Electronic Book Usage Research Articles

Printed Versus Electronic Books: Uses and Preference of Mass Media Students in Lahore

This study is an exertion to determine the preference of university students regarding the usage of electronic books. Postulates of displacement theory were applied to find out the reasons behind students’ adoption of online mode of reading and its effects on learning outcome. The study has examined that if the printed books will be totally replaced by the electronic version or not. A sample of 150 university students studying in the Mass Communication department was selected. Survey methodology was employed to find answers to the research questions. The findings of the study revealed that students preferred using electronic books to printed books. The e-books are considered cost-friendly, easy to access and portable. With the help of findings, it was concluded that e-books had become part and parcel of the life of students, but at the same time, there would be a preference for reading printed books.

The Correlation of LibGuides to Print and Electronic Book Usage: A Method for Assessing LibGuide Usage

This research project explores whether a correlation exists between the use of one university library’s subject-specific LibGuides and print and electronic book usage in associated subject areas. Statistical analysis was applied to LibGuides usage statistics, integrated library system (ILS) circulation data, and ebook usage data provided by library vendors. Significant positive correlations were found between LibGuides usage and book and electronic book usage at several levels: generally, by subject, and by University school. By exploring the correlations, the researchers show how statistical analysis can be used to demonstrate the value of subject-specific LibGuides using objective metrics. The study may serve as a model to future researchers who wish to explore the relationship of LibGuides to other areas of library collections, and potentially to other services offered by the library. The study may help inform library managers in allocating resources appropriately regarding the creation and maintenance of LibGuides.

Determinants of Electronic Book Adoption in Nigeria


 
 
 The study examined the adoption of electronic books (e-books) among undergraduate students in Kwara State, Nigeria using the unified theory of technology acceptance and use model (UTAUT), with a view to understanding the factors that lead to its adoption. The population consisted of 300 undergraduate students from federal, state and private universities in Kwara State, Nigeria. Results showed that usage of electronic books in scholarly databases, procured by the library, was relatively low, with more than 50 per cent of respondents claiming to have used e-books only once. Students in federal and state universities showed preference for e-books while private university students showed preference for paper books. In examining the intention to adopt e-books, using the UTAUT model, results showed that performance expectancy, effort expectancy, social influence and facilitating conditions were major determinants of e-book adoption, while gender played a moderating role. Performance expectancy and effort expectance significantly influenced male students, while effort expectancy, social influence, facilitating conditions influenced female students significantly. It is paramount for university administrators to encourage the adoption of electronic books by promoting a lecturer-student model and improving the user interface to encourage the use of these resources.
 
 

A Study on the Usage of Electronic Books of Undergraduates of Uva Wellassa University of Sri Lanka

The electronic books’ (e-books) usage of the higher education community is exponentially expanding. There are a significant percentage of university students and staff who prefer e-books to printed books. This comprehensive study is done at Uva Wellassa University to analyze the percentage of undergraduates who are inclined to use e-books and to explore their preferences over e-book format, reading equipment, their purpose and obtaining method. The study also reveals the future preference and predictions of e-book usage in Sri Lankan context. It also discusses the comparative advantages and disadvantages of e-books according to the survey results gained through the open ended questions. Both qualitative and quantitative methods are used in this study. A survey was distributed among the undergraduates who represent first to fourth years in Management Faculty, Animal Science and Export Agriculture Faculty and Science Faculty in Uva Wellassa University. The sample size is 206. The paper concludes that there is a significant number of e-book uses in the university. The e-book usage is limited due to the limited number of freely available e- books. Most of the tested cohort predicts of increased number of e-book usage in Sri Lanka in the future. Data suggest that with the undergraduate year of the user the usage of e-books is increased. The e-book usage is independent from gender. Yet it is dependent upon the Faculty. Users are inclined to use personal computers and laptops than the e-readers. The main e-book obtaining method of the user is internet and they generally go for free titles. According to the statistics the main e-book reading purpose is education. The study suggests the need of establishing e-book facilities in Uva Wellassa University. Journal of the University Librarians’ Association of Sri Lanka, Vol. 19, Issue 1, October 2015, Page 71-91

Is It Cost-effective to Purchase Print Books When the Equivalent E-book Is Available?

ABSTRACTThe aim of this study was to analyze and compare print and electronic book usage for equivalent core clinical titles at the University of South Alabama Biomedical Library collection from 2010 to 2014 to determine format preference and if it would be necessary to purchase identical books in both electronic and print formats. The purpose of purchasing print books that are also available in electronic format is to meet the preferences of some users who prefer to read print format. Usage of 60 core books both in print and electronic formats was compared. Usage statistics were generated from the library’s integrated library system for the print books—both those used in the library and checked out of the library. Electronic usage statistics of the same titles were generated from COUNTER reports; then titles in both formats were compared to determine format preference and whether it is cost-effective to purchase books in both print and electronic formats.

읽기매체의 종류에 따른 유아의 이야기 이해도 차이 : 종이책과 전자책

ABSTRACT This study investigated differences in children’s story comprehension as they related to the types of reading media. The participants comprised 62 four-years-olds from two child-care centers located in a middle-income region of Seoul and Gyeonggi Province. In order to control the experience effect, newly developed stories published into two formats of reading media (paperback books and electronic books) were provided to the participants. The results indicated that there were no significant differences in children’s story comprehension depending on the types of reading media. Paperback book readers and electronic book readers did not show any significant difference in story comprehension, which consists of recall, recognition and reasoning tasks. As literature pertaining to children’s usage of electronic books is limited, the present study offers guidelines for the development of children’s reading media and may serve as a useful resource for future studies. Keywords：읽기매체(reading media), 종이책(paperback book), 전자책(electronic book, e-book), 이야기 이해(story comprehension).

Not in Love, or Not in the Know? Graduate Student and Faculty Use (and Non-Use) of E-Books

This study focuses on usage of electronic books (e-books) among advanced researchers, including graduate students and faculty, at a four-year academic institution. The researchers aimed to highlight differences in behavior, perception, and attitude between users and non-users of e-books. The survey findings suggest that, while a majority of these researchers do not necessarily favor e-books over print books, they do appreciate the convenience of the electronic format. Moreover, the results also indicate that many researchers may be entirely unaware of the library e-books available in their areas of study or may not fully realize all the features already being offered by some of these e-books, such as highlighting, note-taking, accessibility options, and downloading. These findings provide timely and practical applications for librarians interested in increasing library e-book usage with focused marketing plans targeting the needs of specific patron segments.

Electronic Book Usage Patterns as Observed at an Academic Library: Searches and Viewings

In 2009, e-book usage statistics were evaluated at Laurentian University, Canada, to provide a better understanding in how the e-book collection has been utilized as well as to give direction for further collection development. The number of e-books, the number of viewings and the number of searches were examined. The size of the collection grew from a single book in 2002 to more than 60,000 in 2008. The pattern of purchase varied from that of bulk purchasing of large e-book collections to a more selective purchase from 2005 to 2007 and then back to that of bulk purchasing in 2008. Both viewings and searches have increased from year to year at a greater pace than the size e-book collection. The number of searches also appeared to provide a viable means to measure the use of an e-book collection rather than relying entirely on viewings or downloads. Ratios were calculated when comparing viewings and searches to the size of the collection. The largest viewings per e-book and searches per e-book ratios were observed in those years when purchasing was done more selectively. It is also clear that the electronic reference collection has seen far greater use then the electronic monographs. Furthermore, usage of electronic monographs also appeared to be directly proportional to the size of the collection.

Users’ Awareness of Electronic Books is Limited

A review of:
 
 Levine-Clark, Michael. “Electronic Book Usage: A Survey at the University of Denver.” Portal: Libraries and the Academy 6.3 (Jul. 2006): 285-99. 
 
 Abstract
 
 Objective – To determine if university library users are aware of electronic books, and how and why electronic books are used. 
 
 Design – Survey.
 
 Setting – University of Denver.
 
 Subjects – Two thousand sixty-seven graduate and undergraduate students, faculty, and staff.
 
 Methods – In Spring 2005, the University of Denver faculty, and graduate and undergraduate students were invited to participate in a survey about awareness and use of electronic books. A link to the survey was also posted on the library’s home page and on the university’s Web portal. The 19-question survey consisted of 11 questions to get feedback about electronic books in general, five questions focused on netLibrary, and the remaining were demographic questions. Eligibility to win one of two university bookstore gift certificates provided incentive to complete the survey.
 
 Main results – Surveys were completed by 2,067 respondents, including undergraduate students (30.1%), graduate students (39.1%), faculty (12.5%), and staff (11.8%). Results were reported by question, broken out by status (undergraduate students, graduate students, faculty) and/or by discipline (Business, Humanities, Nontraditional, Professional, Sciences, Social Sciences), and presented in tables or in the text. In general, most respondents (59.1%) were aware that the library provides access to electronic books. The library catalog and professors were the main ways respondents learned about electronic books. Approximately half (51.3%) indicated they had used an electronic book. Of those who indicated that they used electronic books (1,061 respondents), most (72%) had used electronic books more than once. The main reasons mentioned for choosing to use an electronic book included: no print version available, working from home makes getting to the library difficult, and searching text in an electronic book is easier. When asked about typical use of electronic books, most respondents indicated they read only a part of an electronic book; only 7.1% of 1,148 respondents indicated they read the entire electronic book. In answer to a question about choosing the print or electronic version of the same book, 60.7% responded that they would always or usually use print, and 21.5% indicated they would always or usually use electronic. The amount of material to read, the need to refer to the material at a later time, and the desire to annotate or highlight text are all factors that influence whether users read electronic books on a computer or PDA, or print out the material. U.S. government publications and netLibrary were the electronic resources used the most by survey participants. 
 
 Conclusion – The results of this survey suggest the need to market availability of the library’s electronic books. Problems associated with the use of electronic books are related to reading large amounts of text on a computer screen, but a reported benefit is that searching text in an electronic book is easier. Responses to the survey suggest that the use of electronic resources may not be generic, but rather depends on the type of resource (content) being used. The author notes that this finding should lead to further investigation of which items will be preferred and used in which format.

Electronic books and the humanities: a survey at the University of Denver

PurposeTo identify levels of awareness and patterns of usage of electronic books by scholars in the humanities.Design/methodology/approachA survey of the University of Denver community assessed knowledge about and usage of electronic books. The results for humanists are presented here.FindingsScholars in the humanities have a higher level of awareness of e‐books than their colleagues across campus but use e‐books at the same rate. Their patterns of use are different, with humanists using less of the e‐book than do other groups. Humanists still prefer printed books to electronic texts at a higher rate than do other groups and care less about added features, such as searchability, than they do about content.Originality/valueHumanists conduct research differently than do most other scholars, using the library catalog and browsing as primary means of finding information, and valuing the book more than other resources. No previous research has assessed whether humanists have similarly unique patterns of usage for electronic books.

E-Book usage and the Choice outstanding academic book list: Is there a correlation?

In this study, the staff of the library at Auburn University at Montgomery analyzed circulation patterns for electronic books in the fields of Political Science, Public Administration and Law to see if favorable Choice reviews can be used to predict usage of electronic books. A comparison of the circulations between print and electronic books was also conducted to determine whether the format of the books (print vs. electronic) had a discernible impact on circulation patterns.

Electronic Book Usage: A Survey at the University of Denver

In the spring of 2005, the University of Denver's Penrose Library conducted a survey of its users to determine their degree of awareness of electronic books, how and why they use them, and their level of satisfaction with the format. It is clear from vendor-supplied usage statistics that electronic books are used, but it is not clear how or why they are used. The survey addressed electronic books in general and netLibrary specifically. Survey results show that e-books are used by about half of the campus community. Of these users, most utilize them only occasionally. These e-book users like the convenience of being able to access materials from home and the ability to search within the text. Most respondents read only small portions of e-books, suggesting perhaps that print volumes are a better alternative for immersion in the text. Most respondents (over 60 percent) indicate a preference for print books over electronic, but an even larger number (over 80 percent) indicate a degree of flexibility between the two formats. Respondents are generally pleased with the e-book format.

E-book trial using handheld devices yields mixed reactions from public library staff and users in Essex County, UK.

A review of:
 
 Dearnley, James, Cliff McKnight, and Anne Morris. "Electronic Book Usage in Public Libraries: A Study of User and Staff Reactions to a PDA-based Collection." Journal of Librarianship and Information Science 36.4 (December 2004): 175-82.
 
 Objective – To assess e-book delivery on handheld devices provided to public library patrons, particularly housebound or visually impaired patrons and the users of a mobile library.
 
 Design – Product trial with a post-trial questionnaire for patrons and a post-trial focus group discussion among participating library staff.
 
 Setting – Mid-to-large size public library system in the United Kingdom.
 
 Subjects – 23 patrons participated; the number of library staff participating is not identified. Although the target population initially identified was housebound people, patrons reliant on the mobile library, and visually impaired people, the project team determined that it did not have sufficient funds to upgrade the PDAs to be compatible with their preferred software for the visually impaired, and therefore this group was eliminated from the study. Lack of funds was also cited as a factor in the team being unable to provide assistive technology for those users suffering from arthritis, though this group was not excluded from the study. Just over half the patrons were aged 60+, and more than half were female. Two patrons self-identified as housebound.
 
 Methods – e-books were downloaded onto Hewlett Packard iPAQ 1910 PDAs by library staff and were loaned to participants between January and April of 2004. Although the authors of the study state that “creating staff champions was an important objective in this project” (p.176), it is unclear whether staff were screened for positive attitude towards e-Books. Prior to the trial, staff members were provided with training and orientation, and participants were asked for their font and reading preferences. Support for participating patrons was available from staff or via an accompanying user manual, e-mail, or telephone help line. In a questionnaire administered following the trial, participants were asked to respond to questions focusing on functionality of the handheld devices and e-book formats, positive and negative reactions to reading from the devices, and differences in the reading experience using the PDA as opposed to a book. A group discussion with participating library staff was held in April of 2004. The feedback from both groups was compared.
 
 Main results – Patrons: The devices were generally found to be usable, with a few exceptions: one patron with arthritis had difficulty operating the device and another developed hand cramps. Positive reactions regarding the novelty of using the devices, portability (the ability to store several books on one small device) and readability (the ability to customize font size and to read in low light conditions) were offset by frustration with low battery life, small screen size, limits on usage (i.e. not to be used in the bath), difficulty paging back and forth (‘getting lost on the iPAQ’), and the inferior sensation of using a PDA as opposed to the ‘tactile’ quality of books. In addition, some patrons voiced fears that e-books might supplant paper books and libraries themselves. In all, thirteen patrons indicated that the e-books had some advantages over books, while eighteen found that there were aspects of using e-books that they disliked as compared to books.
 
 Staff: The staff shared some concerns with users, identifying portability as a strength and low battery life (including the need to reformat devices after batteries ran out) as a weakness. In addition, some staff felt that some patrons preferred the e-book format for books on sensitive topics, as they provided more privacy in borrowing. Other staff concerns included the potential for users loading other software on the devices and the (presumably in the case of a full roll-out where users would download their own e-Books from home) lack of a broadband connection for some users.
 
 Conclusion – This study should be read as a case study of a trial of the Adobe Book and Palm e-book formats on Hewlett Packard iPAQ 1910 PDAs amongst a small group of public library (primarily mobile library) patrons. While the findings generally indicated that both staff and users found the technology too problematic to be adopted, the trial was confined to the hardware and software specified. Furthermore, since the sample surveyed was small and not randomly selected, it would be difficult to apply the study’s findings to the larger population (exact number not specified in the study) of housebound and mobile library users of the Essex County system. 
 
 For those who are considering the introduction of similar technology in a public library setting, the final report on the larger project of which this study was a part is available on the British Library website: http://www.bl.uk/about/cooperation/laser-pubs.html

Electronic Book Usage: A Survey at the University of Denver: Supplementary Material

Electronic Book Usage: A Survey at the University of DenverSupplementary Material Michael Levine-Clark Appendix A: Survey [Download DOC file] Full article available here: Electronic Book Usage: A Survey at the University of Denver Copyright © 2006 The Johns Hopkins University Press

Electronic Book Usage at a Master's Level I University: A Longitudinal Study

From 2000–2004, the Auburn University Montgomery Library measured electronic book usage. Electronic book usage increased while use of the printed collection decreased. Subject areas most used resembled those reported by larger institutions, supporting the idea that some subjects are amenable to electronic use regardless of institutional size and mission.

Electronic book usage in public libraries

This article reports on one aspect of a Laser Foundation-funded research project that tested different models of e-book delivery and offered guidelines for developing e-book collections in UK public libraries. An e-book collection was offered to library users (primarily, users relying on a mobile library service) on Personal Digital Assistant (PDA) devices at Essex County Libraries. The article considers reaction from both library users and staff. A number of positive and negative reactions to e-books were noted, and the indicative results point to the conclusion that dedicated PDA collections still offer questionable benefits for use in public libraries.