Edward W. Walton
Brick & Click Academic Library Symposium
November 1, 2013

My Interest
◦ Research began more than 15 years ago
◦ Wondered would e-books supplant printed books

1990s and Early 2000s
◦ E-books existed
◦ Few Adopters (Innovator Stage)

Late 2000s (2007)
◦ Kindle sparked growth of e-book use in trade
market

Expectation
◦ Students will embrace e-books (Unrealized)
◦ E-books will make inroads into academia

Conundrum
◦ The e-book is a conundrum. It is loved. It is hated.
Sometimes, the lover and the hater is the same
person.

Book -- Romanticized Technology
◦ The e-book is an innovation that is purported to
replace the printed book, a beloved and
romanticized technology.
◦ To successfully replace the printed book, the
e-book must overcome significant cultural barriers
to become a mainstream technology.

Diffusion of Innovations Theory
(Rodgers, 2003)
◦ Getting an innovation through the adoption process
is extremely difficult when the current practice is
entrenched within the culture.
◦ To be adopted, an innovation must possess a
compelling advantage over the technology that it
proposes to supersede or there must be
sufficient external motivation to compel adoption
over the perceived advantage of the current
practice.

Broad Questions:
1. Does the e-book provide a compelling
advantage that will entice students to embrace
the innovation?
2. Are there compelling external motivations
influencing students’ decision to adopt the use
of e-books?

Six Major Areas of Research
1. Impact of E-books on Academic Libraries
2. Desired Features and Technical Issues
3. Impact of E-books on Student Learning
4. Use Rates in Academic Libraries
5. Purpose Students Use E-books
6. Students Preference for Books vs. E-books
1.
Impact of E-books on Academic Libraries
◦ Academic Quality
◦ Accessibility
◦ Acquisitions
◦ Competition
◦ Currency
◦ Efficiency
◦ Reserves
Desired Features and Technical Issues
2.
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◦
◦
◦
◦
◦
◦
◦
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Access to Multiple E-books
Appearance
Awareness
Bookmarking
Desirable Features
Disparate Systems
Navigation
Portability
Searchability
Reading on Screen
Technology Issues
3.
Impact of E-books on Student Learning
◦ Use as a Textbook
◦ Learning Outcomes
4.
Use Rates in Academic Libraries
◦ E-books Used
◦ Patterns of Use
5.
Purpose Students Use E-books
◦ Complete Course Assignments
◦ Convenience
6.
Reading Preference
◦ Prefer Printed Books
◦ Limited Reading
◦ Use for Research

Investigate whether eight factors are related
to e-book adoption (use) by undergraduate
students at SBU
◦
◦
◦
◦
◦
◦
◦
◦
Leisure Reading
Textbook Use
Conducting Research
Assigned Reading
Read in a Classroom
Availability of E-book & Printed Book Impact on Use
Using an E-book Because of Forced Adoption
Using an E-book Because of Convenience

Southwest Baptist University
◦ Liberal Arts Institution w/Professional Degrees
 6 Associates, 45 Bachelors, 4 Masters, 1 Specialist, 2
Doctoral
◦ Traditional, Non-traditional and Online Programs

Research Focus
◦ Traditional Undergraduate Students (1,405)

E-book Collection
◦ 2002 – First Collection (19,768)
◦ Additional Collections & Individual Titles Acquired
◦ Survey Date – 95,415 (33.2% of Titles Available)

Instrumentation
◦ Survey -- 15 Questions

Convenience Sample
◦ Participants Selected During Chapel Service
◦ Study Conducted in Spring 2012

263 Participants (18.7% of Population)
◦
◦
◦
◦
Freshman – 87 (33.1%)
Sophomore – 78 (29.7%)
Junior – 70 (26.6%)
Senior – 28 (10.6%)

Chi Square Analyses (X 2)
◦ RQ1 & 2: Two-Way X 2
◦ RQ3 & 4: One-Way X 2

If X 2 Value Exceeds X 2cv (Critical Value)
◦ Correlation Found Between Factors
◦ Run Standardize Residual Test
◦ Residual >= | 2 | -- Identifies Cells w/Correlation


Question (RQ1):
How often is students’ use of e-books related to (a)
reading for leisure; (b) reading a textbook; (c)
using to conduct research for a class assignment;
(d) reading an assigned reading for a class; or (e)
reading an assigned reading in class?
Null-Hypothesis (RQ1)
There is no difference in the frequency of students’
use of e-books for leisure reading, textbook use,
conducting research, assigned reading, and inclass reading.

Pearson’s Two-Way Chi Square
◦ df = 16 (Degrees of Freedom)
◦ X 2cv = 7.96
◦ X 2 = 143.54 (Exceeds X 2cv)
◦ Asymp. Sig. = .00 (<.05)
◦ Correlation Found to Exist Between Purpose and
Frequency of Use
◦ Run Standardize Residual Test
Frequency
Leisure
Reading
Purpose
Textbook
Research
Course
Reading
In-Class
Reading
Never
Rarely
Occasionally
Usually
Always
Count
135.0
56.0
40.0
22.0
10.0
Expected
165.7
37.1
38.3
16.9
5.0
Residual
-2.4
3.1
.3
1.3
2.2
Count
178.0
36.0
35.0
11.0
2.0
Expected
165.1
37.0
38.2
16.8
5.0
Residual
1.0
-.2
-.5
-1.4
-1.3
Count
124.0
37.0
59.0
31.0
11.0
Expected
165.1
37.0
38.2
16.8
5.0
Residual
-3.2
.0
3.4
3.5
2.7
Count
159.0
41.0
46.0
15.0
2.0
Expected
165.7
37.1
38.3
16.9
5.0
Residual
-.5
.6
1.2
-.5
-1.3
Count
230.0
15.0
11.0
5.0
.0
Expected
164.4
36.8
38.0
16.7
5.0
Residual
5.1
-3.6
-4.4
-2.9
-2.2

Negative Relationship
◦ Never Used Category (-2.4)

Positive Relationship
◦ Rarely Used Category (+3.1)
◦ Always Used Category (+2.2)

Some students Rarely use and some
students Always use e-books for leisure
reading

Negative Relationship
◦ Never Used Category (-3.2)

Positive Relationship
◦ Rarely Used Category (+3.4)
◦ Occasionally Use Category (+3.5)
◦ Always Used Category (+2.7)

Some students Rarely, some students
Occasionally and some students Always use
e-books to conduct research

Negative Relationship
◦
◦
◦
◦

Rarely Used Category (-3.6)
Occasionally Used Category (-4.4)
Usually Used Category (-2.9)
Always Used Category (-2.2)
Positive Relationship
◦ Never Used Category (+5.1)

Most students Never use e-books to read
aloud in class


All Categories Unrelated to Students Use of
E-books
Students use of e-books is Unrelated to
textbook use and reading assigned readings
outside of class

Students Use of E-books Related to
◦ Leisure Reading
◦ Conducting Research

Students Non-Use of E-books Related to
◦ Reading Aloud In-Class

Students Use of E-books Unrelated to
◦ Textbook Use
◦ Reading Assigned Readings Outside of Class


Question (RQ2):
How often is students’ use of the printed
book and e-book related to which format is
accessible?
Null-Hypothesis (RQ2):
There is no difference in the frequency of
students’ use of e-books and printed books
when both the printed book and the e-book
are available.

Pearson’s Two-Way Chi Square
◦ df = 4
◦ X 2cv = .711
◦ X 2 = 233.25
◦ Asymp. Sig. = .00 (<.05)
◦ A relationship exists between the available format
and students’ choice to use printed books or ebooks.
Frequency
Rarely
Occasionally
Usually
Always
Count
18.0
20.0
36.0
75.0
122.0
Printed
Expected
77.7
38.9
36.9
46.9
60.6
Book
Residual
-6.8
3.0
-.1
4.1
6.6
Count
136.0
57.0
37.0
18.0
8.0
Expected
76.3
38.1
36.1
46.1
59.4
Residual
6.8
3.1
.1
-4.1
-6.7
Format
Never
E-book
Printed Books

Negative Relationship
E-books

◦ Usually Used (-4.1)
◦ Always Used (-6.7)
◦ Never Used (-6.8)

Positive Relationship
◦ Rarely Used (3.0)
◦ Usually Used (4.1)
◦ Always Used (6.6)
Negative Relationship

Positive Relationship
◦ Never Used (6.8)
◦ Rarely Used (3.1)



When both the printed book and the e-book
were available, some students Rarely, some
students Usually and some students Always
chose to use the Printed Book
Students’ prefer to use the printed book
If the printed book is available, the e-book is
not used


Question (RQ3):
How often is forced adoption related to
students’ choice to use an e-book?
Null-Hypothesis (RQ3):
There is no difference in the students’
frequency of using e-books when the
printed book was not available.

Pearson’s One-Way Chi Square
◦ df = 4
◦ X 2cv = .711
◦ X 2 = 106.15
◦ Asymp. Sig. = .00 (<.05)
◦ A relationship exists between forced adoption and
the frequency of students’ use of e-books.
Frequency
E-book Use
Never
Rarely
Occasionally
Usually
Always
Count
15.0
23.0
53.0
61.0
109.0
Expected
52.2
52.2
52.2
52.2
52.2
Residual
-37.2
-29.2
-.8
8.8
56.8

E-book Only Available Format
◦ Negative Relationship
 Never Used Category (-37.2)
 Rarely Used Category (-29.2)
◦ Positive Relationship
 Usually Used Category (8.8)
 Always Used Category (56.8)


When the e-book was the only format
available, some students Usually and some
students Always used the e-book
If the e-book format is the only format
available, students used the e-book
(Forced Adoption)


Question (RQ4):
How often is convenience related to
students’ choice to use e-books?
Null Hypotheses (RQ4):
There is no difference in the frequency of
students’ use of e-books due to
convenience.

Pearson’s One-Way Chi Square
◦ df = 4
◦ X 2cv = .711
◦ X 2 = 62.80
◦ Asymp. Sig. = .00 (<.05)
◦ A relationship exists between convenience and the
frequency of students’ use of e-books.
Frequency
Convenience
Never
Rarely
Occasionally
Usually
Always
Count
22.0
44.0
46.0
51.0
100.0
Expected
52.6
52.6
52.6
52.6
52.6
Residual
-30.6
-8.6
-6.6
-1.6
47.4

E-book Use Due to Convenience
◦ Negative Relationship
 Never Used Category (-30.6)
 Rarely Used Category (-8.6)
 Occasionally Used Category (-6.6)
◦ Positive Relationship
 Always Used Category (47.4)


When use of the e-book was convenient
many students Always used the e-book
Students use e-books when it is convenient

Factors Affecting Students’ Use of E-books
◦ Use




Leisure Reading
Conducting Research
Forced Adoption
Convenience
◦ Not Use
 In-Class Reading
 Printed Book is Availability
◦ Unrelated to Use
 E-Textbook
 Assigned Reading (Outside of Class)

Compelling Advantage?
◦ Leisure Reading
◦ Conducting Research
◦ Convenience

External Motivation?
◦ Forced Adoption
(Only E-book Available)

Adoption Inhibitor?
◦ Availability of Printed Book
◦ Increased Difficulty Learning with E-textbooks
(Perception)
◦ Not Reading Aloud in Classroom


“If you build it, they will come”
Prefer Print
◦ Not Opposed to Electronic

Forced Adoption
◦ “Do you have this in a book”

Convenience
◦ Getting to the Library
◦ Late Night Writing
◦ Find a Resource

Recognition:
◦ Digital Library w/Analogy Collections
(Rather than)
◦ Analogy Library w/Digital Collections

E-book Collection (Today)
◦ 226,000 E-books vs. 192,000 Printed Books
◦ 334,000 E-journals vs. 100 Print Journals

E-books following Periodical Pathway
◦ Begin w/Fits and Starts
◦ Surpass all the Hurdles
◦ Majority Adoption
Questions
Dr. Edward Walton
Dean, University Libraries
Associate Professor of Library Services
Southwest Baptist University
1600 University Ave
Bolivar, Mo. 65613
E-mail: ewalton@sbuniv.edu
Phone: 417-328-1619