Document Type
Conference Proceeding
Publication Date
2017
Digital Object Identifier (DOI)
https://doi.org/10.28945/3731
Abstract
Aim/Purpose: In many public and academic libraries, ebooks are being pushed on users mainly due to budgetary and space needs even though readers are still showing a strong preference for print books.
Background: Many librarians are focusing on how to get readers to use ebooks when they really should be considering how ebooks fit into learning, whether formal or self-learning, and the preferences that readers show for one format over the other. Library collections since the 1960s have generally focused on a strategy of “give them what they want,” but in the case of ebooks, there seems to be a trend of trying to force ebooks on users.
Methodology: A survey was given to undergraduate and graduate students at the University of South Florida.
Contribution: Our research findings fit with current data that shows a decline in popularity of ebooks and a continued popularity of print books. We would like to convince members of the academy to think about this issue and question the ebooks plans that libraries have on their campuses.
Findings: Both undergraduates and graduates strongly preferred print over electronic in the case of textbooks and books for leisure reading. Only journal articles were preferred in electronic form, but from the comments it was evident that articles were printed out and the student used the print copy for studying and research purposes. Reference books were split 50/50 in preference for electronic versus print.
Recommendations for Practitioners: Librarians and teachers cannot assume that just because students use their smart-phones that they prefer ebooks.
Rights Information
This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-Noncommercial 4.0 License
Was this content written or created while at USF?
Yes
Citation / Publisher Attribution
Proceedings of the Informing Science and Information Technology Education Conference, Vietnam, p. 77-83
Scholar Commons Citation
Gregory, Vicki L. and Cox, Kiersten, "Remember When Ebooks were all the Rage? A Look at Student Preferences for Printed Text versus Electronic" (2017). School of Information Faculty Publications. 450.
https://scholarcommons.usf.edu/si_facpub/450