Have scholarly e-books come of age? Ben Wagner, Sciences Librarian University at Buffalo Upstate NY Science Librarians October 20, 2006

The Progression E-journals (everybody!) E-journals (everybody!) E-Reference (Knovel, Gale, Wiley, netBASE products, ScienceDirect) E-Reference (Knovel, Gale, Wiley, netBASE products, ScienceDirect) E-Books E-Books Individual Publishers (Wiley, Springer, etc.) New Aggregators (MyiLibrary, Ebook Library, Ebrary)

Existing UB Science E-Reference Sources (Selected) Knovel & ENGnetBASE Knovel & ENGnetBASE AccessScience & Encyclopedia of Life Sciences AccessScience & Encyclopedia of Life Sciences ASM Handbooks ASM Handbooks Wiley (Ullmann’s & Burger’s Medicinal Chem) Wiley (Ullmann’s & Burger’s Medicinal Chem) Lecture Notes in Computer Science Lecture Notes in Computer Science Safari Tech Books Online Safari Tech Books Online Idea Group Encyclopedias (Selective) Idea Group Encyclopedias (Selective)

E-Reference Packages Task Force Charge: Identify and evaluate major e-reference packages Charge: Identify and evaluate major e-reference packages Two major findings Two major findings Few true packages (XRefer, netBASE, Knovel) Few true packages (XRefer, netBASE, Knovel) Interface features and pricing models vary significantly, requiring careful evaluation. Interface features and pricing models vary significantly, requiring careful evaluation.

Few true packages Task force completing overall platform evaluation. Task force completing overall platform evaluation. Plan to recommend certain platforms over others, other factors being equal. Plan to recommend certain platforms over others, other factors being equal. Individual title selection naturally goes back to the subject selectors. Individual title selection naturally goes back to the subject selectors. Expanded charge of committee to examine large e-book aggregators. Expanded charge of committee to examine large e-book aggregators.

What we like about Xrefer Breadth, making it ideal for ready reference. Breadth, making it ideal for ready reference. Ability to swap titles in and out at any time. Ability to swap titles in and out at any time paragraph length records (Oxford Reference Online tended to be 1-3 sentences) 1-10 paragraph length records (Oxford Reference Online tended to be 1-3 sentences) Extensive cross-referencing chaining information together Extensive cross-referencing chaining information together Concept visual map (way cool) Concept visual map (way cool) Persistent URL’s even if library drops title. Persistent URL’s even if library drops title.

What we like about Knovel Breadth and quality of sources Breadth and quality of sources Data-rich with indexing down to individual table entries. Data-rich with indexing down to individual table entries. Lots of text-rich handbooks – good for reference, background, and review. Lots of text-rich handbooks – good for reference, background, and review. Power and flexibility of search system. Power and flexibility of search system. Physical property range searching Physical property range searching

What we like about …netBase Quality sources (CRC Handbooks/T&F) Quality sources (CRC Handbooks/T&F) Federated searching across netBASE products Federated searching across netBASE products Minimal overlap between discipline products (CHEMLIBnetBase, BIOSCIENCEnetBASE, ENVIROnetBASE, MATHnetBASE, many more) Minimal overlap between discipline products (CHEMLIBnetBase, BIOSCIENCEnetBASE, ENVIROnetBASE, MATHnetBASE, many more) Each product is affordable (~$2,500-$4,500) Each product is affordable (~$2,500-$4,500)

Platform Evaluation - 1 CONTENT Enhance/fill-in gaps in current collection? Enhance/fill-in gaps in current collection? Value-added over free Internet sources? Value-added over free Internet sources? E-content –print content equivalence? E-content –print content equivalence?

Platform Evaluation - 2 INTERFACE Usability/Intuitiveness Usability/Intuitiveness Ease of browsing Ease of browsing Ability to search individual, groups, or all titles. Ability to search individual, groups, or all titles. Deep linking to chapter/section/page Deep linking to chapter/section/page Persistent URL’s Persistent URL’s Print/Save/ /EndNote capabilities Print/Save/ /EndNote capabilities

Platform Evaluation - 3 PRICING OPTIONS One-time fee, with or w/o “small” annual fee. One-time fee, with or w/o “small” annual fee. Perpetual access or life of edition Perpetual access or life of edition Updates included for x years Updates included for x years Annual Subscription Annual Subscription Print/e-combo Print/e-combo

Platform Evaluation - 4 Quality of content, page images, figures, photos. Quality of content, page images, figures, photos. Long-term access Long-term access If we cancel our subscription? If we cancel our subscription? If business failure/transfer of work to publisher? If business failure/transfer of work to publisher? Should paper/CD/DVD/microform be purchased? Should paper/CD/DVD/microform be purchased? Use and Usage Statistics Use and Usage Statistics Project COUNTER compliant? Project COUNTER compliant? ILL use permitted? ILL use permitted? Walk-in use permitted? Walk-in use permitted?

Don’t make assumptions! Idea Group Reference Encyclopedias Can search only titles and index terms. Full-text is not searchable. Can search only titles and index terms. Full-text is not searchable. One-time purchase, but good only for “life of edition”. When publisher releases new edition or stops selling current edition, all access is lost. One-time purchase, but good only for “life of edition”. When publisher releases new edition or stops selling current edition, all access is lost.

E-book license terms vary greatly. Buyer beware!

Aggregators – Wow! Most interested in: Most interested in: Ebrary ( – began 1998 [EBR] Ebrary ( – began 1998 [EBR] Ebook Library ( – began 2004 [EBL] Ebook Library ( – began 2004 [EBL] MyiLibrary (Coutts – [MIL] MyiLibrary (Coutts – [MIL] Also interested in Books 24x7 & Oxford Scholarship online Also interested in Books 24x7 & Oxford Scholarship online Greatly dislike netLibrary Greatly dislike netLibrary

Big Picture – Ebook Aggregators Huge collections (50,000+) Huge collections (50,000+) MARC Records available MARC Records available Reasonable pricing (unlike E-journal/E-ref) Reasonable pricing (unlike E-journal/E-ref) Typically close to list price of print book. Typically close to list price of print book. Typically “permanent” access Typically “permanent” access Integrates with order/automation systems Integrates with order/automation systems

Big Picture – Ebook Aggregators 1 Innovative acquisitions/access models 10 minute free browsing non-owned titles [EBL] 10 minute free browsing non-owned titles [EBL] Free search non-owned titles [EBL, EBR] Free search non-owned titles [EBL, EBR] Rent/borrow (3-day, 7-day) at fraction of purchase price. [EBL] Rent/borrow (3-day, 7-day) at fraction of purchase price. [EBL]

Big Picture – Ebook Aggregators 2 Innovative acquisitions/access models Pre-select titles that will be purchase only if and when a patron requests full-text. [EBL] Pre-select titles that will be purchase only if and when a patron requests full-text. [EBL] Reserve/E-pack options [EBL,EBR] Reserve/E-pack options [EBL,EBR] Variety of print/ /paste options within copyright limits. Variety of print/ /paste options within copyright limits.

My personal ranking E-Book Library E-Book Library MyiLibrary MyiLibrary Ebrary Ebrary

Visibility Highlight on library web site including resource listings. Highlight on library web site including resource listings. Integrate into course syllabi, course web pages, etc. Integrate into course syllabi, course web pages, etc. “Push” information via student portals, course management systems, newsletters, & informal contacts. “Push” information via student portals, course management systems, newsletters, & informal contacts.