:
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”