This document summarizes findings from faculty surveys about use of scholarly monographs. It finds that monographs remain very important to researchers, especially in humanities. While e-book usage is growing, print still dominates for in-depth reading. Searching and skimming are easier digitally. Over time more believe e-books could replace print, though humanities remain less convinced. The document also notes historians' heavy reliance on Google Books for discovery and access.

1. User Practices and Needs
Roger C. Schonfeld
@rschon | rcs@ithaka.org
NISO/BISG Changing Standards Landscape: E-Books | June 28, 2013

2. • Ithaka S+R US Faculty Survey 2012
• Ithaka S+R | Jisc | RLUK UK Survey of Academics 2012
• Ithaka S+R’s Supporting the Changing Research Practices of Historians (2012)
Sources for Today’s Presentation

3. Importance of scholarly monographs
“Scholars draw on a variety of different types of scholarly materials
in their research. How important to your research is each of the
following types of materials?” Percent of respondents who indicated
that “monographs or edited volumes” are very important to their
research.
“Electronic versions of scholarly monographs play a very important
role in my research and teaching.” Percent of respondents agreeing
strongly with this statement.

4. Importance of monographs in research
“Scholars draw on a variety of different types of scholarly materials in their research. How
important to your research is each of the following types of materials?” Percent indicating
that “monographs or edited volumes” are very important to their research.
0%
20%
40%
60%
80%
100%
Humanities Social Sciences Sciences
Source: Ithaka S+R US Faculty Survey 2012

5. Importance of monographs: generally and in electronic form
0%
20%
40%
60%
80%
100%
Humanities Social Sciences Sciences
Monographs or edited volumes
Electronic versions of scholarly monographs
Source: Ithaka S+R US Faculty Survey 2012

6. Importance of e-books for research & teaching
“Electronic versions of scholarly monographs play a very important
role in my research and teaching.”
0%
20%
40%
60%
80%
100%
Humanities Social Sciences Sciences
US
UK
Sources: Ithaka S+R US Faculty Survey 2012; Ithaka S+R | Jisc | RLUK UK Survey of Academics 2012

7. A print to electronic transition for monographs?
“You may have had the opportunity to read scholarly monographs in
electronic format, either through a library subscription database or
standalone e-books. How often have you used scholarly
monographs in digital form in the past six months –
often, occasionally, rarely, or never?”

8. How often have you used scholarly monographs in
digital form? (US)
Source: Ithaka S+R US Faculty Survey 2012

9. How often do you use scholarly monographs in
digital form?
0%
20%
40%
60%
80%
100%
Humanities Social Sciences Sciences
US
UK
Sources: Ithaka S+R US Faculty Survey 2012; Ithaka S+R | Jisc | RLUK UK Survey of Academics 2012
Percent responding often or occasionally (US vs. UK)

10. A print to electronic transition for monographs?
“Within the next five years, the use of e-
books will be so prevalent among faculty and
students that it will not be necessary to
maintain library collections of hard-copy
books.”

11. A print to electronic transition for monographs?
2006 3.7%
2009 4.4%
2012 16.1%
Over time (US):
“Within the next five years, the use of e-books will be so prevalent
among faculty and students that it will not be necessary to maintain
library collections of hard-copy books.”
Source: Ithaka S+R US Faculty Survey 2012

12. A print to electronic transition for monographs?
0%
20%
40%
60%
80%
100%
Humanities Social Sciences Sciences
US UK
“Within the next five years, the use of e-books will be so prevalent among
faculty and students that it will not be necessary to maintain library collections of
hard-copy books.”
Sources: Ithaka S+R US Faculty Survey 2012; Ithaka S+R | Jisc | RLUK UK Survey of Academics 2012

13. Use-cases
“Below is a list of ways you may use a scholarly monograph. Please
think about doing each of these things with a scholarly monograph
in print format or in digital format and… indicate how much easier
or harder it is to perform each activity in print or digital format.”
• Reading cover to cover in depth
• Reading a section in depth
• Comparing treatment of ideas between monographs
• Skimming in whole or in part
• Exploring references
• Searching for a particular topic

14. Reading cover to cover
Reading a section
Comparing monographs
Skimming
Exploring references
Searching for a topic
Monograph use cases (US)
Source: Ithaka S+R US Faculty Survey 2012

15. “Google is the first port of call.”
Google Books is of
singular importance for
historians, used on its
own, in conjunction with
the library, and even with
their own texts.
“Even some pretty obscure
things have landed in there ...
Because if…they are public
domain, … I can just
download them and use them
at my leisure… Being able to
do keyword searches within
PDFs of books is awesome…
[M]ore of that please!”
Source: Supporting the Changing Research Practices of Historians

16. Thank you
Reports are available publicly at:
http://www.sr.ithaka.org/
Contact information:
rcs@ithaka.org
@rschon
212-500-2338