The book is dead!
Long live the book!
Reflections on e-books –
diversity, growth, use
Tefko Saracevic, PhD
tefkos@rutgers.edu
http://comminfo.rutgers.edu/~tefko/
Tefko Saracevic
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Central idea: transformations
Books
• Books are
changing –
in transition
from print
to electronic
• pBooks to
eBooks
Tefko Saracevic
Libraries
• Most digitization efforts in
libraries are micro, even nano in scale
• Mass book digitization is on
industrial scale
– causing an industrial scale
revolution in technology, services &
use – in and beyond libraries
• And BIG transformations in
libraries & library use
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On disappearance of print books
pBooks
eBooks
• Many elegies
• Many critiques
• Lamentations the way
– “they lack the
majesty, the aura of
we experience books
the artifact” (Lynch, 2009)
above & beyond
• But they are striving.
reading
And how!
– physicality of books
• heft, texture, scent
– we have a pile,
collection
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A small sample of articles
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Sample of studies
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Books: a brief look back
Civilizations, cultures
• Since they appeared
some 3 millennia ago
books were critical for
any/all civilizations,
cultures that wrote
– linked to the desire of
humans to create lasting
records
– represent human beliefs,
memory, achievements
& scholarly record
Tefko Saracevic
Technology
• Since beginning to this
day they were
connected with &
realized by many, very
different technologies
and yet, despite all
changes they
remained books
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A few historical examples ...
Book: wood, gypsum
18th
dynasty in
ancient
Egypt,
circa 1550
B.C.E.
Word of Khakheperraseneb
A literary discourse concerning personal and social chaos
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Book: clay tablet
600’s B.C.E.
Royal Library
at Niniveh in
Babylonia.
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Chinese bamboo books
date
back to
500
B.C.E.
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First (credited) printed book “Diamond Sutra”
China 868 C.E. - woodblocks
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Amati paper (fig bark)
book – Maya, North
America, pre-Columbian
called “Dresden Codex”
~ 14 century
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Ibn al-Haytham
(965-1040 C.E.)
“Book on Optics”
1021 C.E.
His studies of the eye gave the
first modern understanding of
lens, retina and optic nerve, as
well as the mechanics of vision
and perception.
See also:
Arab Science: A Journey of Innovation
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And then in Europe came printed books
Johannes Gutenberg
Put together four skeins
of technology
•
•
•
•
paper
ink
movable type
printing press
He started printing books
around 1450.
Tefko Saracevic
(c.1398- 1468)
He was not the first to invent
printing … Korea, China were
before … but …
Mass production of books
that followed changed society
since then
over 100 mill.
books
published
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And now from pBooks onto eBooks
• No sculpture, yet,
commemorating eBooks
• But eBooks are the fastest
& and most massive
globally spreading books
in book history
– e.g.
Book sculpture - commemorating
invention of modern printing
Walk of ideas, Berlin
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a virtual fair July, 4 to Aug. 4, 2010 , featuring
over 3,000,000 eBooks; org. by World Public Library
Michael Hart (Gutenberg Project)
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In the grand scheme of things
all interact & all are transforming
eBooks
eBook
readers
eBook
users
Producers -
Physical –
Institutional –
makers of eBooks
devices
libraries, schools
Vendors
(aggregators) –
putting it all
together
Tefko Saracevic
Virtual –
in a device
Direct –
individuals,
groups
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eBook
Producers
• Concentrate on
scanning books
– and then providing
access
• Libraries = micro
producers
• Mass producers =
industrial scale
Tefko Saracevic
makers, suppliers
Vendors (aggregators)
• Concentrate on
putting together
many collections of
eBooks
– and then provide
unified access, add
value - search, link …
• Book databases
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Libraries as producers – first generation
Digitization
• Globally, great many
libraries digitized books
from own collection
• Many are rare, historical,
classics
– opened treasures to public
– very well received
– important for scholarship
& education
• But all together small in
numbers
Tefko Saracevic
A few examples from many
• British Library Online
Gallery
– 30,000 items; among them many
rare books
• Gallica - Bibliothèque numerique Bibliothèque nationale de France
– 1 mill. items, 160,000 books,
• World Digital Library
– cultural treasures from around the
world; so far about 1400 items;
over 200 from Middle East
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Mass digitization projects – second generation
Pioneered
• Industrial scale of
eBook digitization
– innovative
• applications of new
technologies
• some partnerships
with libraries
• Raised many issues
& disagreements
• Global
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Major projects
• Project Gutenberg
– first, gave ideas to all;
~140,000 books
• Universal Digital Library
- Million Book Project
– global cooperation; ~1,7 mill
books
• Google Books
– largest: ~ 12 mill books;
– international; many libraries
& even countries cooperate
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– cultural, legal controversies
Example: Project Gutenberg
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Example: Universal Digital library - Million Book Project
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Example: Google Books
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Next generation: Interaction in eBooks
Major innovation
• Adding potential for
interaction is a giant
step in evolution of
eBooks
– using dynamic web vs.
static scanned displays
– makes eBooks into
something else – Web 2.0
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pBooks vs. eBooks
• Interactive
capabilities
embedded within
eBooks provide clear
& even huge
advantages over
pBooks
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Vendors (aggregators)
What?
Who?
• Large, universal ones
taking the role of superbookstores
• Bring together eBooks
from different sources
& publishers & make it
– with some interactivity
available to libraries &
• Smaller, more
institutions; also users
specialized, aimed at
• Add various significant
specific markets, topics
capabilities - interaction
– particularly libraries &
similar institutions
• Some do it via specific
– many most innovative
software or apps
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Sample of vendors … all online only
Giants with global reach
• Amazon – a super store &
bookstore, e- & pBooks
– mid 2010: for every 100 pBooks
sold, 180 eBooks were sold
• iBooks – Apple repeating
the music formula to books,
some digitized heritage books (e.g.
Project Gutenberg) + current; many
for digital natives
(While we do not call them “vendors” or
“aggregators” that is what they are)
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Specialized or niche
• ebrary : Academic Complete
subscription: 50,000 books in many
subjects. Interactive capabilities.
New: Patron Driven Acquisition
– among others, Saudi Digital Library & King
Saud University Library subscribe
• ClassZone – large global text
book publisher turned to eBooks.
Extensive interactive e-texts for
middle & high schools. Geared
toward digital natives. Interactive
learning: “Textbooks come to life.”
• Other vendors offer similar
capabilities, e.g. Gale, Netlibrary,
Overdrive
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Example of a vendor: elibrary content for academic libraries
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ebrary search & interaction capabilities – with InfoTools
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ClassZone example of an interactive biology text for high school
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OverDrive : Example of a vendor providing variety of resources & apps for
libraries, schools etc. for access & variety of users, digital natives included
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Example of a public library: audio & eBooks to download
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eBook readers
Physical
• Devices used to display eBooks & other e-content
– variety on the market
• Plus: portable, readability
in various conditions, long
battery life
• Goal: for the technology
to seem to disappear
– concentrate on content
Tefko Saracevic
delivery for eyes,
could be also ears
Virtual
• Software for reading
eBooks (& other econtent) on a computer
& other devices
– variety on the market
• Used also for acquiring
& managing eBooks
• International Digital
Publishing Forum (IDPF)
tries standardization 30
Battle of eReaders on the go
Readers (physical)
Sample of most popular
ones:
– Amazon Kindle
– Apple iPad
– Sony eReader
• Proprietary - not
compatible
• These companies sell &
couple a device &
eBooks & other eMedia
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Proliferation of formats
• Standards needed
for interoperability
• Most used/popular:
– pdf (Adobe)
– ePub (International
Digital Publishing Forum)
• Other formats
available
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Apple iPad & eBooks
access to eBooks, magazines, newspapers, audio …
iBookstore
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iBook reader - Interaction: connects highlighted words to a
dictionary & Wikipedia; VoiceOver reads text
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Battle of eReaders for reading on your
device - computer, mobile …
eReaders (virtual)
• Adobe Digital Editions –
reads pdf, ePub
• Several other readers
on the market - combine
a bookstore with reader
• Vendors e.g. Overdive,
provide own readers for
download
Tefko Saracevic
Software – platforms
• Independent of
hardware; incompatible
• Some combined with
bookstores
• Adding interactive
capabilities – browsing,
searching
• “Reading revolutionized”
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My eBooks on Adobe Digital Editions
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back
eBook users
Institutional
• Libraries, schools,
museums, organizations,
agencies …
– free eBooks and/or with
subscription/license
• Integrating with
– other p & eResources –
essential part of collection
– other services
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User categories
Direct
• Individuals
– new: Patron Driven
Acquistion (ebrary)
• Groups
– children, adults, students,
scholars, professionals …
• Combined
– groups from institutions,
universities – e.g. courses,
research projects ...
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Libraries and eBooks
Digitized old(er) books
But now
• Support tradition, culture • Subscribe, license eBooks
& other eMedia
– enlarge collection
– attract interest for
“buried” treasures
– provide resources for
education, scholarship
• Many libraries have a
large number
– from a variety of vendors
• Why subscribe or license?
–
–
–
–
–
provide innovative services
possible for multi locations
circulate as other books
go with digital natives
for some no alternative
Libraries continue the shift to e-collections, including e-books
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eBook advantages for libraries
Operations
Access
• Can’t be stolen, lost,
mis-shelved
• Automatic circulation
• No additional space
• Management easier
• 24/7 from anyplace
– software often included
• Easy collection of
statistics - valuation
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– but often restricted to own
users (university, city)
• High demand books easily
managed
• Merges with other
services
• pBook= single concurrent
user; eBook = many
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Advantage: Integrated collection & services
eBooks
Services
• Combine with other
resources – audio
books, music, video,
software …
• Seamlessly connect
with MARC records
• Both increase use
• eBooks circulated as
other books
• Popular with users
• Many public & school
libraries offer access to
variety of eMedia
• Circulation rising
dramatically
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Example of eBooks at Washington, D.C. Public
Library – available to D.C. residents only
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Example of a dynamic library web site - Denver Public Library
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eBook disadvantages for libraries
Economics
Need for balancing
• Lots of $$$, €€€, SARs … • With print collection
• Funding a challenge
– still the major part for all
libraries
• Technology investments
• Still a good proportion
still high
of users are not there
• New competencies,
yet
(re)education needed
Mind-set changes needed & hard to achieve
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Digital scholarship & eBooks
Digitized old(er) books
New generation of eBooks
• Changed, broadened
access
• Fast update as needed
– particularly old heritage
& classics
• Opened new education
& research areas
– e.g. in digital humanities
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– cooperative autorship
• Aligns with digital
scholarship
• “Journalization” in use of
eBooks
– sections as needed
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Publishers & eBooks
Seeking adjustments
• Publishers struggling &
searching for new models
– inventory-free print-ondemand attractive (print
isn’t dead yet)
– distributing eBooks though
vendors
• profits??
– authors looking for larger
share of profit
• samoizdat versions attractive
Tefko Saracevic
Scholarly publishers
• Most convert all pBooks
immediately to eBooks
– integrating p- & eBook &
journal publishing
– aggregating from other
publishers, large libraries
& societies
– providing use statistics
to libraries
– offering comprehensive
(& expensive) packages
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Example of SpringerLink a large scholarly publisher – many
academic libraries, including in Saudi Arabia, subscribe
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eBook use metrics –
new items for library statistics & reports
Importance
Example of metrics
• To indicate various
parameters of use,
users, collection
• For policy, negotiation,
valuation, justification
• Not yet standardized
• Downloads, views
– various publishers &
vendors provide
different data
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– sections, whole units
• Visits, sessions, searches
• Title reach (been used)
– age of titles reached
• Cost per use
• Contrast to pBook use
• Turnaways
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eBook use studies in universities
Growth findings
• Number of studies
show significant
increase in eBook use
over time
– gain of eBooks over
pBooks
– varies by discipline, but
trend the same
Effecting use
• Cataloging eBooks &
having them in OPACs
increases use
• Students use more than
faculty
• Non-awareness linked
to non-use
Users do not know or care for term or concept “digital library”
for them it is a library that, as always, has books - these ones a bit different
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Digital natives and eBooks
Digital resources
Integration
• Part of their universe
• Devices: Becoming better,
ubiquitous, & cheaper
– young predominate, but
not only young
• Changing patterns how
people read
– & search for information
– implication for libraries
• But information literacy
still low – BIG role for
libraries to improve
Tefko Saracevic
– integrated with life
• eBooks are just books
– to be read anywhere
• Libraries need to adapt to
information age, not to
alienate potential users,
particularly the young.
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Ally reading her book at a soccer game where
her sister was a goalie (score 3:3)
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Conclusions
eBooks are succeeding because (part I)
Mass digitization projects
• Several high profile
projects made
available great
amount of classic &
heritage books
– many current too
• Raised availability &
public interest
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Commerce
• A number of companies
(some old, some new)
entered into eBook
business
– an industry is emerging
– with competition,
innovation, markets
• Transforming the
landscape
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eBooks are succeeding because (part II)
Scale, innovation
• Industry: producing
– growing list of current
titles
– interactive capabilities
• Libraries: inclusion in
OPACs, new services
• Publishers: reorienting
– p & eBooks together, or
eBooks alone
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Technology
• eReader hardware &
software better
– evolving continuously
• Wild west in formats is
cooling
• Costs are down
• Apps are better & easier
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eBooks are succeeding because (part III)
Social acceptance
• Innovation reached from
early adapters to early
majority – passing in the
mainstream
• Cycle maturing:
Technology
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Society
But there are also social
issues – a dark side
• Predicated on easy
availability of
technology, but
• Digital divide is real
– with this, exclusion
may be even growing
– leaving out many
– with what effects?
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At the end
Thank you
for inviting me!
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Webliography - URLs used in the presentation
Name
URL
Adobe Digital Editions
http://www.adobe.com/products/digitaleditions/
Amazon
http://www.amazon.com/
Apple iPad
http://www.apple.com/ipad/
Arab Science: A Journey of Innovation
http://www.grouporigin.com/clients/qatarfoundation/
The British Library Online Gallery
http://www.bl.uk/onlinegallery/index.html
Chicago Public Library
http://www.chipublib.org/
ClassZone
http://www.classzone.com/cz/index.htm
Denver Public Library
http://discover.denverlibrary.org/?q=
Google Books
http://books.google.com/
iBooks
http://www.apple.com/ipad/features/ibooks.html
International Digital Publishing Forum
http://www.idpf.org/
Million Book Project
http://www.archive.org/details/millionbooks
Overdrive
http://www.overdrive.com/
Project Gutenberg
http://www.gutenberg.org/wiki/Main_Page
Sony Reader
http://ebookstore.sony.com/reader/
SpringerLink
http://www.springerlink.com/
Universal Digital Library
http://www.ulib.org/
Washington D.C. Public Library
http://www.dclibrary.org/
World eBook Fair
http://worldebookfair.org/index.htm
World Public Library
http://worldlibrary.net/
Word Digital Library
Tefko Saracevic
http://www.wdl.org/en/
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For download
• This presentation can be found at my site:
http://comminfo.rutgers.edu/~tefko/articles.htm
• To find my site just go to Google and type
“tefko” – first entry is my site
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