Presentation to Cambridge College librarians' meeting February 2013.

1. E-books and the future
of Cambridge College Libraries
Thursday 28th February 2013
Sarah Stamford

2. Disclaimer
What follows are my own
opinions about issues affecting
the future of Cambridge
College libraries.
. They are based on reading and
observation, not any
priviledged knowledge.
They do not necessarily represent
the views of the Cambridge
ebooks Advisory Group.

3. Two issues for College libraries :the future of publishing
and of the University

4. Publishing
Volume of print sales rising but profits are in decline (Amazon)
Explosion in sales of mobile ereaders (Kindle, iPad, Sony, Nook, etc.)
Discourse based on trade publishing affects people's perception of
ebooks, including academics.
Accelerated move to digital publishing (Note the CUP original
proposal to withdraw credit allocation for print purchasing.)
Academic publishers are developing own platforms to market ebooks
(especially textbooks) to individuals (eg students)
Revenue guarded via DRM.
Aggregators getting less favourable terms
Library sales valued but for non-textbook material
This is ebooks as they are now …

5. What's coming?
Open Access monographs (OA-OPEN)
More print on demand
Smart ebooks
Chapters
Textbook rental : Amazon, CourseSmart, etc
Open Access textbooks
Academic pick and choose textbooks
Issues for discovery and access.
What's the purpose of a catalogue?

6. Publishing future
Mobile
Personalised
Interactive
Social
…. but how does this fit with
Cambridge?

7. Cambridge libraries
Report on Resources for teaching and learning (2008)
Assumed a transition from print to electronic provision
CARET joined the UL enhancing potential for developing educational
technology.
Affiliation of F/D libraries to the UL - major opportunity to redesign
library services. Will Colleges have input?

Possible “Tripos librarians” for Natural Sciences and Medicine

UL to begin copyright deposit for eresources this year

UL new strategic frramework due this summer

UL collection development policy under review

UL to buy ebooks for research

8. Ebooks as part of your library's collection
Together, the Colleges have spent over £100k on ebooks since 2007.
Do you

Know what ebooks are available and where to find them?

Know which are the most popular ebooks in Tripos subjects?

Promote new ebooks to your students “where they are”?

Target specific subjects or year groups?

Use ebooks to promote your print library?

Follow ebs@cam blog and Facebook page?

Recommend titles to Faculty/Departmental librarians?

Keep your library committee informed of developments?
Remember, ebooks are a shared resource between all libraries. They
don't just belong to whoever ordered them!

9. Question time – ebooks and your collection
Do you check if an ebook is available before you order print?

Do you see ebooks as
− A nice extra to the library's print collection
− Replacing loan copies
− Replacing a reference copy

When an ebook is available, why might you choose not to buy a
print copy?

Would you hold off buying the new edition of a medical textbook in
print if it was going to be available in e within six months?

What about PDA for ebooks? And for print?

10. Ebooks and surveys
Response levels
Getting to the less frequent library
users
What kit do your students use, and
for what?
What do you mean, “ebooks”?
Compare and interpret responses
over years.
Let ebooks@cambridge know
your results

11. The future
Know where you are going. Think about the options for your library in
the next 5 years. What does your College want?
SWOT analysis?
Have the arguments ready for your Fellow Librarian/Library committee
Absent friends – spread the word. This isn't stuff we can choose to
ignore.
How should Colleges present a co-ordinated response to future change?

12. We're all in it together!
Sarah Stamford
Selwyn College
ss614
Twitter: @Dymvue
Blogger: Dymvue