The Stories We Can Tell: Ebook Usage in Academic Libraries

Pamela Jacobs / Information Resources Librarian / University of Guelph / @pamelajacobs

Klara Maidenberg / Assessment Librarian / Ontario Council of University Libraries / @_klara

Jane Schmidt / Head, Collection Services / Ryerson University / @janeschmidt

Electronic Resources & Libraries, March 2014

We’re from the north

Our ebook acquisitions landscape

• DDA/PDA• E-approval plans• Subscriptions• Firm orders• Consortial purchases (packages)• E-reserves & e-textbooks

Evaluation

Evaluation

Usage* is a key metric for evaluating ebooks

Evaluation

Usage* is a key metric for evaluating ebooks

*Usage is just one aspect of a complete collection evaluation strategy. Wholesome assessment must supplement usage with other data, and qualitative study of usefulness and usability

Evaluation

Usage* is a key metric for evaluating ebooks

*Usage is just one aspect of a complete collection evaluation strategy. Wholesome assessment must supplement usage with other data, and qualitative study of usefulness and usability**Collection gaps do not show up in usage reports

What constitutes a use?Report Metric

COUNTER BR2 Sections viewed, printed or downloaded

COUNTER BR1 Usage by title

COUNTER BR3

Number of turnaways

COUNTER BR5

Searches

*Book page views Logs

*Title page views Logs

Unique visitor counts Logs, Google Analytics or similar

Peak demand times Logs, Google Analytics or similar

Access by operating system

Google Analytics or similar

Content focused reports

User focused reports

Aims:• Collective purchasing • Shared digital information

infrastructure• Collaborative assessment

In-house developed discovery and access platform

• Publisher packages• Guided by member committee• Model license • local load• DRM free & DRM restricted

600,000+ titles so far

Opportunities:• preservation and perpetual access• access to logs and reliable usage data• comparison and benchmarking

Opportunities:• preservation and perpetual access• access to logs and reliable usage data• comparison and benchmarking

Challenges:• Budget disparities• Discovery and access• Assessment• DRM restrictions

Usage can tell us…

• How much is the package being used• What proportion of the package is being used• How intensely are individual titles being used• Is the package more popular with some schools• Cost per use/cost per title

• University founded in 1964• Ontario Agricultural College 1874• Ontario Veterinary College 1862

• FTE 26,000

• ARL & CARL member

Library core values

• Learning• Service• Stewardship• Access• Intellectual Freedom• Innovation• Communication• Integrity

Context for book selection

• Institutional alignment• Curated collection• Shared discovery system• Collaboration via consortia• Collections Team• Discovery and Access Team

“You are not buying content … You are buying content, software, licenses, DRM and an ongoing

relationship with a vendor.” – Sue Polanka

http://ebookchallenge.org.uk/wp-content/uploads/2012/09/Curation_ebooks_Polanka_Sept2012_for_JISC.pdf

Ebook selection at UG

• Ebooks vs print books• E-preferred approvals• Packages• Title by title selection• Standing orders

Ebook preferences at UG

• Purchase• Perpetual access• DRM free• Multiple users

Ebooks available at UG

• Publisher direct• Aggregators• Specific collections• Primary source databases• Open access

Evaluating use

• Metrics• Turnaways• Overlap • Discovery

Publisher package – front list purchase

Pros• One invoice• Low cost/title• Simplified selection• DRM free, unlimited users• Local loading permitted

Publisher package – front list purchase

Pros• One invoice• Low cost/title• Simplified selection• DRM free, unlimited users• Local loading

Cons• Not comprehensive• MARC records quality• Complicated workflow • Delayed discovery• Low usage

Title by title selection

Pros• Clear entitlement• DRM free, unlimited users• Improved discovery• Increased usage

Title by title selection

Pros• Clear entitlement• DRM free, unlimited users• Titles in catalogue sooner• Increased usage

Cons• More hands-on selection

required• Higher cost

Ebook preferences

• Purchase• Perpetual access• DRM free• Multiple users

Ebook preferences revisited

• Purchase• Perpetual access• DRM free• Multiple users• MARC records• Clear entitlement• Sustainable

The long tail is slowly killing us ….

… and if we aren’t proactive in finding a solution, we could go the way of diplodocus.

Licensed under Creative Commons:http://fav.me/d4jwfrx

The Ryerson context – we are that snowflake

Ryerson’s collection philosophy

• Use over depth and breadth• Access over ownership• Largely automated

History of Ryerson’s monograph acquisitions by order type

Ryerson’s approval plan is:

• Publisher neutral• Subject driven• E-preferred• Platform neutral • Lean on auto-shipments• Slips vetted for DDA eligibility and added to pool on weekly basis

Benefits

Simplified record managementEnhanced duplication controlHigher quality cataloguing Central invoicingItem level price information in ILS

Approval (n=836) Firm (n=832) DDA (n=2352)0

5000

10000

15000

20000

25000

30000

35000

40000

45000

Total usage by acquisition type2012-2013

Title

/sec

tion

requ

ests

We do not want to play the role of the cat who ate the canary (no matter how handsome).

Licensed under Creative Commons: http://images.cdn.fotopedia.com/flickr-385650640-original.jpg

By Bit Boy (Flickr: The Elephant in the Room) [CC-BY-2.0 (http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/2.0)], via Wikimedia Commons

Ryerson Guelph

Aggregator 1 - non linear lending Publisher 1 - unlimitedAggregator 1 - textbook Publisher 2 - unlimitedAggregator 1 - unlimited Publisher 3 - unlimited

Publisher 4 - unlimitedAggregator 2 - one user Publisher 5 - unlimitedAggregator 2 - 3 users Publisher 6 - unlimitedAggregator 2 - unlimited Publisher 7 - unlimited

Publisher 8 - unlimitedAggregator 3 - one userAggregator 3 - 3 users Aggregator 4 - unlimitedAggregator 3 - unlimited Aggregator 2 - unlimited

Aggregator 3 - unlimitedPublisher 1 - unlimitedAggregator 4 - unlimited Publisher 8 - 3 usersPublisher 3 - unlimited Aggregator 2 - 3 usersPublisher 4 - unlimited Aggregator 3 - 3 users

Publisher 8 - 1 userAggregator 2 - one userAggregator 3 - one user

Preferred source – due to simplicity of

lending model

Prefer one user for cost effectiveness;

monitor turnaways

Ebooks Ranking of Preferred Ebook Platforms

Prefer publisher platforms that are DRM free

Prefer unlimited access to avoid

turnaways

ConclusionsThe definition of success varies depending on contextOne way is not necessarily better than the other, but ideally we get the best of both worlds:

• DRM free/UX• Perpetual access• Demand driven options• Sustainable pricing• Administrative support

Questions?

Thank you!

Suggested readingsBlummer, B. & Kenton, J. (2012). Best practices for integrating e-books in academic libraries : a literature review from 2005 to present. Collection Management, 37(2), 65-97. http://dx.doi.org/10.1080/01462679.2012.660851

Bucknell, T. ( 2010). The ‘big deal’ approach to acquiring e-books: a usage based study. Serials, 33(2), 126-134. DOI 10.1629/23126

Cox, J. (2007). Making sense of E-book usage data. The Acquisitions Librarian, 19(3-4), 193-211. DOI: 10.1080/08963570802026278

Hodge, V., Manoff, M., & Watson, G. (2013). Providing access to E-books and E-book collections: Struggles and solutions. The Serials Librarian, 64(1-4), 200-205. doi:10.1080/0361526X.2013.760411

Lewis, D. W. (2013). From stacks to the web: the transformation of academic library collecting. College & research libraries, 74(2), 159-177.

Pickett, C., Tabacaru, S., & Harrell, J. (2014). E-approval plans in research libraries. College & Research Libraries, 75(2).

Sens, J. M., & Fonseca, A. J. (2013). A Skeptic's View of Patron-Driven Acquisitions: Is it Time to ask the Tough Questions? Technical Services Quarterly, 30(4), 359-371.

Tenopir, C. (2011). Beyond usage: measuring library outcomes and value. Library Management, 33(1/2), 5-13. Doi: 10.1108/01435121211203275

Walters, W. H. (2013). E-books in Academic Libraries: Challenges for discovery and access. Serials Review, 39, 97-104.

Walters, W. H. (2013). E-books in Academic Libraries: Challenges for Acquisition and Collection Management. portal : Libraries and the academy, 13(2), 187-211. http://resolver.scholarsportal.info/resolve/153