E-books: a snapshot from the UK Dr Hazel Woodward University Librarian, Cranfield University, Chair, JISC E-Books Working Group G ö teborg University, Sweden, 12 th December 2002

small, niche, postgraduate University engineering, technology, defence, biosciences, business & management four libraries on three campus (two over 100 kilometres apart) leading edge, international research demanding client base Cranfield University

Provision of E-books began mid 2001 with NetLibrary some 600 titles selected across a range of subject areas concerns: –high cost of e-book provision –no simultaneous use (the usage model is not sustainable in the longer term) –lack of appropriate UK content –how to market such a small ‘collection’ extending access…………..

What e-book content do we want to acquire? general reference materials –good range available via national consortia deals specialist reference works –some already available via national deals –individual negotiation with publishers scholarly monographs –background reading materials –available from individual publishers e.g. Taylor & Francis, Wiley, McGraw Hill, Elsevier –frequently ‘bundled’ by the publisher into subject clusters –available via aggregators e.g. NetLibrary; Books 24x7

E-book content … continued high demand text books, and short loan/reserve collection materials –the most difficult area !! –very little success to date –activity at national level

How do we move forward? well………. in the UK a lot is happening at a national level

Supporting Further and Higher Education Collecting Activities World’s largest and most diverse e- collection for education Collection Strategy and Content Policies Work with content producers International Work (ICOLC) Agenda for the year ahead including new negotiations structure

Supporting Further and Higher Education Collection Strategy 8 collecting areas –Books –Discovery Tools –Geospatial Resources –Images –Journals –Learning Materials –Moving Pictures and Sound –Primary Research Data

Supporting Further and Higher Education E-Books Working Group Mission: to provide leadership in establishing a strategy for the develop of electronic books for the benefit of the academic community –Monitor and influence e-book industry –Acquire content for HE and FE sectors –Achieve a sustainable economic model –Promote content exploitation –Understand impact on institutions, libraries and users –Advise on content creation

Supporting Further and Higher Education JISC content acquisition programme Current activity –Early English Books Online (EEBO) –Wiley reference works –Portfolio of major general reference products

Supporting Further and Higher Education Oxford Reference Online/xreferplus

Supporting Further and Higher Education Britannica Online

Supporting Further and Higher Education Current Working Group initiatives extensive community consultation –e-book community established commissioning research into e-books ongoing discussions with publishers and aggregators joint marketing plans with publishers and suppliers for existing deals

Supporting Further and Higher Education E-book research studies Market mapping exercise – well underway Promotion of ‘free’ e-books – started Dec 2002 Strategy for e-textbooks – will start Jan 2003 A vision for the development of e-textbooks Marketing and promotion of e-books – 2003 Research budget of over £200,000

Supporting Further and Higher Education Market mapping exercise Phase 1 – focus groups in key subjects and FE specific Core questions: –Key challenges in managing print collection? –Does going electronic provide the answer? –Where would you prioritise your ebook acquisition? –What are your preferred economic models? For each discipline: –Agree on most useful type of books (reference, monograph, textbook) –Seek consensus on essential titles for electronic collection

Supporting Further and Higher Education Market mapping: challenges with print access collection management and administration theft and vandalism space quality of stock out of print material

Supporting Further and Higher Education Market mapping: opportunities for e-books can solve many problems but… increased access is critical –on campus and off –multi-user collection management tools essential marketing is crucial

Supporting Further and Higher Education Market mapping: problems of e-books knowing what’s available poor quality of what’s on offer effective means of evaluating resource some concerns about formats and IT infrastructure access and costs

Supporting Further and Higher Education Market mapping: acquisition priorities textbooks and high-demand material some interest in reference works subject areas where material dates e.g. law, computing, business & management rely on JISC for endorsement

Supporting Further and Higher Education Market mapping: economic models some uncertainty, but… who pays? concern of shifting costs to user differences in how budgets are allocated and spent many like subject bundling JIT option also popular in some cases

Supporting Further and Higher Education Research project: a strategy for e-textbooks (Jan 2003-) aim: national collections strategy for e-textbooks market analysis –changing academic sector –institutional strategies –institutional cost structures –motivations/behaviours of core users –appropriate pricing industry structure and supply chain

Supporting Further and Higher Education Research project: a vision for e-textbooks (2003-) aim: longer term vision for e-textbooks both promise and reality use of textbooks in teaching and learning new forms of material, production and authoring

Supporting Further and Higher Education Research project: marketing of e-books (2003-) aim: to maximise awareness and uptake of e- books in HE and FE current practice to date key problems e.g. supply chain info roles for key stakeholders: –publishers –booksellers and other intermediaries –librarians –academics

Supporting Further and Higher Education Thank you for your attention Any questions?