Academic e-Book Publishing in China: An Investigation of Current Status and Publishers' Attitudes

Abstract

This study investigates the current status and attitudes towards academic e-book publishing by mainland Chinese academic publishers through an online survey. This study collected survey data from 49 authoritative academic publishers in China, focusing on their e-book sales profiles and their perceptions of how e-book sales affect publishers and libraries. The data reveals that China's academic e-book industry is still at an early development stage and has a relatively small market. The findings show significant differences in the willingness and attitudes towards e-book publishing between SSH publishers and STEM publishers, and also demonstrate that the enhancement of the demand for e-books by academic libraries promotes the process of the digital transformation of academic publishers. This study then argues that Chinese academic publishers need to further improve the quality of academic e-books, accelerate the transition from academic content providers to academic content service providers, and strengthen their cooperation with stakeholders.