Ebooks at Barwon Health Library: a case study

Abstract

This study measures the usage of print books and ebooks at the Barwon Health Library, Geelong, Victoria, from 2012 to 2014 as a means of predicting future use. A literature review was conducted to identify studies of ebook usage and factors affecting the balance between print and ebook usage in hospital and health libraries around the world. In 2014, the authors collated data about the Library's print and ebook collections: collection size, expenditure on print books and ebooks, and usage statistics. The literature review showed that in health/hospital libraries, the use of ebooks was increasing, with static or declining use of print collections. Factors affecting use included availability, accessibility (to content and technical mechanisms) and discoverability, with some flexibility around format preference. Cost and other limitations were ongoing challenges for health libraries. Data collected for this case study indicated a reversal in the balance between usage of print and ebooks, with about 30% print versus 70% electronic being the proportion reached in 2014. On average, the cost per download of an ebook was almost double the cost of a print book loan. Trends and factors affecting use as identified in the literature review were reinforced in this case study. A number of changes in the local context have affected the ability of the Library's clients to use the collections. Although it is not possible to say how these will affect collection use in the next few years, it is likely that with an increasing client base, coupled with improved availability and accessibility of ebooks, overall ebook usage will increase, accompanied by a drop in average cost per download.