E-books at academic libraries – experiences from the new publishing ecology The e-book experience- Introducing, using & evaluating e-book subscription collections at Staffordshire University David J. Parkes Head of Learning Support Staffordshire University Information Services

Staffordshire University 18,000 Students P-time: 6,000 or 34 per cent Stafford campus: 5500 Stoke campus: 10,000 More than a third are local Students from 70+ countries. 40 per cent aged over 21 Number of staff: 1,700 E-books at academic libraries – experiences from the new publishing ecology

Information Services Libraries and learning resources Networks and telecommunications Student and staff IT Corporate information Learning development and e-learning E-books at academic libraries – experiences from the new publishing ecology

Drivers for e-content Off campus demands for access part time, distributed and distance learners Multiple sites Expectations -the ‘flawed’ library model Declining stock circulation Increased delivery by VLE Increased overseas delivery E-books at academic libraries – experiences from the new publishing ecology

E-books is it worth it? The book as the perfect machine If we build it will they come? The ‘Google’ effect Low use of EIS- (JISC – UBMEF) Promotion and marketing Licensing Copyright Finding the product-is the market ready? E-books at academic libraries – experiences from the new publishing ecology

The e-book models Embryonic Changing and Emerging Models Suitable application for academic libraries? Purchase entire collections, individual titles, subscription V purchase, chapters eg McGraw-Hill Expectations were not high E-books at academic libraries – experiences from the new publishing ecology

Methodology Focus on 8 different distance, part-time and distributed awards Get tutor buy in from the start - top level management and practitioner involvement Learning and teaching Committee-formal Launch of Off Campus Service-infoDirect Money! E-books at academic libraries – experiences from the new publishing ecology

InfoDirect Off Campus Service Content Management System Populated with course resources and guides Introduction of key digitised resources Provides access to services such as document delivery E-books at academic libraries – experiences from the new publishing ecology

InfoDirect-services to Off Campus users

The Products £20,000 (283, SEK) 1.5% of annual budget netLibrary - purchase of minimum titles ebrary - currently 15,000 Safari -100 titles 2 concurrent users 3 completely different models No particularly high expectations But enthusiastic librarians, enthusiastic tutors and a deadline! E-books at academic libraries – experiences from the new publishing ecology

Launch- October 2002 Marketing -products, postcards, bookmarks, competition Workshops to staff and students Inclusion in InfoDirect and VLE Targetted awards COSE, Blackboard Link to pages, content Project to allow searching from within VLE E-books at academic libraries – experiences from the new publishing ecology

Usage Usage figures – since 0ctober 2002 Ebrary copy and prints Safari – 500 Average time spent in database 5-15 mins, Browsing activity Usage figures are not refined enough to be particularly useful at present Full evaluation planned with target group E-books at academic libraries – experiences from the new publishing ecology

Ebrary Ebrary-first UK customer Coverage- 15,000 books like the curates egg it is good in parts Includes some eccentric content But..provides an instant collection Technical support is very good New service allows own content Questions remain over subscriber support E-books at academic libraries – experiences from the new publishing ecology

Safari Great content - ideally suited to e-book format Interface- some concerns Content in bite sized chunks Slow response from customer support Good user feedback E-books at academic libraries – experiences from the new publishing ecology

Some observations Longer term view- a library where books can talk to each other first time ever that we can search across books- a new paradigm for libraries Books still have a cachet that journals don’t have for undergraduates Still allows for serendipity Change in teaching styles needed to make it really work E-books at academic libraries – experiences from the new publishing ecology

Would like to see.. Focus on end user Better search interfaces Better content selection Better statistics Multiple format? Hybrid-copies, adaptive, non-linear, updateable Language translation, readback E-books at academic libraries – experiences from the new publishing ecology

Tack så mycket Hej då! David J. Parkes Head of Learning Support Staffordshire University Information Services E-books at academic libraries – experiences from the new publishing ecology