Perspectives on the future of e-books in libraries in universities

Abstract

This article reports research into the perceptions and predictions of academic librarians regarding the future role and development of e-books, and e-book collections and services. A number of recent studies reported in the literature review indicate increasing interest in e-books. Semi-structured interviews were conducted with 32 academic librarians, in seven case study libraries. Most interviewees anticipated a significant growth in the size and role of e-book collections in academic libraries over the next five years. The actions and policies of each of the key stakeholder groups, e-book vendors (publishers and aggregators), academic libraries and users are viewed as pivotal to the future use of e-books in universities. The growing importance of e-books will have a number of consequences for academic libraries, in terms of the technologies that they make available to users, the use of library space, user education and staff workload.

E-lending in digital libraries: a systematic review

“…Overall, e-books were mentioned as describing content, format, book reader, and e-book reading devices. Their format refers to file or document format, e-book reader points to an application that is able to read the files on different devices, and e-book reading device indicates a portable device that is used for reading e-books (Rao, 2004), (Vasileiou, Rowley and Hartley, 2012), (Zickuhr et al, 2012); (Percy, J., 2013), (Thomson, 2014). Therefore, when we talk about e-books, it entails content, format, application, and device specifications.…”

“…Also some of the reports focused on topics such as e-book collection development (Lonsdale and Armstrong, 2010), the future of e-books (Vasileiou et al, 2012), and applying e-books in libraries (Percy, M A, 2013). Librarians believe that the main specifications of e-books are their multimedia capabilities, the need for less space, selection convenience, simultaneous lending, and greater effectiveness (Vasileiou et al, 2012;Percy, M A., 2013). On the other hand librarians believe that issues such as e-book technology imperfections, lack of libraries' clear strategy in the e-book area caused problems for libraries (Lonsdale and Armstrong, 2010).…”

“…However, these challenges along with benefits such as reducing book production costs in the electronic environment also make it an opportunity. So it is predicted that by 2020 about 75 percent of publications in the world will be in digital format or will be released in both print and electronic formats (Vasileiou et al, 2012). In order to be accessible electronic content may be placed in carriers such as Digital Libraries (DLs).…”

La adquisición de los libros electrónicos en las bibliotecas de los centros de enseñanza superior de Suecia.

“…Diversos estudios han demostrado la importancia que posee el régimen de precios de los libros electrónicos sobre los bibliotecarios a la hora de tomar decisiones para su adquisición y explican la reticencia de las bibliotecas universitarias a invertir en ellos (Blummer y Kenton, 2012), (Mulvihill, 2011), (Vasileiou et al, 2012a) y (Vasileiou et al, 2012b). Lippincott et al (2012) subrayan la importancia de los modelos de fijación de precios sostenibles y asequibles para los libros destinados a bibliotecas universitarias que los bibliotecarios tienen que desarrollar por su cuenta a partir de las oportunidades disponibles en el mercado.…”

“…Schell sugiere que las bibliotecas universitarias, para comenzar a desarrollar su colección de libros electrónicos, deberían dedicar al menos el 10% de su presupuesto total, previendo un aumento de hasta un 25% por la demanda de los usuarios (Schell, 2010). A pesar de que el gasto presupuestario en los libros electrónicos es cada vez mayor, las bibliotecas universitarias no parecen tener un presupuesto separado para su adquisición, sino que siguen adquiriendo títulos o colecciones de libros electrónicos dentro del presupuesto de compras general (Vasileiou et al, 2012c).Diversos estudios han demostrado la importancia que posee el régimen de precios de los libros electrónicos sobre los bibliotecarios a la hora de tomar decisiones para su adquisición y explican la reticencia de las bibliotecas universitarias a invertir en ellos (Blummer y Kenton, 2012), (Mulvihill, 2011), (Vasileiou et al, 2012a) y (Vasileiou et al, 2012b. Lippincott et al (2012) subrayan la importancia de los modelos de fijación de precios sostenibles y asequibles para los libros destinados a bibliotecas universitarias que los bibliotecarios tienen que desarrollar por su cuenta a partir de las oportunidades disponibles en el mercado.…”