Information Automation Limited

A 1997 research grant from Joint Information Systems Committee (JISC) enabled us to conduct the first national investigation into the publishing of electronic scholarly monographs and textbooks and their provision in higher education. The project was undertaken and a report published in 1998 (Lonsdale and Armstrong, 1998). Informal monitoring of the provision of electronic scholarly monographs continued until 2000 (Lonsdale and Armstrong, 2000) when a second grant enabled an investigation of the influence of new electronic monograph publishers such as netLibrary, Questia and Ebrary (Lonsdale and Armstrong, 2001).

Research and publishing about electronic books in the UK has focussed almost exclusively upon higher education. During the past decade there have been significant developments in e-book publishing, in the fields of fiction, general information, and primary, secondary and further education. Evidence suggests that the public library sector is beginning to acknowledge the role of electronic books within its collection and create collection policies which take into account this electronic resource (see for example, EARL (n.d.)). Since 1999, the People’s Network has motivated authorities to establish appropriate technological infrastructures to accommodate electronic formats and to make provision for their use amongst their clientele. By the end of 2002, 4300 UK public libraries will be connected to the Internet. The National Opportunities Fund (NOF) ICT initiative designed to promote information and communications technology skills amongst the public library workforce is another major stimulus to which the Department of Information Studies (DIS) is currently contributing training modules. Whilst a number of research projects have been established to investigate subjects such as information literacy, the digitisation of collections and certain electronic formats, there has been no investigation into the management of electronic books’ collections and their use in the public library sector.

Public libraries have management structures and collection development activities that are fundamentally different from those in libraries in tertiary education. Most public library authorities also distinguish between provision to young people and to adults, having separate collections and separate management and information systems. Before a full-scale research project can be developed, a preliminary study is required to investigate appropriate methods of data collection and analysis, and to identify issues that are unique to the public library.

Purpose of the investigation

Aims and objectives

The aims of this project were to conduct a preliminary investigation into the provision and use of electronic books by adult services in British public libraries, to confirm potential aspects of e-book provision that were unique to this sector, and to establish and test an appropriate methodology for a full-scale study. The objectives of the investigation were to:

Identify research and professional activity internationally within this field
Create data collection instruments and research methodology for a full-scale investigation
Analyse the relevant trends in e-book publishing
Identify public library authorities that have developed significant collections of e-books
Analyse categories of e-book holdings
Explore the collection management systems which support the selection and acquisition of e-books in order to identify potential issues
Investigate the management systems responsible for the provision and promotion of e-books in order to identify potential issues
Analyse the technological support for reading e-books
Identify potential staff contacts to facilitate data collection in subsequent research

Outcomes

This research was an essential precursor to a national study of public library provision for which a more substantial research grant would be sought from the major funding bodies including AHRB. This area of research falls within the current remit and interests of MLA and JISC.

Programme

Methodology

The research was both qualitative and quantitative, and several methodologies were employed to collect the data:

Literature search and review
A survey of all public library authorities in the UK (116) conducted using a concise postal questionnaire to identify potential staff contacts, and to elicit availability of e-books and collection management activity as a precursor for the in-depth interviews
A small-scale survey of c.10 public library authorities will be undertaken using a structured interview schedule. A stratified sample of authorities active in the management of e-books will be created reflecting metropolitan, county and London boroughs. Geographical location and authority size are two further factors which will be taken into account in establishing the sample.
Interviews with representatives of the Publishers Association, The Library Association Public Libraries Group, NOF, and other relevant professional bodies associated with e-book publishing will be conducted using a structured interview schedule.

Timescale

It was envisaged that the project would run over a period of six months and comprise the following stages:

Literature search and review
Formulation of data collection instruments
Piloting of survey instruments
Survey of public library authorities
Interviews with public library staff
Survey of professional bodies
Analysis of survey data
Development of methodology for full-scale survey
Preparation of report and publications

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