1 UKOLN is supported by: It’s a book, but not as we know it: ebooks in libraries Penny Garrod, UKOLN, University of Bath CILIP one day school, Kent. 12 May a centre of expertise in digital information management

2 Ebooks in context Publishing process Creator uses computer to write/compile material from outset Material no longer has to be converted to print unless required Infrastructure in place to create all media in electronic form e.g. e-journals;online reference; books; audio books for MP3 players and PDAs Search, browse, locate chunks of information ideally suited to reference/non-fiction; study/leisure/enquiry needs Materials updated on regular basis Fiction? Quality of the reading experience? impact on print materials?

3 Ebooks: who needs them? Who are they for? Identifying appropriate groups and marketing to ensure take-up. Suppliers: can they provide what libraries want and need? e-audio books: worth considering? Costs: justifying additional cost: consortial purchasing; usage statistics; ILL potential; Collection Development policy etc.

4 Ongoing issues for libraries Content:US bias/US rights only; poor coverage in some subjects; bundling (lots of unwanted items);availability access models: multi-user, simultaneous access required by libraries; (suppliers offer one-book, one-user or limited concurrent use); accessibility (screen-reading software?) benefits to libraries and end-users? Critical mass not yet reached – limited usage statistics/feedback impact on print collections e.g. reference – need to revise collection development policies ILLs – consortial purchasing could facilitate this staff training –understand role of ebooks and actively promote integrate into existing collections e.g. MARC records and OPACs –may not be straightforward promotion/marketing – needs to be ongoing; demonstrate purpose of ebooks and when useful Licensing/purchasing restrictions: e.g device specific; formats tied to devices; restricted access

5 more issues… Hardware Future trends? Target specific groups. Buy and lend devices or enable use of own device?Sustainability? PCs/Laptops (WiFi services?) PDAs and Smartphones (3G) – future trends? Dedicated audio players or PDAs for e-audio? Software Microsoft reader Adobe ebook reader Mobipocket, Palm etc. for PDAs Content format wars; tied to platforms limited choice/US bias/rights Bundling: unwanted material Patchy:good in some subjects

6 Examples of ebook suppliers netLibrary: c. 26 members of netLibrary group (academic + LB Richmond public libraries) eBrary: available to UK libraries through Coutts Library Services UK: [ Staffordshire University; pilot project Essex public libraries Safari Technical Books (Proquest): London Boro’ Richmond; Staffordshire University OverDrive: Pilot projects in public libraries (Essex and Blackburn with Darwen)

7 Free ebooks Project Gutenberg: - oldest producer of free ebooks (started in 1971) Australian portal: global sources of free ebooks: many publishers provide links to out of copyright titles e.g. Amazon and Penguin Berglund, Y. et al. An investigation into Free eBooks. Draft report. Oxford Text Archive and the JISC, November books.pdf (see appendix for list of free ebooks) books.pdf

8 Ebooks for children and young people very limited resources in UK –e.g. ‘Tumblebooks’ from netLibrary; –titles from Oxford University Press, Dreamworks and Bantam Books Childrens elibrary (US) “the source of children’s ebooks for schools and libraries”

9 netLibrary in the UK netLibrary User Group: established Sept 2002 by OCLC/PICA Birmingham –members mainly academic libraries (c.26) –public libraries: LB Richmond (customer); UKOLN and Hampshire are members of Committee –enhancements as result of input from user group –netLibrary provide updates at meetings – discussion list and website netLibrary model: −PC-based; one-book one-user −borrow for short period; Athens authentication cost: −based on publishers’ lists + service fee −two options: ‘pre-paid ongoing access’ or annual service fee Content: -Non fiction - largest holdings (23%): Business, Economics and Management; US bias –but gradually adding content from International publishers

10 netLibrary interface

11 Ebooks in the academic sector JISC activities ebooks working group subscription package via Taylor & Francis: ‘pick and mix’ 180 ebooks. See: Library activities NOWAL (12 members in NW England) - largest netLibrary collection in Europe 12,000 titles - Serves 160,000 students; access on and off campus netLibrary: c.26 academic customers (netLibrary user group members) Other ebook suppliers/aggregators: –Staffordshire Uni: eBrary (15,000 titles); Safari Technical (100+titles) –Uni of Huddersfield: Books 24x7 ITPro (2200titles); ENGnetBASE (140 titles, PDF format) (also netLibrary)

12 Ebooks at Staffordshire University

13 netLibrary record at Staffordshire University

14 Summary of findings:academic libraries Established market (e-journals; online databases) – publishers/suppliers have responded PC -platform of choice -campus facilities + Athens authentication; but note future technology trends e.g. ownership of Smartphones and PDAs? Browsing; bite sized bits of info (‘sliced and diced’) textbooks to match student need; satisfy short term loan requirements Computer ownership - high in some disciplines e.g. computing, technology, business & mgt – subjects that are well served by ebooks

15 Public Libraries today Digital library Egovernment agenda - digital skills + 24/7 access Web sites; portals; Virtual Reference; Community Information; e-content e.g. online reference; e-books and e-audio Mobile technologies: Wi- Fi; remote access; enabling access via members own equipment Traditional library Social inclusion agenda -Library as community centre Books, magazines, newpapers, CDs, DVDs, VHS etc. Café/retail outlet Reading activities; access to ICT; zones for kids; support for lifelong learning Towards the hybrid library

16 Ebook Projects in public libraries 1. People’s Network Excellence Fund. 2. Laser Foundation funding Mixed model approaches: pilot and evaluate various products & delivery models Co-East + Loughboro Uni + Essex libraries (Laser Foundation): ebrary (PC-based) + Overdrive.com (12 x HP iPAQ PDAs) Blackburn with Darwen: (PN Excellence): 40 Compaq iPAQ PDAs - content from Overdrive.com LB Richmond: e-audio + netLibrary + Safari (PC based +Otis MP3 players)

17 Co-East/Loughborough University and Essex libraries PC-based access to e-books + PDAs (HP iPAQ 1910) preloaded with content – lent to readers Remote users can download content to own PDAs eBrary: Coutts/ebrary - ‘general interest collection’ titles Overdrive:230 titles from ‘Digital Library Reserve’ website: fiction (Palm reader) +non-fiction (Adobe) – some in both formats Website: Project reports:

18 OverDrive in Essex Libraries

19 London Borough Richmond upon Thames Public Libraries Model E-audio books - downloaded on Otis MP3 players PC-based ebooks (via 150 terminals in 13 branches) Content netLibrary: >300 non-fiction titles +>3000 out of copyright titles Safari Technical: 254 IT & management titles; facility to swap titles during subscription year; 3 concurrent user licences Audible.com (audio books – fiction and non-fiction) Joint collection with Blackburn & Darwen; download titles onto MP3 Players; 2 pilot user groups

20 Blackburn with Darwen Library and Information Services PDAs (40 x Compaq IPAQs with MS Pocket PC 2002). Multipurpose devices - able to support e-audio books (MP3) plus ebooks DRM restrictions (items cannot be swapped between devices) so solution = provide themed collections e.g.science fiction, thrillers loaded onto individual device Content: e-audio from Audible.com; ebooks from OverDrive Pilot group: young people aged 18-24; senior citizens; mobility impaired; library reading groups and regular and non readers

21 Audible.com

22 Summary of findings: public library projects Corporate IT: can slow things down e.g. security issues; mapping models onto existing systems; building web interface Suppliers: eBrary and OverDrive designed for US market - adapted for UK public libraries Costs: need to negotiate and bargain with suppliers to get what you want Usage levels: how to sustain after initial launch; marketing strategy needed; targeting specific groups of users PDAs -parts replacement; battery life; clear instructions on use; redundancy target specific groups initially e.g. disabled and housebound; young people

23 Increased take-up of online reference services Not really ebooks but form part of electronic resources/electronic collections. Online reference is often included at ebook events and in articles on ebooks/electronic publishing Oxford Reference Online: XreferPlus (won CILIP awardhttp:// KnowUK:

24 The future New 6 inch screen ebook reader from Sony: Librie EBR-1000EP launched in Japan, April 2004 –“it looks more like paper than the computer screen it is” (reflective screen – same when read indoors or outside) –Rental books model – content available for two months; described as ‘a library of sorts’ [Guardian Online 22 Apr] ILLs – can ebooks satisfy ILL requests? Costs: additional or (in the long term)- savings? New library models emerging: eBook Library (ebooks Corp. Australia): also: –For Academic and research libraries –‘Non-linear lending’: short term circulation; books by chapter

25 Cleveland Public Library (USA) – the shape of things to come?

26 A few resources (there are many) Penny Garrod. ebooks in UK libraries: where are we now? Ariadne Issue 37, October Academic libraries: Hazel Woodward and Louise Edwards (Sept. 2001).Shaping a strategy for ebooks: an issue paper me me Clifford Lynch. The battle to define the future of the book in the digital world: