Information Technology Reference
In-Depth Information
In the UK, the national E-book Observatory Project developed from
initiatives by the Joint Information Systems Committee (JISC) E-books
Working Group. In 2007 the latter commissioned a report by
consultants, which highlighted a number of challenges: 'the key
message to come out of the report was that publishers are not making
the right textbooks available electronically on the right terms' (Estelle
et al., 2009). Ebrary also carried out a global e-book survey, which
reported that e-book collections and the research tools they provided
were not well understood by a significant percentage of library users. In
part, the difficulties reflected confusion with e-book models and
problems with interfaces to the collection (2007).
Under the aegis of the E-book Observatory Project, 36 e-books were
made available to all UK higher education institutions for the start of
the academic year 2007-8. Key points of the usage study, which
concluded in December 2008, reveal:
Sessions typically lasted around 13 minutes and users viewed 6 pages on
average of the JISC e-books. . . . The way in which the JISC e-books are
being used perhaps indicates that e-books are not being used as a
substitute for printed books. 85% of users are spending less than one
minute per page. They are using e-books in a non-linear way - dipping
in and out. This may indicate that if a user wants to read in a constant,
frequent or linear way they will still buy or borrow the printed book. E-
books are for 'just in time' or remote use. . . . Students are using e-books
in addition to the print they bought or borrowed. Publishers need to
recognise that a new pricing model for e-books is required which reflects
the actual use and usage behaviour. Library provision of e-books is not a
threat but a chance to grow a new market.
(Estelle et al., 2009)
Some academic publishers have called into question the usefulness of
existing e-book devices for their target market, claiming that students
and researchers need more 'ability to interact' with the internet and other
sources. Roger Horton, CEO of Taylor & Francis, has stated that e-book-
specific devices were a 'peripheral' part of his business, despite the firm's
having produced more than 20,000 e-books: 'Most of our online business
is through academic libraries or associated parts of the university,
therefore nearly all desk top.' Horton added that digitization was not the
main concern, but price and distribution models: 'Of the [Taylor &
