The document summarizes findings from research into digital content and e-readers in higher education. It finds that while digital book sales are increasing, e-textbooks are not replacing printed textbooks as quickly as music went digital. Adoption depends on the hardware, software and content meeting students' studying needs, like highlighting and note-taking across multiple resources. While tablets show promise, laptops currently provide the best platform for higher education's digital content and studying workflows.

1. DIGITAL CONTENT IN HIGHER EDUCATION – PRACTICAL FINDINGS David McCarthy Director of Digital Education at Barnes & Noble March 7, 2011

5. WHERE WE ARE HEADED…

6. … BUT IT WONT BE EASY.

9. What is taking so long? Ereading fundamentally changes the way users interact with content. Digital music only changed the distribution of content. Consumption was still done through speakers of some sort.

10. The book works very well

11. The book works very well

14. Three Layers of eReading Reader Software Content Hardware Digital reading is accomplished through the lens of hardware and software.

15. Digital Studying Reading/Studying Software Content Hardware Realize, for students studying is much more important than reading. All layers have to be conducive to studying.

16. Questions?

17. Hardware

19. Why not Digital Readers B&N.com Company Confidential 08/20/11

20. Why not Digital Readers B&N.com Company Confidential 08/20/11

23. PC/Mac and Mobile Satellites S Heavy duty studying Home/Library Digital Content Ecosystem Cloud hosting digital locker Sync through a common cloud (locker) Reading on the go. Light studying

25. Questions?

26. eReading/Studying Software eReading software need to be conducive to studying

27. eReading/Studying Software

31. Textbooks Internet Study Aids/Other Books Instructor Supplied Class/Study Notes Students need to deal with a myriad of content. Each is managed independently Students are “content pressured”

35. Questions?

36. Digital Content

38. Content is not just textbooks Adopted Content Type Textbook 63.3% Professional 15.7% Trade 12.2% University Press 1.5% Other 7%

42. What about multimedia Publishers are only now creating digital versions of their flat content. Next steps will be to incorporate more interactive content but doing this at scale is some ways off due to costs. The major issue is there are no standards around mixing book and multimedia content. Students want the multimedia to be effective in their study. They would rather have the transcript of an hour video vs the video itself.

44. Questions?

56. Questions?