Tipping point or whipping post? eBooks in NUI Maynooth, the story so far LAI/CILIP Ireland Joint Conference and Exhibition 11 th April Hugh Murphy, Senior Librarian, Collection Management Services

The space we’re in Global tipping points Growth of usage Formats DRM Devices

It’s easy to get carried away.. “By the turn of the century, paper will satisfy less than 5 percent of the total commerce in information. Although education and entertainment have their own migratory paths and rates, the objective will be the same: paper is going to be replaced with electronic media” (Kounta, J. (1992). Tomorrow’s libraries: More than a modular telephone jack, less than a complete revolution - Perspectives of a provocateur. Library Hi-Tech, 10(4), , p. 39)

…but haven't we reached tipping point?

Tipping point - supply 2013: Amazon and Apple patenting the ‘digital bazaar’ Greater availability of eBooks Adoption of eBook model by publishers (academic) E-readers

Tipping point - demand Ebook usage leads to more reading Seasonal peaks Consumers not put off by issues?

Whipping post - supply Multiplicity of providers Reluctance to adapt? ‘Big seven’ Prohibitive costs

Whipping post - formats EPUB HTML.djvu.lit.mobi PDF.pdb.kf8 AZW BBeB iBook

The NUI Maynooth experience

Tipping point c390,000 electronic books available Full text electronic journals currently number 49,168 c425,000 print books & journals available Mobile devices = game changer

Whipping post Providers Formats Licences Resource limitations

Licences “X reserves the right to introduce appropriate technical protection measure to control access and/or use of the Intelligence in accordance with this Agreement, provided that no such measure shall adversely affect the rights of the Subscriber or its Authorised Users...”

Unsustainable “When it comes to eBooks, we cannot give them what they want, not really, we cannot give them books from Simon and Schuster or Macmillan or new books from Penguin or Hatchet, and not more than 26 times from HarperCollins, and probably not many books from Random House...Simon and Schuster or MacmillanPenguin26 times from HarperCollinsRandom House...I am no longer convinced that spending... on the current eBook system is a wise move” (Bobbi Newman - Librarian by day blog, March )

So, why make it even more complex?

WHY WE DID IT Tipping point Proof of concept? Because we could / should?

Isn’t it what they want?

HOW WE DID IT (1)

HOW WE DID IT (2) [ NUTS AND BOLTS] 10 kindles for general, 10 for English Library Staff usage Free general books List of titles submitted to Library Incentivised in pilot – no fees Catalogue records

HOW IT WENT c100 titles uploaded Time consuming Licensing restrictions Security restrictions Strong marketing campaign

DID IT WORK? Validated our communication model 90% ‘satisfied’ or ‘very satisfied’ 94% would borrow again Repeat and increased business from academics Devices always on loan

So, everyone is happy? Rapid pace of change Changing user needs Expectations

Future?