:

Iris Perkins and Graeme Johanson

Information Online Conference

January 2009

New Texts in Old Pedagogies; Use of Electronic Books by

Undergraduates

Evidence-based librarianship

• Nursing at LaTrobe University,Shepparton Campus

• Research questions

- extent of e-book acceptance

- barriers to e-book use

Literature Review – a summary

• E-book advantages in library collections

- good cost per use ratio

• End-user research of how the e-book experience is perceived

- high awareness but low use

• Academics do not value e-books

This study approach

• Choice of cohort to study

• Pre-test

• First survey (2006)

• Second survey (2008)

• Interviews

Results

• Pre- test (second week, first semester) - over half felt their computer skills were good or better

- unanimous positive expectation that e-books would be used in their studies

First survey (end of first semester) - use of electronic resources high (all used CINAHL

and OVID)

- 54% had used e-books with very positive comments

Results (continued)

• Second survey (last semester, third year)

- 59% had used e-books (not much increase over first year)

- high use of internet for research

- satisfaction with library electronic resources still very high (88%)

Advantages of e-books

Can print out parts instead of photocopying 60%

24/7 access 50%

Cheaper than buying text 50%

Easy to do keyword searches 30%

Up-to-date information 10%

Save to memory stick to use later 10%

Disadvantages of e-books

Hard to find in the library catalogue 40%

Difficult to read on screen 40%

Searching did not find what I needed 30%

Printing and copying options not adequate 20%

Non-users of e-books

I forget they exist 60%

I have no broadband access at home 30%

I do not like the idea of reading an onscreen book 20%

I have heard they are hard to search 10%

I find everything in journals 10%

The interviews

• Two were keen e-book users, but limited in their searching for them

• Two couldn’t remember being shown an

e-book

• One spoke of negative experiences

• All agreed that a lecturer had never mentioned an e-book and there were none on reading lists

Obstacles to e-book use

• User frustration

• No broadband access at home

• Not knowing about e-books

• Forgetting about e-books when searching

Recommendations for better use

Promotion to academics

• E-books on reading lists

• E-books embedded in the curriculum

Promotion to students

• “Remind me about e-books”

Example presentation title Page 13

Thank You