the question of how to get best value for our users from the devices, and whether they really have E-book readers: any value at all. what are WHAT ARE E-BOOK READERS ? librarians to E-books readers are hand-held electronic devices that display text and images. In their internal make of them? memory they can store a large number of docu- ments, so it really is possible to have a library in your pocket. Although they are called ‘e-book Karl Drinkwater readers’ the texts stored on them could just as Resource Discovery Officer, easily be journal articles, blog posts or a phone Aberystwyth University directory – anything that can be stored in a text E-learning Adviser (Learning file. Resources), JISC RSC Wales Tel: 01970 621847 The devices use a technology called ‘e-ink’ that is E-mail: [email protected] very energy-efficient, so one battery charge may last 7,000 page turns (the equivalent of reading INTRODUCT I ON War and Peace five times on one charge). E-ink also has a contrast similar to printed text, and can be A recurring thread in many library mailing lists in read well in similar environments, such as out- recent years has been e-book readers and, more doors in sunlight, where a backlit screen would be specifically, what are library services meant to washed out. do with them? In July 2009 on LIS-SCONUL, Bournemouth and Staffordshire Universities said In some ways the devices can be seen as acces- they were experimenting with e-book readers;1 in sibility-friendly. Most allow font and size to be October 2009 on LIS-E-RESOURCES City Uni- changed, making text easier to read. Some models versity London and the University of Rome said can play audio books or offer text-to-speech the same thing,2 with similar messages appearing (though that feature is not perfect).7 Intel are even on the CoFHE (CILIP’s Colleges of Further and working on an e-book reader that can scan in text Higher Education group) list3 and LIS-LINK.4 So and read it out to you.8 this subject keeps resurfacing. The devices have been around for a long time but only now are they There are many models of e-book reader, and all entering their adolescence.5 have slightly different features.9 Generally the devices support a selection of formats, including E-book readers have been an interest of mine formats such as TXT, RTF, HTML and PDF, as for some time. In my JISC role I have done blog well as those based around DRM (digital rights posts about e-book readers, demonstrated them at management) such as ePub. Most can display library managers’ meetings and dealt with queries grainy grey-scale images in formats such as JPG, from universities and colleges about them.6 In my GIF, PNG or BMP. As stated above, some will other job at Aberystwyth University I have also play MP3s or other audio formats. It should be had queries from other university librarians and clear from this that some of the formats supported, written a report on e-book readers for informa- such as TXT, RTF, PDF and MP3, mean that it is tion services back in October 2008, after we had easy for libraries to create their own content to go purchased our first devices, and on World Book on the devices. Day 2009 our graduate trainees demonstrated them as part of a stall, letting users try them out Some devices have other features. The Kindle and in exchange for their feedback. I will be doing the Iliad both have wireless connections for down- same at our forthcoming ‘New Technology and loading content. The Iliad also allows people to Innovations Day’. annotate the screen using a stylus, possibly allow- ing students to annotate textbooks without getting The point is: everyone wants to know more about into trouble with the librarians for the first time in these devices. There is interest in them – the tech- history, since the annotations would disappear for nophiliac within us is inevitably intrigued, and the next user. they are designed to be appealing – but we are not sure what to do with them. We struggle with SCONUL Focus 50 2010 15 EXPER I ENCES AT AMER I CAN UN I VERS I T I ES without content on then they run the risk of being used just by people who want to try them out as We have established that UK universities are a prelude to buying their own, which is useful to doing small-scale trials of e-book readers in an the consumer but isn’t our core service. However, academic library context, but some of the Ameri- if we add content to them prior to loan then it is can trials have had wider publicity. The selection an interesting extension to our normal service. below describes some that I have been following, but the 2010 Horizon Report lists many others Pre-loaded with relevant content for a course (also from the US).10 The ideal content would be course readings (e-books and journal articles) plus lecturer’s notes Princeton University and materials, so that the student has access to Princeton University is trialling the Kindle DX’s many of the materials that support a course. For potential to replace textbooks and paper printouts some subjects it would be easy to fill e-book read- of course materials. The DX has a larger screen ers with free, out-of-copyright content – particu- than the normal Kindle, and is designed for view- larly for students of English literature, history, ing newspapers too. In this trial every partici- drama, classics and philosophy. For example, for pating student and staff member gets a Kindle English-literature students every work of Shake- DX that they can keep. A $30,000 grant made it speare, Austen, Byron, Dickens and so on could be possible to fund this.11 added for free via sources like Project Gutenberg15 or Feedbooks.16 This wouldn’t be spoon-feeding Penn State University – the students would still need to research the criti- Sony donated a hundred of their e-book readers cal material for themselves. to the university’s libraries and English depart- ment for a year-long project working with student Contemporary fiction groups. They want to assess the e-book readers Many libraries have a contemporary or classic in a number of settings and uses, including in fiction collection. It would not be too difficult to classrooms, in their leisure reading program and fill the devices with content to match some of the for students with disabilities.12 physical collection. North Carolina State University Titles in heavy demand This was a smaller-scale trial using more than one Titles in short loan collections that are always in brand of e-book reader. The devices were loaned demand could be supplemented by electronic ver- to students for a week at a time, and the students sions on e-book readers. were able to make personal selections of books that were then loaded onto the devices by refer- Newspapers ence librarians. Newspaper subscriptions were tri- With some devices, such as the large-screen and alled with the Kindles, with content downloaded wireless-enabled Kindle DX, it is possible to sub- wirelessly. The focus of the pilot was on leisure scribe to newspapers electronically, so that there is reading rather than academic texts.13 no need to have print versions. However, the US experience also gives us a word Organisational content of warning. In January 2010 four US universities As noted earlier, using supported formats means agreed to stop using e-book readers following a it is simple to create content for the devices. lawsuit by the National Federation of the Blind Academics could do this, but so could the library and the American Council of the Blind, due to the service. Ideas could include guides to subject fact that blind students could not use them.14 Of resources; referencing style guides; advice on course, the same could be said of printed books, good academic practice and information literacy; which renders this agreement with the Depart- and also a plain language ‘how to use this device’ ment of Justice a rather selective one. guide as the first document seen. POTENT I AL USES FOR L I BRAR I ES Audio content If the device supports the feature we can make Having seen some of what has been trialled else- audio material available, for example, the where, we can now start to compile a list of some spoken-word version of books. The devices could of the ways that these devices could potentially also hold music, podcasts, language lessons and be used by academic libraries. It should be noted spoken guides, such as a self-guided tour of the that content is king. If we just loan these devices library linked to a PDF location map. The added 16 SCONUL Focus 50 2010 advantage is increasing the accessibility of texts Legal issues? for our users. This mostly applies to DRM (digital rights man- agement) schemes and associated licensing. Can CONS I DERAT I ONS I F I MPLEMENT I NG AN E-BOOK READER SERV I CE a purchased e-book be stored on more than one physical device at a time? Does the licence allow Many libraries buy one or more e-book readers the text to be read by more than one customer? then try to decide what to do with them.