Student attitudes towards e-books
at UW-Sheboygan, and what does it
mean to us?
Jeff Ellair, Library Director
WAAL Conference, April 24, 2013
UWC Library Council Brown Bag, May 14, 2013
The Questions
• “Encounters at the reference desk have indicated
a student acceptance level of e-books ranging
from lukewarm to resistant (mostly resistant).
This has left library staff wondering if purchasing
increasing numbers of e-books would be the best
use of limited acquisitions funding, despite the
presumed advantages that the format offers.”
• Survey/demonstration session to determine if the
anecdotal responses at the reference desk are
representative of student attitudes overall. What
prior experience have students had with e-books,
how do they feel about them and why?
Methodology
• Faculty volunteers to bring classes for session
– 8 faculty, 16 classes, 275 students (36% of campus
headcount), Feb. 2013
• Split survey (Qualtrics) and demonstration:
– EBSCO ebooks (current holdings/vendor/access)
– Nook and iPad
1. How many semesters have you
attended UW-Sheboygan, including
the current semester?
Answer
Response
%
1
50
18%
2
118
43%
3
25
9%
4
52
19%
5 or more
30
11%
Total
275
100%
2. What is your age?
50%
50%
(Age 22+ : Enrolled=38%, Survey=27%)
45%
freshman/sophomore campus
37%
40%
50% 2 lower HS quartiles
35%
Survey
n=275
30%
25%
21% 22%
20%
11% 13%
15%
10%
5%
Enrolled
n=770
9%
7%
5%
25-29
30-39
2% 2%
8%
4%
8%
0%
14-17
18-19
20-21
22-24
40+
3. 4. Device ownership or easy access,
and frequent use.
80%
70%
75%
73%
(56%, n=154, have no tablet or ereader)
68%
(100% have laptop or desktop or tablet)
60%
50%
49%
Own/
access
40%
30%
20%
10%
0%
Use
often
21%
14%
13% 13%11% 9% 9%
6% 6% 5% 6%
4%
3% 3% 2% 1% 1%
5. Do you have high-speed Internet
access at home?
Answer
Response
%
Yes
251
91%
No
18
7%
Not sure
6
2%
Total
275
100%
6. Do you have Wi-Fi access at home?
Answer
Response
%
Yes
256
93%
No
14
5%
Not sure
5
2%
Total
275
100%
* 4% (n=10) replied both “No” to high-speed Internet and “No” to Wi-Fi.
7. Have you ever used e-books from
UW-Sheboygan?
Answer
Response
%
Yes
16
6%
No
254
92%
Not sure
5
2%
Total
275
100%
8. Was your use of e-books from UWSheboygan a positive experience, such
that you would use e-books again?
Answer
Response
%
Yes
15
94%
No
1
6%
9. What are the main reasons why you
haven’t used e-books from UW-S?
Answer
Response
%
Didn't know we had e-books
169
67%
Never needed to find books or e-books resources for my class
assignments
115
45%
I prefer to use printed books or other sources instead
82
32%
Didn’t want to take time to figure out e-books
34
13%
Never found any e-books for my topic
24
9%
Didn’t know if my instructor would accept e-books as a reliable
source
15
6%
Wasn’t sure if I had compatible equipment to use the e-books
12
5%
Couldn’t get the e-books to work properly
1
0%
Other: (don’t know what e-books are)
6
2%
10. Have you ever used e-books from
anywhere else (high school, public
library, individual purchases,
friends/relatives, etc.)?
Answer
Response
%
Yes
78
28%
No
177
64%
Not sure
20
7%
Total
275
100%
10a. Have used e-books from
elsewhere: percent of each age group
50%
45%
45%
45%
40%
35%
30%
31%
28%
27%
22%
22%
25%
20%
15%
10%
5%
0%
All
18-19
20-21
22-24
25-29
30-39
40+
11. For what purposes did you use
these e-books (from high school,
public library, individual purchases,...
Answer
Response
% (n=78)
% (n=275)
Leisure reading
57
73%
21%
Schoolwork--assigned reading or course
textbook
32
41%
12%
Schoolwork--source material for research
paper or project
20
26%
7%
Last question before EBSCO ebooks demonstration
12. If you found both a relevant
printed book and a relevant e-book in
your search for resource material,
which would you be more likely to use,
and why?
Answer
Response
%
Printed book
114
41%
e-book
62
23%
Equally likely to use either format
99
36%
Total
275
100%
12b. Percent of previous ebook
users/non-users and tablet/ereader
owners/non-owners who would use
ebooks
29%
26%
30%
25%
21%
18%
20%
% that would
15%
use ebooks
10%
No
(64%)
(28%)
(56%) (44%)
5%
0%
Previously used
ebooks elsewhere?
Have tablet or
ereader?
Yes
12b. Would use ebooks; own a tablet or
ereader; and used other ebooks: by age
60%
50%
55%
44%
45%
43%
42%
45%
45%
40%
40%
31%
28%
30%
23%
20%
14%
own tablet
or ereader
28%
27% 27%
22%
22%
13%
9%
10%
6%
0%
All
18-19
20-21
22-24
25-29
30-39
would use
ebooks
40+
have used
other
ebooks
12a. Would use printed book. Why?
Answer (free-text replies)
Response
% (n=114; 41%)
Prefer reading from paper, not computer screen
23
20%
Printed books are easier to maneuver around and do
what you want with them (e.g. note-taking)
20
18%
It’s what I’m used to
17
15%
I don’t have an ereader or Internet access everywhere;
I can use a print book anywhere
15
13%
Don’t have to rely on technology which is sometimes
unreliable
15
13%
Easier to check-out, or for longer loan period
5
4%
12b. Would use e-book. Why?
Answer (free-text replies)
Response
% (n=62; 23%)
Wouldn’t have to carry around lots of physical books
14
23%
Can easily access at home or elsewhere without going to
the library
11
18%
More convenient, easy to access (no detail provided)
10
16%
Good highlighting, bookmarking, note-taking capabilities
9
15%
Easier/faster to search/locate specific words or sections
8
13%
Won’t lose or forget to return book (fines)
7
11%
Easier to find; don’t have to search for book on the shelf
3
5%
12c. Equally likely to use either. Why?
Answer (free-text replies)
Response
% (n=99; 36%)
Depends on where I’m doing my research
(i.e. off-campus = e-book, on-campus = printed)
11
11%
Format doesn’t matter as long as I get what I need
8
8%
Depends on how quickly I need it (?? 1 e.g. if in a rush
and need it right now, more likely to use e-book)
6
6%
For extended reading, I prefer print; for researching
specific information, e-book might work better
5
5%
Print and e-book both have advantages and
disadvantages (no detail provided)
5
5%
14. If you found only e-books via your
search, which action would you be
more likely to take, and why?
Answer
Response
%
Use the relevant e-books
233
85%
Keep searching until I found other resources instead, or
else change my topic
42
15%
Total
275
100%
14b. Keep searching or change topic
(don’t use e-books). Why?
Answer (free-text replies)
Response
% (n=42)
% (n=275)
I don’t like reading or using books from a
computer screen; want the printed book
11
26%
4%
Too many steps involved in using the e-books;
too difficult to use, not sure how to use
6
14%
2%
16. If in your search you found both
printed books that you could borrow from
another campus (which would take 2-3
days to arrive), and e-books (which you
could use immediately), which would you
be more likely to do, and why?
Answer
Response
%
Use the e-books for my research
169
61%
Request delivery of the other campus' books
19
7%
Both use the e-books AND request delivery of the other
campus' books
78
28%
Keep searching until I found other resources instead, or else
change my topic
9
3%
Total
275
100%
16c. Use e-books AND request
delivery of other books. Why?
Answer (free-text replies)
Response
% (n=78)
E-books could give me a good start right away while I
wait for printed books (preferred) to arrive
21
27%
So I have printed books on the way as a back-up in case
my use of the e-books didn’t go well
5
6%
Printed books can be checked-out for a longer time
period
5
6%
Worksheet for repeat visitors: Would
you be likely to use the ebooks you
found through these searches if you
had any future class assignments on
the topic?
Answer
Response
%
Yes
37
76%
No
12
24%
Total
49
100%
*Note: Six of the 12 “No” responses were from the same class and all reported
extremely slow network speed during the exercise: “The largest difficulty was using
the Internet! It was sooo incredibly slow that it is more efficient to go find a book than
wait.”
Worksheet: Would not use these
ebooks in the future. Why not?
Answer (free-text replies)
Response
% (n=12)
I prefer printed books; don’t like e-books (no detail)
7
58%
Find it easier/more efficient to use printed books
2
17%
Too hard to read from a computer screen
1
8%
Concerned about possible Internet/technical problems
1
8%
Don’t own an ereader or have Internet everywhere I go
1
8%
Percent that would use e-books, from
each question…
Question
%
If found both relevant printed book and relevant e-book in search…
23% *
* (does not include the 36% who said “equally likely to use either format”)
If found only e-books in search…
85%
If found both printed books from another campus, and e-books in search…
89% *
* (includes the 28% who would use e-books in combination with other
campus’s printed books)
Would use e-books found through worksheet exercise if had future
assignment on the selected topic…
76%
18. What do you see as significant
weaknesses of the e-book format?
Answer
Response
%
Need a computer, tablet or e-book reader to use it.
144
52%
More difficult to move around different parts of an e-book
99
36%
More difficult to read an e-book
82
30%
More difficult to mark or highlight specific information.
79
29%
More difficult to download an e-book to take it with me
77
28%
None; I don’t see any significant weaknesses of the e-book
format
41
15%
Other significant weaknesses (free-text): *Only one person can check-out at the same
time (n=7); *ereader device battery must be charged (n=6); *Difficult to read onscreen (5); *Shorter check-out period (4); *Relies on Internet/speed of network (4)
19. What do you see as significant
advantages of the e-book format?
Answer
Response
%
Can locate and use from off-campus/don’t have to come to
the library to get e-books
226
82%
Easier to search within an e-book and find the specific
information I want
173
63%
Can use from my e-reader, tablet or computer/don’t have to
have the physical books.
130
47%
Easier to mark or highlight specific information.
81
29%
None; I don’t see any significant advantages of the e-book
format
13
5%
Other significant advantages (free-text): *Less weight to carry around (n=5); *Able to
look it up online and use it right away (2)
25. If you could check-out an e-book
reader device from campus, would you
be more likely to use e-books?
Answer
Response
%
Yes
110
40%
No
79
29%
Not sure
86
31%
Total
275
100%
23. Would you prefer your course
textbooks to be in printed or e-book
format, and why?
Answer
Response
%
Print textbooks
175
64%
e-book format textbooks
100
36%
Total
275
100%
23a. Would prefer course textbooks to
be in printed format. Why?
Answer (free-text replies)
Response
% (n=175)
I can take/use them anywhere; don’t have to have tech
device/connectivity in order to use them
41
23%
I like to highlight or write notes in my text to help me
study (easier to do in printed text)
21
12%
Don’t have to worry about not having access if there are 19
technical problems
11%
Prefer to read from book, not a screen
16
9%
It’s what I’m used to; I know how to use it
9
5%
Easier to use (no detail provided)
9
5%
23b. Would prefer course textbooks to
be in e-book format. Why?
Answer (free-text replies)
Response
% (n=100)
Wouldn’t have to carry around so many heavy books
49
49%
They would probably be much less expensive
31
31%
Wouldn’t have to worry about losing or damaging my
textbook
6
6%
Easier to search through for the info I need
5
5%
More environmentally-friendly (no paper)
5
5%
26. Please provide any other (n=88; 32%)
comments you have about e-books:
“It seems unfair that only one person can use a book at a time. This is a computer, not
a library. We shouldn’t have to wait for books. It only makes it more inconvenient.” (7)
“I really like the idea but will not go out of my way to use e-books over printed books.
Either way contains the information I want to see.”
“Not a huge fan right now but I’m sure my opinion could change if I familiarized myself
with them better.”
“I think if this was my only option I would adjust. I like to stick with what I know. I’m
not big on change.”
“Personally I think ebooks will be very popular with other students, but for me I prefer
printed books.”
“The best thing about them would be not having to come to the library to check out a
book. If you are waiting til the last minute to do a paper it would be very helpful.
Overall however I think the best possible way to do it is have a mix of both.”
26. (continued) Please provide any other
comments you have about e-books:
“I love it.”
“I really like the e-book. A lot.”
“E-books are like a double-edge sword. They could be a good thing and they could be
a not so popular device.”
“It seems to allow people to have quick access to the materials they want which is a
good thing.”
“I think they are a really good resource and I didn’t really know about them until
today. I will definitely put them to use and it will allow me to get more information
than I would if I were only limited to printed books.”
“I feel it’s a good idea to have them but we should not limit ourselves to them.”
“I believe that they have the potential to be very useful, but I really don’t want them
to replace printed books. It would be much more useful if we could just use both.”
Definitive findings
• Higher acceptance level of e-books –
according to the survey – than evidenced in
our anecdotal experiences
• Student reactions are mixed
• Most students don’t know we have e-books
• Very few students have used our e-books
• Most students recognize the advantage of
immediate, 24/7, out-of-library access of
e-books (though that doesn’t necessarily allay their
other concerns/preferences)
Advantages of e-books from a
library management perspective
• Purchase Colleges-wide (cost/access
efficiency)
• No processing, shelving
• No lost items, overdues
• Demand-Driven Acquisition (DDA) potential
• Support students remotely, 24/7
• Is there a responsibility to expose students to
e-books?
Plan for moving forward – short-term
• Stay with EBSCO ebooks for now
• Begin moderately aggressive purchase of ebooks as part of regular selections
– Especially if print held at another campus
– Consider purchase of both e- and print for likely
high-use titles
– Lean toward e-book for titles of uncertain use
– *Dependent on availability of e-book for purchase
– *Driven by specific e- title prices
Plan for moving forward – short-term
• Colleges-wide approach?
– Consider purchasing multiple-user copies?
– Reconsider check-out period?
• Spread word about e-books holdings
– Website revisions to note e-books √
– Include ebooks within OPAC campus location limit √
– BI & new student orientation: at least brief mention
• Faculty survey & share student results
Plan for moving forward – short-term
• Strive for proactive instruction on how to use
– Faculty assistance needed: increased BI time, or
out-of-class assignment with instructional video
and/or worksheet
• Monitor usage
– Anecdotally
– See if/how e-book usage statistics increase
– Compare usage of print and e- where both
formats owned
– Turnaway statistics
• E-book readers/tablets for check-out??
Plan for moving forward – short-term
• Budgetary impact
– No discount from list prices (vs. 30% avg. discount
for print, i.e. + $8000 in budget)
– No lower-cost paperback option, as often
– Possible multiple-user e-copies
– Currently avg. 700 new book purchases/yr. ($19k)
– But greater access Colleges-wide
– Investment to assess for future decisions
– Sample purchase orders study
72
$2,605.79
$1,915.01
27%
34
47%
18
25%
15
21%
18
25%
9
13%
$1,088.80
$2,584.80
237%
334%
$686.80
$882.00
128%
$429.71
$809.73
188%
# of titles (2 sample purchase orders)
total list price
total discount price paid
avg. percent discount on print orders
# of titles available as a 1-user ebook
titles available as a 1-user ebook
# of titles available as a 3-user ebook
titles available as a 3-user ebook
# of titles available as an Unlimited-user ebook
% of titles available as an Unlimited-user ebook
# available as a 1-user ebook @ price 100% of list price (for cheapest binding)
available as a 1-user ebook @ price 100% of list price (for cheapest binding) [high as 694%]
# available as a 3-user ebook @ price 150% of list price (for cheapest binding)
available as a 3-user ebook @ price 150% of list price (for cheapest binding) [high as 812%]
total discount cost for print, for those avail as 1-user ebooks
total cost for ebooks, for those available as 1-user ebooks
cost for the 1-user ebooks as a % of the discount cost for print
cost for the 3-user ebooks as a % of the discount cost for print
total discount cost for print, for those avail as 1-user ebks @ 100% price of list
total cost for ebooks, for those avail as 1-user ebks @ 100% price of list
cost for the 1-user ebooks as a % of the discount print cost, for those 100% price of list
total discount cost for print, for those avail as 3-user ebks @ 150% price of list
total cost for ebooks, for those avail as 3-user ebks @ 150% price of list
cost for the 3-user ebooks as a % of the discount print cost, for those 150% price of list
average annual expenditures for new book
purchases
$19,000
average annual number of new book titles
purchased
700
average cost per title
$27.14
average cost * 237%
47% of 700 titles (all those avail as 1-user
ebks)
average cost * 128%
25% of 700 titles (all those avail as 1-user
@ 100% list $)
average cost * 188%
13% of 700 titles (all those avail as 3-user
@ 150% list $)
average cost * 128%
other 12% of 700 (avail as 1-user @ 100%
list $)
$64.33
starting budget
$20,500 FY14 (acq $ +5%)
cost
329 *64.33 $21,164
$34.74
rem
budgt
total print &
titles @ 27 ebk titles
-$664
175 *34.74
$51.03
$6,080 $14,420
531
706
91 *51.03
$34.74
$4,644 $15,856
584
675
84 *34.74
$2,918 $12,938
477
652
Plan for moving forward – longer-term
•
•
•
•
Monitor UW-System-wide developments
Explore DDA options
Explore other vendors
Re-survey students
Questions/Discussion
• I’d be happy to share any of my files or answer
additional questions
• [email protected]
920.459.6679