Arts & Humanities

Business

Nontraditional

Professional

Social Sciences

STEM

Always Print

Usually Print

Usually Electronic

Always Electronic

For which types of books would you prefer an ebook over print?

0.00%

10.00%

20.00%

30.00%

40.00%

50.00%

60.00%

70.00%

2015 2010

Textbook

Reference Book

Edited Collection ofScholarly Essays

Scholarly Monograph

Fiction

I would Never Prefer aneBook

2015: For which types of books would you prefer to read an ebook over print?

0.00%

10.00%

20.00%

30.00%

40.00%

50.00%

60.00%


Textbook

Reference Book

Edited Collection of Essays

Scholarly Monograph (single-author narrative)

Fiction

I would Never Prefer aneBook

0.00%

10.00%

20.00%

30.00%

40.00%

50.00%

60.00%

Arts &Humanities

Business Nontraditional Professional Social Sciences STEM

Textbook Reference Book

Edited Collection Scholarly Monograph

Fiction I would Never Prefer an eBook

2015: For which types of books would you prefer to read an ebook over print?

In which scenarios would you use an ebook?

0.00%

10.00%

20.00%

30.00%

40.00%

50.00%

60.00%

70.00%

80.00%

2015 2010

Course-Related Assignment

Course-Assigned Textbook

Research

I would Never Use an eBook

(in 2015, this was accidentally labeled as "I would never PREFER

2015: In which scenarios would you use an ebook?

0.00%

10.00%

20.00%

30.00%

40.00%

50.00%

60.00%

70.00%


Course-RelatedAssignment

Course-AssignedTextbook

Research

0.00%

10.00%

20.00%

30.00%

40.00%

50.00%

60.00%

70.00%

Arts &Humanities

Business Nontraditional Professional Social Sciences STEM

Course-Related Assignment Course-Assigned Textbook Research

2015: In which scenarios would you use an ebook?

0%

10%

20%

30%

40%

50%

60%

70%

80%

90%

100%

2015 2010

76-100%

51-75%

26-50%

11-25%

10% or less

For roughly what percentage of your research or coursework do you use books (print or electronic) vs other forms of publication

(such as journal articles, conference proceedings, etc)?

2015: For roughly what percentage of your research or coursework do you use books (print or electronic) vs other forms of publication


0%

10%

20%

30%

40%

50%

60%

70%

80%

90%

100%


76-100%

51-75%

26-50%

11-25%

10% or less

2015: For roughly what percentage of your research or coursework do you use books (print or electronic) vs other forms of publication


0%

10%

20%

30%

40%

50%

60%

70%

80%

90%

100%

76-100%

51-75%

26-50%

11-25%

10% or less

A few quick conclusions

• There are clear needs/preferences for both formats

– Linked to type of use

– For particular users

– Libraries can’t rely on one format and expect to serve users

• Bundled purchase of e/p– Local or consortial

• DDA plans for e/p

Thanks

Michael Levine-Clark

[email protected]

http://www.slideshare.net/MichaelLevineClark

Charleston ebooks Levine-Clark

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