School Library Ebook Report-2014-FINAL FINAL

2014 Survey of Ebook Usage in U.S. School (K-12) Libraries

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Survey of Ebook Usage in U.S. School Libraries Executive Summary ............................................................................................ 3 Introduction ......................................................................................................... 9 About the 2014 School Library Journal Ebook Survey ....................................... 9 How This Report Is Organized ........................................................................... 9 Data Presentation ..............................................................................................9 Chapter Structure ............................................................................................10 For More Information ........................................................................................ 11 1. Profile of Respondents................................................................................. 12 Public or Private ...............................................................................................13 Number of Students ......................................................................................... 14 Materials Expenditure ...................................................................................... 15 Library Location ................................................................................................ 16 Respondent Job Title/Ebook Recommendation Authority ................................ 18 Role in Ebook Decisions ..................................................................................19 Onward ............................................................................................................. 19 2. Ebook Supply and Demand ......................................................................... 20 Offer Ebooks .................................................................................................... 20 School Libraries Without Ebooks .....................................................................22 Ebook Plans .....................................................................................................24 How Long Libraries Have Offered Ebooks ....................................................... 26 How Many Ebooks? ......................................................................................... 28 Demand for Ebooks ......................................................................................... 30 Ebook Circulation ............................................................................................. 32 Changes in Circulation/Usage .........................................................................34 Ebook Access .................................................................................................. 37 Access at Home ...............................................................................................38 Hindrances and Barriers .................................................................................. 39 OPAC Discoverability ....................................................................................... 42 In Summary ...................................................................................................... 43 In Their Own Words ......................................................................................... 43 3. Ebook Collections and Categories.............................................................. 48 Ebook Categories ............................................................................................. 48 Fiction vs. Nonfiction ........................................................................................51 In-Demand Ebook Genres ............................................................................... 53 Fiction ..............................................................................................................53 Nonfiction .........................................................................................................54 Academic or Pleasure Reading ........................................................................ 57 In Summary ...................................................................................................... 58 © 2014 School Library Journal. All rights reserved.

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In Their Own Words ......................................................................................... 58 4. Ebook Budgets and Buying ......................................................................... 61 Ebooks and Library Materials Budgets ............................................................ 61 Last Year’s Budget ..........................................................................................61 This Year’s Budget ..........................................................................................62 2019 Budget ....................................................................................................64 Current Volume and Spending ......................................................................... 66 Volumes Purchased This Year ........................................................................66 This Year’s Spending .......................................................................................67 Source(s) of Funding ........................................................................................ 69 Impact on Print Books ...................................................................................... 71 Purchasing Terms ............................................................................................ 72 Consortium Membership .................................................................................. 75 Vendors Used and Preferred ........................................................................... 77 In Summary ...................................................................................................... 80 In Their Own Words ......................................................................................... 81 5. Ebooks and Ereaders ................................................................................... 85 Ereaders Used ................................................................................................. 85 Transition to Electronic Textbooks ................................................................... 90 One-to-One Device Programs .......................................................................... 94 Availability of Reading Devices ........................................................................ 98 Which Ereaders Do Libraries Lend? ..............................................................100 How Many Ereaders? ....................................................................................103 Preloaded Apps .............................................................................................. 105 In Summary .................................................................................................... 108 In Their Own Words ....................................................................................... 108 General Conclusions and Trends.................................................................. 112 Ebook Trends ................................................................................................. 113 Appendix: School Libraries Questionnaire .................................................. 115 The Survey Methodology ............................................................................... 115

© 2014 School Library Journal. All rights reserved.



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EXECUTIVE SUMMARY Since we launched our annual survey of ebook trends in libraries in 2010, we have seen ebook usage explode among the general public and in public libraries, while ebook adoption by U.S. school libraries has expanded more slowly. Currently 66% of schools nationwide offer ebooks, an increase of ten percentage points over last year’s survey. Tallies of the number of ebooks available and their usage, however, remain low. Several factors are driving the slow rate of ebook adoption in school libraries and among children in general. Our data shows that limited access to ereading devices and cost (school library budgets are decidedly less than lavish) are keeping school librarians from investing more in ebooks. In addition, student demand for ebooks is not as robust as the demand for them in public libraries. School librarians reported that often student awareness of school ebook collections is low, and many students have a clear preference for print books, at least for certain types of reading. Indeed, one recurring comment is that school library staff and faculty are more excited about ebooks than the kids are. Despite a surge in student-owned computers and devices, most school’s ebooks are being read using devices provided in school (school desktops, laptops, tablets and whiteboards). This is especially true in poor and/or rural areas where technology has been slow to penetrate. A quarter of U.S. schools reporting in 2014 provided ereading devices for students to borrow and 17% of schools had a one-to-one device program in place. It makes sense that giving children access to ereading devices strongly influences their interest in accessing ebook content. To prove that point, we looked at the question, “Have you experienced a change in demand for ebooks since this time last year?” comparing schools with one-to-one programs to those without. Eighteen percent of 1:1 schools reported a dramatic increase in demand, versus 3% of those without a 1:1 program. Maintaining both print and digital collections on a typical school library budget is a very big challenge. As a result, we have found that schools—especially elementary schools—have become creative in seeking alternate types of funding for their ebook initiatives. We are also seeing continued dissatisfaction with vendors and publishers. Among public libraries, the vitriol seems to have largely abated, but among school libraries, dissatisfaction with purchasing terms remains high. That said, they are finding ways of making ebooks work.




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Small Ebook Collections in Most Schools In 2014, 66% of library media centers (LMCs) indicated that they offer ebooks to students and faculty, a ten percentage point increase over 2013. The lack of ereading devices available has become the top cited reason for not making ebooks available. “No money for ebooks” has become less of an issue. Of the 33% of school libraries that do not currently offer ebooks, 11% say they have no plans to ever offer them, although 20% say they definitely will add them in the next two years. Offer ebooks % of school libraries

2010

2011

2012

2013

2014

33%

44%

40%

56%

66%

“There is no denying this is the future of libraries. We still have many, many students and teachers who prefer to have print books, but because of cost and maintenance, constant care, and a NEVER increasing budget, it makes more sense to purchase digital books that can’t be lost, destroyed, or held hostage by the patron. Given that we provide all students with an iPad, NO student is denied access to the digital collection while MANY students seldom make it to the physical library because of scheduling or lack of interest.”

Ebook collection sizes have increased steadily but the median number of ebooks per school is a very low 189 titles (mean 1,104). To put this in perspective, the median number of print books in a school library collection is 11,3001. Ebook collections Median # of ebooks

2010

2011

2012

2013

2014

32

35

94

136

189

Obstacles Persist The lack of ereading devices—either school-provided or student-owned—is a major impediment to LMCs offering ebooks. “Limited access to ereading devices (at home or at school)” is the top barrier to ebook usage reported by school libraries and is at an all-time high for this barrier. A close second is “users prefer print books.” “Students unaware of ebook availability” is not far behind, and “lack of training” is also on the uptick. Demand Exists but is Not Overwhelming User demand for ebooks has leveled off in the present survey. Just over four-in-ten respondents (44%) have witnessed an increase in demand for ebooks this year, unchanged from 2013, however most of that demand is “slight.” Notably, 20% of school libraries reported receiving zero requests for ebooks, dropping slightly from 23% last year. “Dramatic” or “slight” increase in demand for ebooks % of all school libraries

1

2011

2012

2013

2014

27%

46%

44%

44%

School Media Center Resource Survey, School Library Journal, 2014. © 2014 School Library Journal. All rights reserved.



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“At first ebooks were very big, but students have their own devices now and access on their own. Also, I have found that most students still prefer holding books in their hands and use their ebook devices in certain circumstances...when traveling etc. for convenience only.”

Ebook Usage on the Rise For the 2012–2013 school year, respondents with ebooks during that time period reported a median circulation/usage of 100 ebooks overall (mean 652), up from a median of 25 the previous year. Elementary schools saw the highest increases in ebook usage. Dividing ebook circulation figures by enrollment translates to approximately one ebook use per every 3.4 elementary students. In middle schools, usage was one ebook per every 7.4 students, and in high schools one ebook used per every 13.1 students. Ebook circulation

2011

2012

2013

2014

25

35

25

100

Median ebook circulation

“Love ebooks as options. Do NOT want a library which is entirely ebooks. Many students and staff do not enjoy them, find them unsuitable for their purposes and will not use.”

Generally, one-half of school libraries’ ebooks (51%) have a one user at a time restriction, while 49% allow simultaneous access by multiple users. Virtually all libraries (94%) said that students could access the library’s ebook collection from home. Respondents expect a 29% increase in ebook circulation next year, statistically unchanged from last year. This is much less bullish than we saw in 2012. Ebooks have yet to see the surge in demand and circulation in school libraries that public libraries experienced, which was often in the triple digits year over year. Expected ebook circulation increase

2010

2011

2012

2013

2014

% change in ebook circulation

+26%

+43%

+48%

+30%

+29%

Fiction and Nonfiction Ebook Collections More than half (56%) of school libraries’ ebooks are nonfiction titles, and 44% are fiction. The top three fiction and nonfiction categories carried by each school type are: Elementary school Fiction realistic fiction

Nonfiction animals

Middle school Fiction dystopian fiction

Nonfiction history

High school Fiction dystopian fiction

Nonfiction general reference

adventure/ thrillers

science/ math/ technology

fantasy

science/ math/ technology

realistic fiction

history

fantasy

biography

realistic fiction

biography

fantasy

biography




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“Our students love ebooks for research, but do not want to check out pleasure reading in e-format. They demand print for their fiction and extracurricular reading needs.”

Almost four out of ten respondents (37%) said that their ebooks are read primarily for recreation, while another 34% feel they are used most regularly for school assignments and academic reading. Eighteen percent said usage was about equal. “Students are quick to use nonfiction ebooks with research projects. For fiction, I find that students are more likely to use devices already loaded (NOOKs). Our public library offers ebooks through OverDrive so I try not to duplicate those services.”

Ebook Spending Rises In the 2013–2014 school year, library media centers estimated they spent on average $1,199 (median $402) on ebooks. Notably, almost one-in-five reported spending zero dollars, as their ebooks were made available through the state, school district, or consortium membership. A median of 42 ebook volumes was purchased or licensed independently in the 2013-2014 school year, bringing the average cost per ebook to $9.57. Since last year’s survey, the percentage of materials budgets spent on ebooks has declined, predominantly due to elementary schools decreasing their spending on ebooks (or, as we’ll see below, finding sources of funding other than their local materials budget). The projected national school ebook spend for the 2013–2014 school year was anywhere from $31 million (calculated using medians) to $92 million (calculated using means). In five years’ time (2019), libraries expect ebook spending as a percentage of their total materials budget to almost quadruple to 13%. Type of school All school libraries Elementary schools Middle schools High schools

Ebook spending as a % of total materials budget (median %) 2010 1.6% 1.5% 1.6% 1.8%

2011 1.6% 1.5% 1.5% 1.9%

2012 1.5% 1.4% 1.7% 1.7%

2013 4.0% 3.6% 3.9% 4.4%

2014 3.4% 1.9% 4.4% 4.8%

2019 13.4% 11.3% 16.8% 17.0%

Creative Funding Sources Libraries avail themselves of as many sources of funding as they can, but far and away their materials budget was the biggest source of funding for ebooks. Eighteen percent have participated in book fairs, 14% have turned to donations or other types of fundraising efforts, and 12% have received grants. Elementary schools are the most likely to seek alternate sources of funding besides their materials budget. Some schools rely on the local public library to provide access to certain ebooks, and focus their ebook spending on titles related to the curriculum. The challenge for school libraries is expanding ebook collections while also maintaining print book and media collections, as well as other services. In general, though, ebook purchasing has had an impact on print book purchasing. Nearly a quarter of school libraries (24%) indicated that they purchase fewer print books now, while 65% said that their ebook collections had no influence on their print book purchasing. © 2014 School Library Journal. All rights reserved.



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Only 13% of school libraries currently take part in a consortium licensing program. This is the lowest rate of consortium membership in the history of our survey, though it has never been an especially popular option for school libraries, in direct contrast to public libraries. “I have found the transition to ebooks to be very frustrating. I seem to be more excited about them than the students are! Leasing the books which may or may not be checked out for a year is not realistic to the budget, and titles available for purchase are not desirable to the students.”

Purchasing Terms Unlike what is happening in public libraries, the purchasing terms for schools buying ebooks have not changed appreciably. In 2014, 61% purchased with perpetual access, up one point from 2013, while 30% purchased with perpetual access through self-hosting (local ownership), up four percentage points. Twentyfour percent purchased a “subscription” or licensed ebooks, up from 20%. One reason annual licenses do not find favor with more school librarians is that the library is only open for ten months out of the year. The number one method used by public libraries to acquire ebooks is the “license with a set number of circulations” model, which is used by only 6% of school libraries. “I will not ever ‘lease’ an ebook. Period.”

Ebook Vendors In terms of vendors used, FollettShelf continues to dominate the ebook space for school libraries—63% of school libraries use FollettShelf. Nearly a third of respondents (31%) indicated a vendor preference for FollettShelf while 32% percent have no preferred vendor. “[FollettShelf] has better prices, better ease of use, more multiple user formats available, more nonfiction titles than OverDrive (second choice).”

Ebooks and Ereaders School-owned devices are used most often for reading libraries’ ebooks, although nearly three-quarters of schools report their ebooks are also read on student-owned devices. The “school desktop computer” is the top method by which students access the library’s ebook collection, selected by 68% of respondents, down from 76% last year. “Student tablet” was selected by 52%, up from 39% last year. A “school laptop” was selected by 50% (up from 48%), with “student dedicated ebook reader” at 48%. Providing ereaders to students is on the decline, with 24% of school libraries making ereaders available for students to read ebooks (only 12% allow take-home use). The iPad or iPad Mini has become far and away the top device circulated, especially for younger readers, with the Kindle a somewhat distant second. The school libraries that lend ereaders have a median of 12 devices on hand (up from 10 last year). Of the schools that provide tablets to students, 60% preload “interactive educational tools,” 54% preload “book apps/enhanced ebooks,” and 36% preload “productivity tools for teachers, administrators, etc.” on those devices. © 2014 School Library Journal. All rights reserved.



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Etextbooks and One-to-One Schools Since last year, etextbooks have not become a major force in El-Hi schools. Only 1% reported that all new textbooks are purchased digitally, 15% (up from 12% last year) say that “some new textbooks are purchased digitally,” and 14% are considering it. Two-thirds (69%) have no plans to transition to etexts. “Once we move to a 1 to 1 environment, I expect ebook usage to dramatically increase, but many students still prefer print books, even those with ereading devices.”

Seventeen percent of school library respondents say their schools currently have a one-to-one device program in place, and 15% are planning to offer one—one-third of schools have, or will have, such a program in place in the near future. Of schools that have one-to-one programs, one-third assign personal devices to each student for the year, another third gives devices to students in select classes for the year, and 13% distribute and then collect devices at the end of the class period. IPads are the top device used by schools that have implemented a one-to-one device program (64%). “We just became a one-to-one school with iPads this year, so though I’ve increased my spending on ebooks recently, the vast majority of the materials I buy are still in print form. This isn’t because I’m old or afraid of technology or change in general. It’s because I genuinely believe in the necessity of children feeling the heft of a book, turning real pages, and having the opportunity to literally stick their noses inside one. At this point, experiencing books like Journey by Aaron Becker or anything by Steve Jenkins on a small, rectangular screen, just can’t compare to the real thing.”

Conclusions Two-thirds of school libraries offer ebooks, which is a steady increase from past surveys, even if school libraries lag behind public libraries. The biggest hurdle to offering students ebooks is “limited access to ereading devices”—but, generally speaking, many kids still prefer to read in print. At this juncture, print and electronic is not an either/or choice. School libraries will need to continue to offer a variety of formats to best suit user preferences— and foster learning and nurture a love for reading, the primary functions of a school library. This means tough format choices for the school librarian and an ongoing struggle to carefully allot what is too often preciously little funding.




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INTRODUCTION About the 2014 School Library Journal Ebook Survey Welcome to the fifth School Library Journal survey of electronic book usage in U.S. school libraries. The present report is one of two that look at the current state of ebooks and their place in libraries. Our most recent survey reprises many questions from previous years’ surveys, allowing us to track long-term trends more effectively, as we now have four or five data points to consider. We also tweak some other questions based on responses to past surveys or to better reflect changes in the market, so some data points may not be entirely consistent with past responses. In addition, there are also some brand new questions this year. Once again, we invited survey respondents to answer open-ended questions that asked about school libraries’ experience with ebooks in general and, in this survey, about their relationship with their primary, preferred ebook vendor. Despite a lot of the crankiness we find in the general open-ended questions, libraries do have their favorite vendors, and there is a fairly high comfort level with, and even enthusiasm for, some vendors. As we always say, the verbatim responses are a useful lens through which to view the quantitative results of our survey. A selection of these responses can be found at the ends of Chapters 2, 3, 4, and 5.

How This Report Is Organized If you have used past versions of our ebook usage surveys, much of what follows in the present report will seem familiar, although we have added some new “features” this year to aid readers in making the best use of the data. Data Presentation The bulk of each chapter provides top-level survey results in chart form—in essence, the “all responses” results, or what all libraries surveyed said about a specific question. This gives an overall idea of the prevailing attitude. In those cases where we have calculated averages, such as “average number of ebooks available,” “average number of ereaders available,” or “average amount spent on ebooks,” we provide both a mean and a median. A mean is a simple average, or “the sum of a collection of numbers divided by the number of numbers in the collection.”2 A median is “the numerical value separating the higher half of a data sample, a population, or a probability distribution, from the lower half.”3 Medians are more useful than means when looking at datasets with outliers—that is, figures that are anomalously high or anomalously low. For some of the questions in this survey, there were very large outliers that skewed mean figures, so looking at median values gives us a better idea of what the reality is.

2 3

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Arithmetic_mean. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Median. © 2014 School Library Journal. All rights reserved.



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Each chart is followed by a corresponding table that breaks down the survey responses by type of school library (elementary, middle, or high school), whether it is public or private, and geographic region. Different grade levels and types of schools have varying attitudes and behaviors and it’s a mistake to assume that all libraries think and act alike. An elementary school library will have a different set of needs and attitudes and be subject to different forces than a high school library. We have called out in commentary those figures in these cross-tabulations that we think merit attention, but users who are looking for specific things may find much of value in these detailed tables. For geographical region, we grouped our survey sample into four general regions: Northeast, Midwest, West, and South (see Chapter 1 for which specific states are included in these regions). Geographical data can be helpful for vendors, publishers, or other companies seeking to identify where to focus sales, marketing, or even customer support efforts. In this report we also sought to add a greater historical perspective, so for questions that have appeared in at least three of the past five surveys, we have provided a “time series” chart which is an easy way to track trends over time. Some of these line charts may resemble squashed mosquitoes, but we have done our best to keep the presentation of data as clear as possible. Chapter Structure Chapter 1 offers a demographic profile of the libraries and individuals who responded to our survey. Chapter 2 looks at ebook “supply and demand.” How many libraries offer ebooks? What is preventing libraries from amassing ebook collections? How has ebook demand circulation changed? Chapter 3 looks at ebook collections. What ebook categories and genres are most in demand from users? Chapter 4 looks at budgets and purchasing terms. How much do school libraries spend on ebooks? Are ebooks taking a greater percentage of the budget pie? Are libraries cutting elsewhere to pay for them? What purchasing terms do libraries buy? Which vendors do libraries use and which do they prefer? Chapter 5 looks at ereading devices. What are the most popular hardware devices on which users read ebooks? Do libraries circulate hardware devices to students? Which ones? Are schools switching to etextbooks and/or becoming one-to-one schools? The Appendix provides the questionnaire and methodology for this year’s survey. At the end of each chapter, we have also added selected responses to our write-in comments questions.




For More Information For questions or comments regarding this study, please contact our research manager, Laura Girmscheid by phone (646) 380-0719 or by email at [email protected].



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1. PROFILE OF RESPONDENTS This section provides a basic demographic profile of the libraries that responded to our 2014 survey. As the chart below shows, 67% of the school libraries responding to this questionnaire described themselves as an “elementary school,” 15% “high school” and 12% “middle/junior high school.” We also captured a small number of other types of schools (generally schools that teach a mix of lower to upper grades) as well as administrative offices.4 The preponderance of elementary schools also allows this survey to be somewhat predictive of middle and high school trends in the next few years as kids move up through the grades and take their ebook experiences and preferences with them. As we’ll see, however, students can be more inclined to develop an interest in—and a preference for—ebooks as they get older. Figure 1. Which of the following best describes your library? % of school libraries, 2014

The table below breaks the data down by public/private and geographic region. Table 1. Which of the following best describes your library? % of school libraries by geographic region, 2014 Public or Private

Elementary school Middle/Junior High School High School Other School (K-8, K-12 etc.)

4

Public 70% 12% 14% 4%

Private 12% 26% 46% 42%

Geographical Region Midwest 64% 12% 14% 10%

Northeast 64% 14% 14% 8%

West 67% 11% 16% 6%

South 70% 11% 14% 4%

This data was weighted to represent the breakdown of elementary, middle and high schools nationwide. © 2014 School Library Journal. All rights reserved.



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Public or Private The majority (93%) of respondents to our survey were public schools, while 6% were private schools. Figure 2. Is your institution public or private? % of school libraries, 2014

The following table breaks the public/private data down by type of school and geographic region. Table 2. Is your institution public or private? % of school libraries by type of school and geographic region, 2014 Type of School

Public Private Other

Elem 95% 4% 0%

Middle 91% 8% 0%

Geographical Region High 86% 13% 1%

Midwest 93% 6% 1%

Northeast 90% 10% 0%



West 94% 4% 2%

South 94% 6% 0%


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Number of Students School libraries responding to our survey had an average (mean) of 682 students in their school (median 569). Figure 3. Approximately how many students attend the school you work in? % of school libraries, 2014 Mean number of students: 682 Median number of students: 569

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Table 3. Approximately how many students attend the school you work in? % of school libraries by type of school and geographic region, 2014 Type of School

Under 200 200 to 499 500 to 749 750 to 999 1,000 to 1,499 1,500 to 1,999 2,000 or more Mean # students Median # students

Elem 2% 47% 38% 10% 3% 0% 0% 532 508

Middle 2% 22% 33% 22% 16% 2% 3% 773 695

Public or Private High 2% 15% 13% 12% 24% 17% 17% 1278 1155

Public Private 2% 12% 37% 33% 35% 27% 11% 16% 8% 11% 3% 0% 3% 1% 695 626 578 544

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Geographical Region Midwest 2% 43% 32% 8% 7% 4% 4% 666 534

Northeast 1% 54% 22% 11% 7% 3% 2% 620 469

West 4% 33% 35% 13% 6% 5% 4% 716 591

The survey question included the qualification, “If you work in more than one school or at the district level, please answer for the largest school you serve.” © 2014 School Library Journal. All rights reserved.


South 4% 29% 39% 13% 10% 2% 3% 703 609


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Materials Expenditure The mean materials expenditure for the 2013/2014 school year for school libraries responding to our survey was $7,012 (median $4,382), up from last year’s mean expenditures of $6,360. Over fifty percent (53%) reported that their total materials budget for the year was between $2,500 and $9,999. Sadly, 9% reported no materials budget at all. Figure 4. What was your library media center’s total materials expenditure this past year (2013–2014 school year)? % of school libraries, 2014 Mean materials budget: $7,012 Median materials budget: $4,382

Table 4. What was your library media center’s total materials expenditure this past year (2013–2014 school year)? % of school libraries by type of school and geographical region, 2014 Type of School

$0 to no materials budget Less than $2,500 $2,500 to $4,999 $5,000 to $9,999 $10,000 to $14,999 $15,000 to $19,999 $20,000 to $24,999 $25,000 to $29,999 $30,000 or more Mean materials budget $ Median materials budget $

Public or Private Public Private

Geographical Region Midwest

Northeast

West

South

Elem

Middle

High

9%

5%

7%

10%

8%

7%

3%

19%

9%

20% 36% 20% 10% 3% 0% 0% 1% 5,652

11% 30% 28% 12% 6% 3% 2% 3% 8,983

7% 18% 19% 19% 10% 5% 4% 11% 13,348

17% 33% 21% 12% 3% 1% 1% 2% 6,502

8% 22% 16% 4% 7% 5% 11% 19% 18,084

17% 31% 19% 16% 3% 2% 1% 4% 7,753

8% 33% 25% 18% 5% 0% 4% 4% 9,057

21% 31% 20% 4% 3% 0% 1% 2% 4,824

18% 32% 22% 10% 3% 2% 2% 2% 6,806

3,953

5,808

9,614

4,300

8,749

4,596

6,115

3,369

4,274




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Library Location The following figure shows the geographical location of the libraries responding to our survey, based on U.S. Census Bureau regional classifications: •

New England: Connecticut, Maine, Massachusetts, New Hampshire, Rhode Island, Vermont

•

Mid-Atlantic: New Jersey, New York, Pennsylvania

•

South Atlantic: Delaware, Florida, Georgia, Maryland, North Carolina, South Carolina, Virginia, West Virginia, District of Columbia

•

East North Central: Illinois, Indiana, Michigan, Ohio, Wisconsin

•

West North Central: Iowa, Kansas, Minnesota, Missouri, Nebraska, North Dakota, South Dakota

•

East South Central: Alabama, Kentucky, Mississippi, Tennessee

•

West South Central: Arkansas, Louisiana, Oklahoma, Texas

•

Mountain: Arizona, Colorado, Idaho, Montana, Nevada, New Mexico, Utah, Wyoming

•

Pacific: Alaska, California, Hawaii, Oregon, Washington

These nine regions are also grouped into four larger U.S. regions: •

Northeast: New England and Mid-Atlantic

•

Midwest: East North Central and West North Central

•

South: South Atlantic, East South Central and West South Central

•

West: Mountain and Pacific




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Figure 5. In which region of the country is your library located? % of school libraries, 2014

Looking at the four major geographical divisions, we see that our sample skewed a little heavily toward the South, and away from the Northeast. SOUTH WEST MIDWEST NORTHEAST

38% 21% 21% 19%

Table 5. In which region of the country is your library located? % of school libraries by type of school, 2014 Type of School

South Atlantic West So. Central East No. Central Mid Atlantic Pacific Mountain East So. Central West No. Central New England SOUTH WEST MIDWEST NORTHEAST

Public or Private

Elem 14%

Middle 14%

High 12%

Public 16%

Private 14%

14%

12%

16%

13%

14%

15% 11% 11% 12% 10%

15% 15% 12% 10% 5%

16% 15% 16% 7% 7%

13% 12% 12% 10% 9%

13% 18% 12% 1% 5%

7%

8%

8%

8%

11%

6% 38% 23% 22% 18%

8% 32% 22% 24% 23%

4% 35% 22% 24% 20%

7% 38% 22% 21% 19%

11% 34% 13% 24% 29%




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Respondent Job Title/Ebook Recommendation Authority Most of the respondents to our survey gave their job title as library media specialist (54%) or teacher librarian (26%). Thirteen percent described themselves simply as “librarian.” Figure 6. Which of the following comes closest to your job title? % of school libraries, 2014

Table 6. Which of the following comes closest to your job title? % of school libraries by type of school and geographic region, 2014 Type of School

Library media specialist Teacher librarian Librarian District library coordinator/Supervisor Library clerk/aide/assistant Library technician Library director/manager Library media generalist Other

Public or Private Public Private 56% 27% 26% 24% 12% 37%

Geographical Region Midwest 52% 15% 18%


West 26% 49% 17%

South 66% 21% 11%

Elem 56% 25% 11%

Middle 54% 19% 16%

High 55% 21% 17%

4%

4%

2%

2%

3%

0%

3%

2%

1%

1%

1%

0%

1%

0%

5%

0%

0%

0%

1% 0% 0% 2%

1% 1% 2% 2%

1% 1% 1% 1%

1% 0% 1% 2%

0% 5% 1% 3%

2% 1% 1% 6%

0% 1% 0% 2%

3% 0% 1% 1%

0% 0% 1% 0%




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Role in Ebook Decisions Virtually all of our survey respondents—96%—have a role in making ebook purchasing recommendations and decisions. Figure 7. Do you have a role in making purchasing recommendations/decisions for ebooks in your school? % of school libraries, 2014

Table 7. Do you have a role in making purchasing recommendations/decisions for ebooks in your school? % of school libraries by type of school and geographic region, 2014 Type of School Elem 96% 4%

Yes No

Middle 98% 2%

Public or Private High 97% 3%

Public Private 96% 96% 4% 4%

Geographical Region Midwest 99% 1%

Northeast 98% 2%

West 96% 4%

South 93% 7%

Onward Our 2014 sample of school libraries has slightly higher materials budgets than last year. However, it represents a consistent distribution of school locations throughout the U.S. Our survey was completed almost entirely by ebook decision makers. The survey sample of libraries offering ebooks is generally comparable in profile to last year’s sample—and to previous years’ surveys—making comparisons statistically valid.




20

2. EBOOK SUPPLY AND DEMAND This section examines the percentage of schools offering ebooks, the number of ebooks available, as well ebook circulation, and access methods. How have ebooks fared in school libraries in the past year?

Offer Ebooks In the most recent survey, 66% of school libraries reported that they offer ebooks to students. In last year’s survey, 56% of respondents indicated that they offered ebooks to school library users. Ebook usage in school libraries is continuing to grow, even if it has yet to reach the pace we have seen in any of our public library surveys. Figure 8. Does your school offer ebooks? % of school libraries, 2014

The following table breaks these data down by type of school and geographic region. As we find in every survey, high schools lead the pack in offering ebooks to their students, with 80% offering them. Middle schools are not far behind at 73%. Elementary schools trail with less than two-thirds offering them. Table 8. Does your school offer ebooks? % of school libraries by type of school and geographic region, 2014 Type of School

We do not offer ebooks We offer ebooks

Elem 38% 62%

Middle 27% 73%




Northeast 36% 64%

West 50% 50%

South 25% 75%

Many of the questions in this survey have been asked in at least four of the last five surveys conducted thus far, giving us the opportunity to plot a time series. Figure 9 shows the extent to which ebook usage in school libraries has been increasing.




21

All types of school libraries offering ebooks are at their highest levels ever. There was a slight dip in our 2012 survey, but the general trend is upward. High schools and middle schools lead the pack. Figure 9. School libraries that offer ebooks % of school libraries by type of school, 2010–2014




22

School Libraries Without Ebooks Of those libraries that do not offer any ebooks (34%, or two-thirds, of all respondents), the top-cited reason is “lack of ereading devices,” selected by 72% of school library respondents, and is up from last year. “No money for ebooks” is at 56%, and is actually down from last year (where it was at 60%). “No demand from users” was selected by 35% of respondents, only down two points from last year. Figure 10. Why doesn't your library offer ebooks? % of school libraries, 2014

The lack of ereading devices is especially acute in elementary schools—a full three-fourths of elementary school respondents cited it as a reason they did not offer ebooks to students. Lack of technical support is also a big issue in elementary schools. Interestingly, “no demand for them from users” was constant across all three school levels, belying the hypothesis we have been formulating that it is younger readers who are less interested in ebooks. We won’t force our will on the data, but there is evidence—quantitative and qualitative—elsewhere of this basic trend.




23

Table 9. Why doesn't your library offer ebooks? % of school libraries by type of school and geographic region, 2014 Type of School

Lack of ereading devices No money for ebooks No demand for them from users Lack of technical support Waiting to see what the best platform will be Don't understand logistics of ebooks Staff/administrative resistance Other We are in the process of adding ebooks

Public or Private Public Private 73% 59% 56% 64%


Northeast 70% 48%

West 72% 60%

South 77% 63%

Elem 76% 57%

Middle 59% 49%

High 62% 47%

35%

35%

33%

34%

36%

24%

33%

41%

36%

35%

19%

31%

33%

55%

37%

34%

30%

38%

29%

43%

36%

28%

36%

25%

28%

20%

38%

13%

17%

16%

15%

14%

13%

15%

20%

11%

11%

16%

9%

10%

14%

2%

8%

16%

10%

12%

13%

22%

13%

9%

20%

10%

13%

10%

0%

0%

0%

0%

0%

0%

0%

0%

0%

“Lack of ereading devices” has become an even bigger factor in whether schools offer ebooks. Generally, if students don’t bring their own devices (and many schools still disallow it), the school is unable to provide them. Unexpectedly, “no money for ebooks” has decreased in our most recent survey, while “lack of technical support” has peaked. These trends suggest it is technology more than money that is impeding further penetration of ebooks into school libraries. Figure 11. Why doesn't your library offer ebooks? % of school libraries, 2011–2014




24

Ebook Plans Of the 34% of school libraries that do not offer ebooks, 11% have categorically ruled out ever offering them, up from 7% last year. On the other hand, 20% said they definitely will be adding ebooks to their collections, while 59% may offer them in the future, but haven’t made it a priority. Figure 12. What are your library's plans for ebook purchases in the next two years? % of school libraries, 2014

Middle schools lead the pack in intent to add ebooks to their collections in the next two years. Table 10. What are your library's plans for ebook purchases in the next two years? % of school libraries by type of school and geographic region, 2014 Type of School

We will definitely purchase ebooks to add to our collection We may purchase ebooks, but it is not a priority We will definitely NOT purchase ebooks to add to our collection Other

Public or Private


Northeast

West

South

27%

14%

23%

15%

28%

61%

41%

65%

61%

59%

56%

5%

10%

23%

14%

6%

17%

5%

15%

10%

9%

7%

10%

10%

11%

Elem

Middle

High

Public Private

20%

27%

24%

19%

63%

52%

56%

8%

6%

8%

14%




25

High schools were among the early adopters of ebooks, as a result, only 20% still don’t offer them. There is the sense, however, that ebook use may have peaked in high schools for now, as the number of holdouts who say they will definitely add ebooks has declined, even as intent to purchase is up among the lower-grade schools. Figure 13. Will definitely purchase ebooks to add to our collection % of school libraries by type of school, 2011–2014




26

How Long Libraries Have Offered Ebooks As of 2014, school libraries have been offering ebooks to students, on average, for 1.9 years, up from the 1.4 years reported in last year’s survey. Indeed, 44% of 2014 respondents said that they have carried ebooks for one to two years. Figure 14. How long has your school offered ebooks? % of school libraries, 2012–2014 Mean (2014): 1.9 years Mean (2013): 1.4 years Mean (2012): 1.3 years




27

High schools have offered ebooks slightly longer than other school types. Private schools began ebook adoption well ahead of public schools. Table 11. How long has your school offered ebooks? % of school libraries by type of school and geographic region, 2012–2014 Type of School

2014 We do not offer ebooks Less than 6 months 6 to 12 months 1 to 2 years 3 to 4 years Longer than 4 years Mean # years 2013 We do not offer ebooks Less than 6 months 6 to 12 months 1 to 2 years 3 to 4 years Longer than 4 years Mean # years 2012 We do not offer ebooks Under 6 months 6 to 12 months 1 to 2 years 3 to 4 years Longer than 4 years Mean # years

Public or Private


Northeast

West

South

29% 15% 9% 24% 24% 28% 2.6

34% 8% 17% 49% 24% 2% 1.8

36% 11% 11% 48% 23% 8% 2.0

50% 18% 21% 40% 13% 8% 1.6

25% 10% 14% 40% 29% 6% 2.0

43% 15% 12% 20% 7% 3% 1.4

50% 16% 4% 12% 10% 8% 1.9

50% 17% 8% 17% 6% 3% 1.3

36% 14% 16% 21% 9% 5% 1.5

54% 16% 10% 12% 5% 4% 1.3

37% 13% 13% 25% 9% 2% 1.5

60% 11% 11% 12% 4% 2% 1.3

51% 8% 7% 12% 15% 7% 2.2

71% 9% 7% 6% 6% 1% 1.5

54% 14% 10% 13% 6% 3% 1.4

67% 11% 9% 7% 3% 2% 1.3

51% 11% 15% 17% 3% 2% 1.3

Elem

Middle

High

Public Private

38% 15% 15% 43% 23% 4% 1.8

27% 12% 15% 45% 19% 9% 1.9

20% 10% 15% 37% 21% 16% 2.2

35% 10% 16% 44% 24% 5% 1.9

47% 15% 11% 20% 5% 1% 1.3

39% 13% 12% 22% 10% 4% 1.6

32% 14% 11% 22% 13% 8% 1.9

67% 11% 10% 10% 2% 0% 1.0

50% 14% 12% 14% 8% 2% 1.4

37% 9% 14% 16% 13% 10% 2.1




28

How Many Ebooks? In our past surveys, we found that outliers in the survey skewed our average figures, so while we calculate the mean number of ebooks to which school libraries have access to be 1,104, the median number is 189, which we feel may be a more accurate figure. Figure 15. How many ebooks does your library have access to in total, including ebooks licensed through your district, state or consortium? % of school libraries, 2014 Mean number of ebooks: 1,104 Median number of ebooks: 189

Notably, 15% of private schools boast 5,000 or more electronic titles in their collection. Table 12. How many ebooks does your library have access to in total, including ebooks licensed through your district, state or consortium? % of school libraries by type of school and geographic region, 2012–2014 Type of School

Under 100 100 to 249 250 to 499 500 to 999 1,000 to 2,499 2,500 to 4,999 5,000 or more Mean Median

Elem 34% 28% 16% 12% 4% 4% 3% 629 184

Middle 37% 33% 11% 8% 5% 2% 4% 933 160

Public or Private High 28% 28% 14% 8% 10% 6% 6% 2,240 215

Public Private 32% 30% 31% 22% 13% 19% 11% 4% 6% 6% 3% 6% 4% 15% 842 5,912 189 237



Geographical Region Midwest 22% 27% 24% 14% 7% 1% 4% 872 258

Northeast 43% 24% 14% 4% 3% 2% 9% 2,159 141

West 37% 26% 10% 14% 7% 0% 6% 1,460 173

South 31% 35% 11% 11% 6% 6% 1% 623 183


29

School libraries’ ebook collections have been growing substantially over the past four years. In 2010, the median number of ebook titles in schools’ collections was under 50. Today, that number is over 150 for all school grades—and over 200 for high schools. The growth curve remains steep, and even if the number of schools offering ebooks is not rising as dramatically, those who do offer ebooks continue to expand their collections. Figure 16. Median number of ebooks library has access to by type of school, 2010–2013




30

Demand for Ebooks Demand for ebooks has increased in the last year, but is less dramatic than last year. In 2014, 45% of respondents reported an overall increase in demand for ebooks, up a tick from 44% last year. However, this year the split was 4% dramatic/41% slight, compared to a 9%/35% dramatic/slight ratio last year. Thirtyfour percent of respondents reported that demand is unchanged, up from 27% last year. “We received no requests for ebooks” has been on a downward trajectory: from 58% in 2011 to 26% in 2012 to 23% in 2013 to, finally, 20% in 2014. Figure 17. Have you experienced a change in demand for ebooks since this time last year? % of school libraries, 2014

Interestingly, middle schools reported the most dramatic increase in demand (10%). Table 13. Have you experienced a change in demand for ebooks since this time last year? % of school libraries by type of school and geographic region, 2014 Type of School

Dramatic increase in demand Slight increase in demand Demand is unchanged Decreased demand We received no requests for ebooks

Public or Private


Northeast

West

South

4%

4%

5%

2%

3%

40%

39%

46%

28%

43%

43%

36% 2%

35% 1%

28% 7%

34% 1%

43% 3%

33% 0%

31% 2%

24%

20%

22%

15%

22%

22%

20%

Elem

Middle

High

Public Private

5%

10%

5%

3%

45%

44%

33%

32% 1%

23% 2%

17%

20%




31

Elementary schools and especially middle schools are seeing an uptick in demand for ebooks, even as demand—or at least dramatic demand—in high schools appears to have peaked. Figure 18. Have experienced a dramatic or slight increase in demand for ebooks % of school libraries by type of school, 2011–2014




32

Ebook Circulation Ebook circulation, too, is on the rise in school libraries. For their last complete school year (2012–2013), respondents reported a mean circulation/usage of 652 ebooks (median 100)6, up from 405 ebooks (median 25) the previous year. Overall, just over one-half (52%) reported that they circulated fewer than 250 ebooks in the most recent school year, down from 65%. Only 8% (down from 17% last year) circulated no ebooks. Figure 19. Approximately what was your total ebook usage/circulation for the last school year? % of school libraries, 2012–2013 school year Mean: 652 Median: 100

Table 14. Approximately what was your total ebook usage/circulation for the last school year? % of school libraries by type of school and geographic region, 2012–2013 school year Type of School

0 Less than 250 250 to 499 500 to 999 1,000 or more Don’t know Very Low Average usage (if greater than 0) Median usage (if greater than 0) 6

Public or Private

Elem 6% 49% 9% 5% 13% 18% 1%

Middle 10% 59% 8% 2% 8% 11% 3%

High 9% 47% 8% 7% 9% 17% 1%

903

546

828

648

150

94

88

100

Geographical Region Midwest 9% 39% 2% 1% 18% 31% 0%

Northeast 10% 51% 10% 2% 7% 19% 0%

West 17% 46% 2% 14% 9% 10% 2%

South 4% 60% 9% 6% 10% 8% 2%

841

1,303

390

786

481

150

151

110

43

100

Public Private 8% 12% 53% 33% 7% 9% 5% 6% 11% 12% 15% 27% 1% 0%

Mean and median ebook usage figures are for schools that reported circulations greater than 0. © 2014 School Library Journal. All rights reserved.



33

This year, median circulation is up across the board after having been generally flat—particularly among middle and elementary schools—from 2011 to 2013. The median ebook circulation among elementary students grew sixfold to 150. Figure 20. Median ebook usage/circulation for the last school year by type of school, 2010–2013




34

Changes in Circulation/Usage One perennial survey question asks to what extent school library media specialists expect ebook circulation/usage to change over the next year compared to the previous year. We’ve seen usage increase in the past year compared to previous years. Do school libraries expect this growth to continue? Just over one-half (55%) expect ebook circulation to increase, while 42% expect it to stay the same. Three percent expect it to decrease. Overall, however, when asked to estimate the percentage increase or decrease respondents expect, the answer was a net 29.4% increase in ebook circulation for next year. Figure 21. Compared to last year, do you expect this year's usage of ebooks will increase, stay the same or decrease? % of school libraries, 2014

As we have been seeing throughout this section, middle schools expect to see the greatest increase in ebook usage (net 35.1% increase, although that is down from last year). The Midwest also looks to be a locus for anticipated ebook circulation increases. Table 15. Compared to last year, do you expect this year's usage of ebooks will increase, stay the same or decrease? % of school libraries by type of school and geographic region, 2014 Type of School

Increase Stay the same Decrease Overall % change

Elem 59% 39% 2% 25.1

Middle 61% 33% 6% 35.1

Public or Private High 51% 46% 4% 34.6

Public Private 55% 55% 43% 38% 2% 8% 26.8 46.8



Geographical Region Midwest 64% 34% 2% 47.2

Northeast 56% 40% 4% 27.2

West 45% 48% 7% 16.4

South 53% 45% 1% 25.3


35

For this question, we created two time series figures to gauge the extent to which ebook circulation is expected to change. In the first, we look at respondents who expected ebook circulation/usage to increase. There is a sense that ebook circulation usage has peaked among school library users. Figure 22. School libraries that expect ebook circulation/usage to increase in the next year compared to the previous year % of school libraries by type of school, 2010–2014




36

In the second time series, we look at the magnitude of that increase, or the overall percent change in ebook circulation/usage. Figure 23. Overall percentage change in ebook circulation/usage by type of school, 2010–2014




37

Ebook Access A question we had added to the 2013 survey asked the extent to which students had unlimited simultaneous access to their school’s ebooks, or if they were limited to one user at a time. (Some ebook vendors do not allow multiple access of the same title.) We reprised the question again this year, and found an approximately 50–50 split. This breakdown is completely unchanged from last year. Figure 24. What percent of your library’s ebooks are accessed using each of the following methods? % of school libraries, 2014

Table 16. What percent of your library’s ebooks are accessed using each of the following methods? % of school libraries by type of school and geographic region, 2014 Type of School

One user at a time Unlimited, simultaneous access

Public or Private

Elem 45%

Middle 61%

High 52%

55%

39%

48%

Public Private 49% 41% 51%

59%



Geographical Region Midwest 61%

Northeast 41%

West 52%

South 45%

39%

59%

48%

55%


38

Access at Home A new question added to the 2014 survey asked the extent to which students could access their school library’s ebook collection from home. Virtually all libraries (94%) said that they could. Of course, accomplishing this requires that students have access to the Internet and ereading devices at home. Figure 25. Can students access your library’s ebooks from home? % of school libraries, 2014

Table 17. Can students access your library’s ebooks from home? % of school libraries by type of school and geographic region, 2014 Type of School

Yes No

Elem 94% 6%

Middle 93% 7%






Northeast 90% 10%

West 98% 2%

South 96% 4%


39

Hindrances and Barriers One of our perennial questions asks about the hindrances and barriers that students encounter when trying to access ebook content. In short…what keeps kids from using ebooks? As we saw earlier in this section, lack of ereading devices—either school-provided or student-owned—is a major impediment to offering ebooks in general, and here we find that “limited access to ereading devices (at home or at school)” is the top challenge, selected by 46% of respondents. This is up from 40% in 2012 (we did not ask this question in 2013) and at an all-time high for this barrier. However, a close second is “users prefer print books,” which was selected by 45% of respondents and is up sharply from 2012, where it was at 26%. “Students unaware of ebook availability” came in at 40%, up slightly from two years ago. “Lack of training” is also on the upswing. Figure 26. What hinders students/faculty from reading your media center’s ebooks? % of school libraries, 2014




40

One surprising finding is that “users prefer print books” is at its highest level among high school students (61%), compared to middle school (44%) and elementary school (40%) students. Whether that is related to the fact that “students are unaware of ebook availability”—also at the highest level among high schools (59%)—is not clear. (After all, you can’t have a preference for something if you don’t know it exists.). Open-ended responses do shed some light on these numbers and strongly suggest that, save for school projects and assignments, El-Hi students still do prefer to read—when they read for pleasure—print books. Table 18. What hinders students/faculty from reading your media center’s ebooks? % of school libraries by type of school and geographic region, 2014 Type of School

Limited access to ereading devices (at home or at school) Users prefer print books Students unaware of ebook availability Too few titles available Lack of training Technology issues (e.g., slow/complex to download, district restrictions, etc.) In demand titles not in ebook format for libraries Limited access to internet for off-site access Difficult to find/discover ebooks Difficult to read onscreen/online Ebook titles not available concurrent with print release Ebooks not available for preferred devices Long wait times for ebooks Lack of promotion/Students & teachers forget we have them Difficult to annotate Lack of interest Cost of ebooks limits what we can provide Access to ebooks unwieldy/passwords different for each vendor Other None of the above



Northeast

West

South

Elem

Middle

High

47%

52%

36%

48%

15%

49%

31%

59%

46%

40%

44%

61%

45%

54%

46%

59%

51%

36%

35%

44%

59%

40%

61%

40%

41%

54%

35%

38% 32%

36% 28%

36% 38%

36% 32%

37% 33%

39% 29%

41% 28%

51% 39%

28% 33%

30%

30%

28%

33%

24%

31%

32%

28%

33%

31%

36%

29%

32%

28%

36%

32%

38%

27%

27%

21%

18%

27%

2%

20%

17%

32%

28%

14%

11%

19%

15%

24%

14%

18%

22%

12%

9%

8%

16%

11%

20%

9%

24%

18%

4%

9%

14%

12%

11%

9%

12%

18%

12%

7%

6%

10%

10%

9%

11%

6%

15%

13%

5%

8%

6%

3%

8%

4%

14%

5%

6%

6%

4%

2%

1%

3%

0%

1%

1%

3%

4%

1% 1%

2% 2%

6% 2%

2% 2%

9% 2%

3% 1%

2% 3%

2% 1%

2% 1%

2%

1%

0%

2%

0%

0%

5%

2%

0%

1%

3%

2%

2%

2%

0%

1%

0%

2%

2% 1%

6% 2%

5% 2%

3% 1%

7% 2%

4% 0%

2% 1%

2% 1%

3% 3%




Figure 27. Change in selected barriers/hindrances to accessing ebook content % of school libraries, 2010–2014



41


42

OPAC Discoverability A question we added to the 2013 survey asked whether ebooks could be searched using the library’s general online public access catalog (OPAC), perhaps to help overcome the “students unaware of ebook availability” barrier we just saw. The majority of respondents (91%) said that, yes, ebooks could be discovered via the library’s OPAC. Figure 28. Are ebooks discoverable through your library's general OPAC? % of school libraries, 2013/2014

Table 19. Are ebooks discoverable through your library’s general OPAC? % of school libraries by type of school and geographic region, 2013/2014 Type of School

2014 Yes No 2013 Yes No

Public or Private

Elem

Middle

High

91% 9%

84% 16%

87% 13%

93% 7%

83% 17%

79% 21%

81% 19%

86% 14%

Midwest

Northeast

West

South

72% 28%

90% 10%

90% 10%

87% 13%

94% 6%

68% 32%

84% 16%

79% 21%

88% 12%

88% 12%

Public Private



Geographical Region


43

In Summary Two-thirds (66%) of the U.S. school libraries reporting offered ebooks to their students in 2014, up from one-half a year ago. This suggests that ebook usage is still growing in school libraries, even if overall penetration still lags behind public libraries (94%). High schools have been ahead of the curve in terms of ebook adoption, but demand and usage have leveled off in recent years. Despite this, we found that more than six out of ten high school libraries reported that “students prefer print books,” at least for certain types of books. Ebook growth in high schools has slowed with 80% of high schools now offering access to ebooks. Will they reach the 90%s? It’s possible, but it will likely take a few years. Middle schools are up and coming in terms of ebook adoption and offering, and could be the next frontier. Elementary schools still trail the pack, which has been a consistent finding from survey to survey. Across the board, lack of access to ereading devices is cited as the biggest impediment to libraries adding ebooks in general, and to students accessing the ebooks that libraries do offer. Indeed, it is surprising that this issue comes ahead of economic challenges, although the two are not mutually exclusive. Despite what appears to be a deceleration of ebook adoption and usage, the size of school library ebook collections has grown substantially percentage-wise in the past five years even if the overall numbers remain small, particularly compared to public libraries. Student demand has not been booming, but as devices become more common and more schools adopt one-to-one device models (see Chapter 5), school libraries expect ebook adoption to grow. For now, though, ebooks remain a choice. Meanwhile, libraries still need to invest and maintain print book collections as well as build out their nascent ebook collections. How to do this on a school library budget is a major challenge.

In Their Own Words Here is a selection of write-in comments from our survey respondents (lightly edited). 

“12-month access is not a purchasing plan that schools can afford. We are eliminating books/vendors that do not give us simultaneous access. Because our purchases are curriculum driven, we cannot afford to buy content that is not perpetual. That is like throwing a book our after one year. We just cannot do that with limited budgets.”



“Despite introducing access to these books to students, in general, they do not use the ebooks from home or in school. Trying to promote what we have before we purchase more.”



“Ebooks are hard to promote even though the link is on our library website, Destiny catalog home page, and EACH title is accessible through the LMC catalog. It is as if they don't exist to the student. Many students DO NOT WANT to read ebooks; they want to read hard copy books and tell us this. They resist having to go through the process of downloading a book. Students tell me if they want to buy books to own and share, they want hard copy or paperback books.” © 2014 School Library Journal. All rights reserved.



44



“Almost all of our ebooks are purchased through our school district. They are not widely used at our school yet. We are hoping since all students will be getting tablets next year, and the district has received a large e-book grant, this will change.”



“If the ebooks titles were as available as print titles, the readership would increase.”



“A colleague and I wrote a grant three years ago for 20 nonfiction ebooks covering ‘hot’ topics. We purchased the multi-user ebooks and have been extremely satisfied with them. We have a few fiction ebooks as well, but they are single user. All the schools in our district share an Overdrive database of ebooks as well. I will say that I have had a very hard time "selling" my fiction ebooks. Although most students have either ereaders, tablets, smart phones, etc., they just really prefer print books.”



“At first ebooks were very big, but students have their own devices now and access on their own. Also, I have found that most students still prefer holding books in their hands and use their ebook devices in certain circumstances...when traveling etc. for convenience only.”



“I find that when doing research, students do not mind using the ebooks. However, when reading for pleasure, they prefer to use the print edition. Much of our problem also occurs because students need to have software installed on their ereaders and sadly, many of them don't want to be bothered with the installation.”



“There is no denying this is the future of libraries. We still have many, many students and teachers who prefer to have print books, but because of cost and maintenance, constant care, and a NEVER increasing budget, it makes more sense to purchase digital books that can’t be lost, destroyed, or held hostage by the patron. Given that we provide all students with an iPad, NO student is denied access to the digital collection while MANY students seldom make it to the physical library because of scheduling or lack of interest.”



“Ebooks have not been very popular so far. Students find it easier to buy the books on their own rather than use FollettShelf. I am also discouraged by the fact that so many publishers are going to one and two year lease type agreements. At that rate schools won't be able to afford to buy very many ebooks.”



“Maybe I'm just unsure how to market them, but it’s very difficult to get students to even recognize that we offer ebooks. Most of our students aren't really interested in looking for them—they want ‘real’ books.



“Ebooks in schools will take off if two things happen. 1) Prices need to come down so more materials can be purchased to support student learning. Publishers don’t want to make ebooks cheaper because they feel they would lose sales. In reality they might sell more. I would buy more copies of a title like Divergent if it was cheaper and my budget could go further. I am leaning to ebooks simply because they don’t get stolen. But with them so expensive, where I might like to buy 5 copies of an ebook rather than a print book, I can’t. I can buy two in print for the cost of an ebook. Change the pricing structure and I’ll buy more 5 ebooks just for accessibility. 2) Despite what is thought, students don’t have as much access to technology as they need to read ebooks. When that changes, students will adopt ebooks.”



“I discovered many of my students who are avid readers do not have a device or are interested in reading ebooks and prefer print books. I am hoping to continue growing and marketing our ebook collection to entice other students to use them.” © 2014 School Library Journal. All rights reserved.



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

“I find that my students prefer a hard copy over the ebooks.”



“Publisher licensing continues to be a big issue. It’s hard to spend money on these titles when multi-users can’t check out. Studies still show youth prefer print materials. Hard to spend money when our population isn’t begging for it.”



“Even with demonstration and time to read ebooks from the school library media center, students prefer to read print books. Part of the problem is that there is little time at school to read ebooks and they might not have access at home. Students prefer to read books online at sites such as Tumblebooks and Raz Kids, which are not paid for thru the library budget per se. But most of their time spent on these sites seems to be playing the games on the sites.”



“I am the first one in my district to purchase fiction ebooks to check out. I was tired of waiting for the district to get on board. There has been an enormous learning curve for me. Frustrations include, numerous books are not available to school libraries, some are but for a limited time. It has taken me months to navigate. Vendors haven't been totally upfront. We have a serious demand, but getting the books so late in the year, I’ve not had time to work with as many students as I’d like. Our students are unable to check the books out IN school, creating another set of difficulties. We are on our way, but still working things out.”



“Though students own devices, they prefer to read fiction in print. For school assignments, they much prefer electronic resources.”



“Our students are grades 3 to 6. Most prefer print over ebook.”



“I am in a K-2 school. I primarily bought non-fiction resources for the classroom teachers to support curriculum. Due to the age of the students, at this time, primarily for the teachers. However, teachers are not using them as much as I had hoped.”



“I still struggle to see them as having a place in an elementary school. We can get them through our public library, also, so it makes me wonder why I should spend additional budget on them. The ones we have were either a promotion from Mackin or through our Title I for staff.”



“Our main issue with ebooks is access. We are a rural Title I school. Many students do not have Internet at home. Many do not have smartphones. We also do not have open wireless in our school. As for the ebooks themselves, I refuse to buy any ebook that is not a one time purchase (absolutely NO 12 month access books). It seems like ebook prices at my vendor have risen dramatically this year so I will probably go back to ordering more physical books. I refuse to pay four times the price of a hardback for a digital book.”



“Our kids prefer to research with Google and read for pleasure in print—unless they have their own ereader and can brag about what they’ve purchased for private use.”



“When unlimited access for ebooks are available (fiction and non-fiction) I will purchase. I am very disappointed in the 12 month/24 month access that has just started. I will not purchase ebooks that I need to repurchase the following year.”



“I’m disappointed with the publishers who offer the most popular YA titles as a yearly subscription/title. This doesn’t work very well for schools that are dormant during two months of the year.”



“Love ebooks as options. Do NOT want a library which is entirely ebooks. Many students and staff do not enjoy them, find them unsuitable for their purposes and will not use.” © 2014 School Library Journal. All rights reserved.



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

“I don’t know why...but students have shown very little interest thus far. We may have to publicize the possibilities and see what happens.”



“Ebooks are really expensive so I haven’t been very interested in purchasing them. Also, many students don’t have devices they use to read them. Additionally, students who have devices just check out ebooks from the public library.”



“The students really enjoy reading for the ereading devices we have. One of things that is beneficial for lower level readers is the availability do audio with book titles so they can follow along with the text.”



“I feel that if I were given more time with students during orientation, our ebook circulation would go up. Right now I only have time to mention that we have ebooks, show them where to access, and state that if they need help with ebooks, to speak to me. Our other problem is that our school does not permit ereaders of any type, so I feel that is a hindrance. I am looking into grants to obtain iPads for in-library use.”



“They are nice to have but at the elementary level students still like to hold the book in their hand and I have not yet found an ‘easy’ way for young students to easily login into the system for access vs. just pulling a book off the shelf.”



“One of the questions I’d like to ask our student patrons would be: Does the increase of computer use for all purposes including homework, testing, etc. impact your decision to read a book on a computer or electronic device? I ask this, because I feel that I spend too much time in front of computer and when it comes to reading a book, I sometimes prefer traditional reading. It gives me a break and some control over my technology infused environment.”



“I see ebooks as a growing portion of our library reading selections. Customers still prefer print.”



“I will not ever ‘lease’ an ebook. Period.”



“I will only purchase ebooks that belong to me. I do not pay per use or pay hosting fees. I need to encourage kids to use our ebooks because at this time they seem to prefer physical books.”



“As I teach K-5, only students comfortable with ebooks at home tend to take ebooks from the library. Working with teachers who have iPads in their rooms, to allow students to use them for ebooks. Just getting started with ebooks.”



“My students don’t show a great deal of interest in using ebooks—when they read most want a print version—when they do research they tend to use the schools databases or Google.”



“Most of our students, including the grades with iPads and those who own their own devices, still say they prefer to have a book in their hands to read.”



“I am surprised that the ebooks have not taken off. I have to question the purchase of new materials given the small percentage of usage compared to print materials.”



“We would like to incorporate ebooks more in our collections, but our school populations simply have limited access to internet capabilities away from school. Our school resources are limited as well.”



“Ebooks are here to stay. They are difficult to promote because of fear of technology, separate access portals, and lack of DSL/WiFi access in rural homes.”



“I have been surprised at how many students choose print books over ebooks when both are available.” © 2014 School Library Journal. All rights reserved.





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“Students right now seem to gravitate more to print books. That may change as students moving up in the grades are exposed more to ebooks in their school careers. They seem to like browsing the shelves. They also say it is easier to flip through a physical book to find the info that they need for projects and classes.”




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3. EBOOK COLLECTIONS AND CATEGORIES This section looks at the specific ebooks held by the school libraries who responded to our survey. What categories and genres are in demand by school library users and students?

Ebook Categories Each survey, we tweak the categories to better reflect the ebook offerings out “in the wild,” adding new categories, dropping others (so as to keep the questionnaire from becoming long and unwieldy), and renaming others. This can make comparisons from year to year a bit of a challenge, but we can glean some general trends in the types of ebooks that are in demand and circulating in school libraries. This year’s survey was a bit more stable compared to previous years’, and the top category for the second year in a row is “elementary nonfiction,” selected by 91% of all respondents (up from 62% last year). “Picture books” came in at number two at 89% (up from 51%), while “easy readers” came in at 83% (up from 45%), and “chapter books” came in at 80% (up from 49%). All other categories came in at under 40%. So you can see where school libraries and media centers have been directing their ebook investment. Figure 29. Which categories of ebooks does your school library media center currently offer? % of school libraries, 2014




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The top three ebook categories carried by each school type are: Elementary school: •

elementary nonfiction, picture books, and easy readers

Middle school: •

easy readers, chapter books, and middle grade fiction

High school: •

classic literature, easy readers, and young adult fiction

Table 20. Which categories of ebooks does your school library media center currently offer? % of school libraries by type of school and geographic region, 2014 Type of School

Elementary nonfiction Picture books Easy readers Chapter books Graphic novels Middle grade fiction Middle grade nonfiction Classic literature Reference ebooks Young adult fiction Young adult nonfiction Other

Elem 96% 90% 84% 82% 38% 33% 30% 27% 23% 15% 10% 3%

Middle 66% 71% 89% 86% 63% 86% 83% 71% 37% 80% 66% 3%

Public or Private High 55% 68% 87% 71% 42% 55% 55% 87% 58% 84% 81% 3%

Public Private 92% 69% 89% 88% 84% 69% 81% 63% 39% 19% 31% 44% 30% 50% 30% 38% 26% 38% 15% 31% 12% 25% 4% 0%



Geographical Region Midwest 96% 90% 87% 82% 44% 49% 49% 29% 16% 21% 9% 9%

Northeast 93% 80% 82% 81% 14% 25% 27% 25% 36% 3% 2% 0%

West 78% 85% 72% 72% 40% 45% 43% 36% 25% 29% 28% 0%

South 91% 93% 85% 81% 41% 22% 20% 29% 27% 13% 11% 4%


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The top four items were up steeply in the past two surveys and the top two have been the top growing categories since we began our survey in 2010. Note the decline in general reference. What is taking the place of reference books? One word: Google. Figure 30. Change in ebook categories school library carries % of school libraries, 2010–2014

From 2010 to 2012, “elementary nonfiction” was referred to as “children’s nonfiction.” From 2013 to 2014, “children’s picture books” was referred to as “picture books.”




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Fiction vs. Nonfiction Last year, we added a new question that asked school libraries to estimate what percentage of their ebook collections comprised fiction vs. nonfiction titles. Nonfiction comprises more than one-half (56%) of school libraries’ ebook collections, across all school grade levels. These numbers are virtually unchanged from last year. Figure 31. Approximately what percent of the ebooks you have available are fiction titles versus nonfiction titles? all school libraries, 2014

Table 21. Approximately what percent of the ebooks you have available are fiction titles versus nonfiction titles? school libraries by type of school and geographic region, 2013 Type of School

2014 Mean % Fiction Mean % Nonfiction 2013 Mean % Fiction Mean % Nonfiction

Public or Private

Elem

Middle

High

43% 57%

52% 48%

39% 61%

44% 56%

44% 56%

48% 52%

41% 59%

43% 57%

Midwest

Northeast

West

South

32% 68%

55% 45%

37% 63%

42% 58%

41% 59%

39% 61%

52% 48%

36% 64%

43% 57%

42% 58%

Public Private



Geographical Region


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For the sake of comparison, a new question we added to the 2014 survey asked school libraries to estimate what percentage of their print book collections comprised fiction vs. nonfiction titles. Here, we see a precise 50/50 split. Figure 32. Approximately what percent of the print books you have available are fiction titles versus nonfiction titles? all school libraries, 2014

High schools pull away from the pack with a greater percentage of nonfiction titles—likely because high school students need to do more essays and other special projects and assignments compared to students in the lower grades who may still be mastering the “mechanics” of reading. Table 22. Approximately what percent of the print books you have available are fiction titles versus nonfiction titles? school libraries by type of school and geographic region, 2014 Type of School

Mean % Fiction Mean % Nonfiction

Elem 52% 48%

Middle 51% 49%






Northeast 46% 54%

West 51% 49%

South 52% 48%


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In-Demand Ebook Genres In this year’s survey, we drilled down deeper into the general categories and asked about specific genres. We divided the results by fiction and nonfiction. Fiction The top fiction genre reported by school library respondents was “realistic fiction,” selected by 41%, unchanged from last year. “Fantasy” came in at 36%, down from 40% last year. “Adventure/thrillers” notched up one point to 34%, and “graphic novels” held relatively steady at 29%. We added “dystopian fiction”—one of last year’s write-in responses. It officially places fifth “in demand” as it was chosen by about one-fourth of libraries surveyed. Figure 33. What five ebook fiction genres or categories are most in demand in your library? % of school libraries, 2013/2014




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Nonfiction In terms of in-demand nonfiction genres, “animals” is again number one, selected by 52% of school library respondents (down three points). A distant second is “science/math/technology” (35%, unchanged from last year), followed by “biography” (30%, down three points) and “history” (29%, down substantially from 37%). We added “general reference”—a top write-in genre last year—and it came in at 14%. Figure 34. What five ebook nonfiction genres or categories are most in demand in your library? % of school libraries, 2013/2014

The top three fiction and nonfiction genres carried by each school type are: Elementary school: •

Fiction: realistic fiction, adventure/thrillers, fantasy, and graphic novels

•

Nonfiction: animals, science/math/technology, and biography

Middle school: •

Fiction: dystopian fiction, fantasy, realistic fiction

•

Nonfiction: history, science/math/technology, and biography

High school: •

Fiction: dystopian fiction, realistic fiction, fantasy

•

Nonfiction: general reference, history, and biography © 2014 School Library Journal. All rights reserved.



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Table 23: What five ebook fiction and nonfiction genres or categories are most in demand in your library? % of school libraries by type of school and geographic region, 2014 Type of School

NET NONFICTION Animals Science/Math/ Technology Biography History Sports Nature General reference Humor Geography/Travel Social situations Crafts/Hobbies Health Literary Criticism Careers Language learning Transportation Study aids Other NET FICTION Realistic fiction Fantasy Adventure/Thrillers Graphic novels Dystopian fiction Mystery Folktales, fables, myths Horror Science fiction Classic literature Historical fiction Romance Poetry & Drama Other None are in demand



Northeast 89% 41%

West 89% 43%

South 93% 54%

Elem 93% 70%

Middle 93% 26%

High 92% 8%

37%

30%

18%

35%

24%

20%

38%

37%

40%

32% 23% 28% 29% 9% 14% 13% 5% 9% 3% 0% 4% 4% 3% 0% 1% 89% 43% 32% 35% 32% 8% 18% 21% 10% 9% 9% 8% 3% 4% 10% 2%

30% 49% 28% 8% 26% 8% 6% 6% 4% 8% 5% 7% 1% 1% 1% 3% 87% 38% 42% 33% 23% 64% 26% 7% 20% 15% 10% 8% 17% 1% 5% 1%

30% 36% 16% 4% 44% 3% 4% 15% 2% 20% 26% 15% 2% 1% 9% 3% 84% 42% 32% 23% 15% 58% 16% 2% 11% 19% 21% 5% 20% 3% 4% 2%

30% 27% 25% 23% 13% 11% 10% 7% 7% 5% 4% 5% 3% 3% 2% 2% 88% 42% 36% 35% 30% 24% 20% 18% 11% 11% 9% 7% 6% 4% 7% 2%

37% 59% 20% 14% 41% 8% 6% 8% 2% 14% 29% 4% 0% 0% 4% 2% 76% 37% 35% 18% 12% 35% 16% 2% 4% 12% 22% 10% 8% 4% 10% 2%

31% 29% 34% 17% 12% 15% 8% 10% 6% 4% 4% 4% 6% 8% 2% 3% 94% 49% 45% 42% 25% 24% 22% 18% 12% 10% 3% 9% 5% 8% 6% 0%

29% 38% 17% 21% 18% 10% 16% 6% 9% 6% 7% 3% 0% 1% 2% 0% 79% 47% 34% 29% 21% 21% 18% 10% 7% 9% 9% 14% 5% 1% 11% 3%

22% 34% 20% 20% 15% 13% 9% 4% 5% 6% 5% 5% 0% 1% 3% 5% 84% 32% 39% 36% 27% 30% 16% 10% 8% 15% 11% 2% 7% 2% 5% 3%

34% 23% 25% 27% 13% 9% 8% 7% 7% 6% 6% 7% 4% 1% 2% 2% 90% 38% 32% 30% 34% 23% 21% 21% 14% 10% 13% 6% 7% 3% 7% 2%

Table 24 below shows last year’s data for comparison purposes.




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Table 24: What five ebook fiction and nonfiction genres or categories are most in demand in your library? % of school libraries by type of school and geographic region, 2013 Type of School

NET NONFICTION Animals History Science/Math/ Technology Biography Sports Nature Geography/Travel Social situations Humor Health Transportation Crafts/Hobbies Language-learning Study aids Games/Activities Other NET FICTION Realistic fiction Fantasy Adventure/Thrillers Graphic novels Mystery Science fiction Classic literature Horror Folktales. fables, Myths Historical fiction Poetry & Drama Other None are in demand

Public or Private

Elem 90% 71% 28%

Middle 82% 25% 42%

High 84% 10% 51%

35%

36%

32%

35%

33% 28% 23% 13% 5% 9% 1% 6% 5% 3% 1% 2% 6% 86% 38% 36% 31% 33% 24% 11% 11% 13% 15% 9% 4% 9% 4%

33% 23% 10% 9% 14% 6% 11% 3% 4% 3% 4% 3% 11% 87% 45% 52% 42% 30% 26% 26% 12% 24% 2% 10% 3% 9% 4%

31% 11% 6% 10% 23% 1% 22% 1% 1% 4% 9% 1% 19% 77% 48% 45% 34% 12% 21% 26% 24% 11% 1% 10% 4% 7% 3%

33% 25% 19% 12% 10% 8% 6% 5% 5% 3% 2% 2% 8% 86% 41% 40% 32% 30% 22% 16% 13% 14% 13% 11% 4% 9% 3%

Midwest 88% 49% 35%


West 85% 58% 32%

South 92% 60% 33%

30%

26%

40%

30%

41%

35% 20% 13% 20% 11% 2% 13% 4% 2% 4% 7% 2% 24% 70% 41% 35% 35% 13% 24% 22% 20% 0% 7% 13% 9% 7% 4%

36% 30% 20% 18% 8% 9% 5% 6% 2% 2% 2% 1% 1% 92% 51% 45% 40% 32% 30% 16% 10% 12% 12% 14% 5% 10% 3%

36% 20% 21% 20% 14% 2% 14% 2% 4% 3% 1% 4% 16% 70% 45% 35% 24% 12% 18% 10% 14% 10% 12% 12% 6% 6% 2%

35% 18% 18% 5% 11% 6% 6% 6% 5% 2% 3% 0% 10% 85% 36% 44% 25% 24% 25% 16% 21% 10% 12% 10% 1% 17% 4%

30% 29% 18% 10% 9% 11% 4% 5% 6% 4% 3% 2% 8% 90% 37% 38% 36% 41% 19% 19% 12% 17% 13% 8% 4% 7% 4%

Public Private 89% 96% 56% 22% 36% 57%



Geographical Region


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Academic or Pleasure Reading A new question we added to the 2014 survey asked school libraries whether ebook collections were used for pleasure reading or for academic purposes. Almost four out of 10 respondents said that students used school ebooks for recreational or free reading, while 34% used them for specific school lessons. Eighteen percent said both were about equal. Figure 35. Are your ebooks more commonly used for lessons/assigned reading or for recreational/free-choice reading? all school libraries, 2014

High school students were the most likely to use school ebook collections for specific lessons/assignments. One-half of middle schoolers read ebooks recreationally, although only 36%of elementary school students read school ebooks for pleasure. Table 25. Are your ebooks more commonly used for lessons/assigned reading or for recreational/free-choice reading? school libraries by type of school and geographic region, 2013 Type of School

Lesson-driven (teacher selected/assigned title) Recreational/free-choice reading About equal Don’t know

Public or Private


Northeast

West

South

43%

16%

56%

21%

39%

37%

30%

62%

25%

39%

30%

18% 11%

13% 13%

15% 6%

11% 9%

26% 14%

19% 13%

Elem

Middle

High

Public Private

33%

27%

41%

34%

36%

51%

37%

18% 13%

12% 10%

15% 8%




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In Summary Nonfiction ebooks edge out fiction in school library collections. Animals, science/math/technology, and history are the top nonfiction subjects. Realistic and dystopian titles are the top fiction ebook genres. A preponderance of our verbatim commenters point out that students generally prefer print books for fiction and/or pleasure reading, and ebooks for nonfiction/academic purposes. In the data, we found a fairly even mix of respondents who found that students read school ebooks for pleasure compared to schoolwork (with a slight emphasis on the latter). Middle school students were the most likely to read ebooks for pleasure.

In Their Own Words •

“Students and teachers still prefer print books to ebooks. Students struggle with ebooks and become tired quickly when working with them. Although they are very useful and wonderful for new release fiction, the transition to them is very slow.”

•

“Overall, fiction titles are more popular than nonfiction/reference/research titles. I’m noticing increased interest in ebooks as more students own devices.”

•

“I treat purchasing ebooks for nonfiction research purposes the same as print for the research purchases. I'm looking to broaden our students’ exposure to print and ebooks in preparation for college. Fiction is an entirely other story that I'm very frustrated with. I’m thinking it only works well in large schools with 1 to 1. Fiction publishers are very frustrating. In nonfiction I’m very frustrated with Gale/Cengage not offering their best books as ebooks for perpetual purchase. (They offer them for subscription) I'm finding other publishers to replace them and limit Cengage to some print.”

•

“Ebooks have been a great asset to our school library. We are reaching more students because they can access ebooks at any time, not just when the school library is open. We now have circulation stats for school breaks and summer.”

•

“I spend a lot of time introducing ebooks and showing students how to access eBooks during library time. We have a fabulous public library system that has a great ebook collection—with mobile apps. I feel like I do not need to purchase a lot of fiction novels because of their excellent collection. I do like our reference collection for research—we do a lot of research in grades 6 and 8.”

•

“Our district does not plan to buy any more physical textbooks, but they will not buy etextbooks. The expectation is that teachers will create their own content.”

•

“We are beginning to investigate using a variety of nonfiction ebooks in place of textbooks in science and social studies.”

•

“Our students love ebooks for research, but do not want to check out pleasure reading in e-format. They demand print for their fiction and extracurricular reading needs.”

•

So far ebooks have been purchased at the district level for elementary and dropped onto sites without much input or coordination. We have not had a print budget for 5 years due to state budget cuts and district decisions. Middle and High Schools in our district used supply money and fundraising to purchase OverDrive, but it is not available yet at the Elementary level. At the behest of our Superintendent, we are about to develop an ebook/print collection development plan, and expect it to be heavy on the ebook side. We expect to use bond funds to purchase eBooks, which cannot be used for print.” © 2014 School Library Journal. All rights reserved.



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•

“I believe that purchased ebooks are impractical for our library. The students who read them for pleasure have never requested them from us (they prefer to purchase them and read on their personal devices) and the few ebooks we have are only used when the print version is unavailable.”

•

“Students when given a choice in our library prefer the print copy. Therefore I always purchase a print copy for every ebook I purchase.”

•

“I have Gale eBooks because of state of Oregon consortium. They are great for reference needs and research needs. I have almost no other ebooks except for a few nonfiction titles and free classics. However, just bought 6 Kindles to loan to teachers and students and I plan to circulate them with Amazon ebooks loaded on them. We have a proposal in to our district to pilot a subscription to OverDrive next year. No word yet on funding.”

•

“When surveyed, a majority of students indicated they liked print better. I think for now, print, especially in fiction, would be more popular until a one-to-one program is implemented. For now, there is no money or plans for such a program.”

•

“I have purchased multiple nonfiction titles to complement the curriculum and encouraged teachers to use them via their LCD projectors. They are not interested. I have demonstrated how easy they are to use for both students and teachers but both groups are reluctant and uninterested. It has been a waste of my library budget to make ebook purchases.”

•

“I did not buy ebooks this year because many have gone to limited use or time periods. I will not buy any ebooks that don't remain a permanent part of the library's collection.”

•

“Ebooks have been a fabulous addition to our collection! They allow for easy (and quick) purchasing/acquisition and many students prefer the ebook format, for a variety of reasons. Our fiction collection can continue to grow without taking up additional shelf space!”

•

“Our students did not like using the etextbooks during the trial period. Ebooks for research is more manageable; many have their own ereaders and often buy books for them. We have had no requests for fiction ebooks.”

•

“More would be purchased if newer titles were available as well as high demand such as Diary of a Wimpy Kid series. Another issue is to purchase simultaneous access perpetually with budgets being very little to nonexisting.”

•

“I’d love to buy more titles but it is currently hard to ‘advertise’ their existence and how to get students to know and use them more often. I think once they start finding/using them they will want to more often.”

•

“Ebooks are rarely circulated in our grade 3 to 5 school. I will not purchase additional ebooks from Follett in the upcoming school year unless the demand for ebooks increases. The two teachers with 1:1 iPad classrooms in our school attempted to use Follett ebooks with their classes. Both complained about the slow speed, problems with downloading, etc. We successfully used Scholastic’s Trueflix and Freedom with classes in our computer lab.”

•

“To get money to introduce ebooks, two of our district librarians wrote a grant on their own time. After we got the grant, the district chipped in other grant money to support ebook purchases. We have no budget allocated for ebooks, and after this year we have no idea if we can get more ebooks. This situation makes it difficult to dedicate a lot of time to training staff, students, and parents in ebook use: it may all be wasted time.” © 2014 School Library Journal. All rights reserved.



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•

“Students are quick to use nonfiction ebooks with research projects. For fiction, I find that students are more likely to use devices already loaded (NOOKs). Our public library offers ebooks through OverDrive so I try not to duplicate those services.”

•

“I have found the transition to ebooks to be very frustrating. I seem to be more excited about them than the students are! Leasing the books which may or may not be checked out for a year is not realistic to the budget, and titles available for purchase are not desirable to the students.”

•

“Currently, the only ebooks we purchase are for student recreational reading. We have tried to purchase ebooks to be used in the classroom with teachers but we cannot seem to generate enough interest. The teachers claim there is no time to use them during their planned time with students.”

•

“We have added ebooks mainly to give students immediate access from home to materials that support specific project assignments. Even with library instruction to make them aware of the materials, the electronic resources are not being used for this purpose. Students seem to always prefer to read a print version of their fiction favorites so those selections are not being used either. Our few students who own reading devices purchase books to read on their devices, they do not seem to want to borrow them. Most kids tell me that they prefer to read or study from a print book.”

•

“They have been wonderful for reluctant readers and below average readers. Children in 3rd grade are especially helped because they can read at their level without being embarrassed that they aren’t reading at a friend’s level.”

•

“Concerns that funding will be made available only for ebooks and new technologies, and not for other necessary materials. E.g., our print collection has an average copyright date of 1980.”

•

“My main difficulty—and this is why I have purchased no fiction ebooks—is that most students at my small, rural high school are living below the poverty level, and have no access to devices or even to home computers. My reference ebooks are mainly used in-library for research projects, or for the very few AP students who use them for We the People or other special projects.”

•

“Each vendor has different methods of access via browsers, apps, etc. so we have no good way yet to standardize access with library card number, etc. Students and staff have to know dozens of logins and passwords to access their digital content. Creating solutions to solve this issue is often very-time consuming and expensive but we are trying to do that to increase usage.”

•

“Still have not found best model for adding fiction to ebook collection. Public library system uses OverDrive, many of our students have their own ereaders and purchase or check out books if not available in print from our library. Students don't mind print, and many prefer reading print fiction. Nonfiction ebooks are preferred because of ease of access/searching. Moving to replacing nonfiction with ebooks when affordable, feasible, and available—emphasis on current issues, health, science, etc. History and literature areas too expensive to completely replace with ebooks.”

•

“They have been the most useful for History Day projects where a large number of students can access the information at once. No students have requested them for pleasure here. I have also bought English Department required novels to help Special Education students read on iPads.”




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4. EBOOK BUDGETS AND BUYING This section looks at ebooks in the context of school libraries’ budgets. How much is spent on ebooks? How much do they expect to spend on ebooks? Where does funding for ebooks come from? What purchasing terms do they typically employ? Which vendors do school libraries use, and which do they prefer?

Ebooks and Library Materials Budgets In this section, we look at the percentage of school libraries’ materials budgets dedicated to ebooks last year, this year, and predicted for five-years ahead. Last Year’s Budget Ebooks represented a mean of 4.1% (median 1.7%) of the last school year’s materials budget. Three out of ten respondents (30%) said that none of their materials budget went for ebooks. Note that ebooks often come out of other budgets (like technology) or special fundraising initiatives like book fairs, donations, or grants (see later in this chapter). Some—although not many—obtain ebooks solely through their consortium (see below). Figure 36. Approximately what percentage of your library's materials budget did ebooks represent last year? % of school libraries, 2014 Mean: 4.1% Median: 1.7%




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Table 26. Approximately what percentage of your library's materials budget did ebooks represent last year? % of school libraries by type of school and geographic region, 2014 Type of School

0% 1% to 2% 3% to 5% 6% to 10% 11% to 15% 16% to 20% More than 20% Mean % Median %

Elem 32% 34% 15% 8% 3% 4% 4% 3.7% 1.5%

Middle 24% 29% 21% 13% 4% 3% 6% 4.6% 1.9%

Public or Private High 22% 25% 18% 15% 7% 6% 6% 5.6% 3.2%

Public Private 30% 18% 29% 30% 17% 24% 12% 8% 4% 4% 4% 12% 3% 4% 4.1% 5.6% 1.7% 3.2%

Geographical Region Midwest 22% 34% 21% 7% 6% 6% 5% 4.9% 1.8%

Northeast 26% 22% 18% 20% 5% 7% 2% 5.1% 3.2%

West 45% 31% 6% 12% 3% 1% 2% 2.6% 1.1%

South 29% 30% 20% 11% 4% 3% 3% 3.8% 1.7%

This Year’s Budget In the current (2013–2014) school year, the percentage of materials budgets spent on ebooks increased, representing a mean of 5.8% (down slightly from 6.1% who said this in last year’s survey) and a median of 3.4% (down from a median of 4.0% in last year’s survey). Also note that 20% said that ebooks did not represent any part of the materials budget (up from 18% who said this in last year’s survey). Figure 37. Approximately what percentage of your library's materials budget did ebooks represent in 2013–2014 school year? % of school libraries, 2014 Mean: 5.8% Median: 3.4%




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Table 27: Approximately what percentage of your library's materials budget did ebooks represent in 2013–2014 school year? % of school libraries by type of school and geographic region, 2014 Type of School


Elem 22% 31% 19% 12% 3% 2% 10% 5.3% 1.9%

Middle 15% 24% 16% 20% 8% 8% 9% 7.1% 4.4%

Public or Private High 12% 21% 19% 17% 11% 8% 12% 8.1% 4.8%

Public Private 20% 4% 26% 28% 19% 20% 15% 24% 7% 6% 5% 8% 8% 10% 5.9% 7.6% 3.4% 4.8%


Northeast 11% 30% 18% 24% 8% 3% 6% 6.0% 4.0%

West 32% 38% 11% 9% 3% 5% 2% 3.4% 1.5%

South 23% 22% 21% 12% 6% 6% 9% 6.1% 3.4%

Interestingly, ebook spending as a percentage of the overall materials budget has dropped precipitously among elementary schools, even if the y-axis on the chart below is pretty narrow. As we’ll see later in this section, elementary schools are more likely than other school grade levels to avail themselves of alternate sources of funding for ebooks, such as book fairs, donations, fundraising efforts, grants, and so forth. So this may be less of a story about declining demand and usage of ebooks than it is about creative financing of ebook acquisition. Figure 38: Median percentage of current materials budget represented by ebooks by type of school, 2010–2014




64

2019 Budget How much of the materials budget will ebooks represent in five years (2019)? On average, school libraries say that ebooks will account for 13.0% of the materials budget in five years (median 13.4%—a case where the median is higher than the mean, which is actually common for this question). Only 5% of respondents believe that ebooks will not represent any part of their materials budget in 2019. Figure 39. Approximately what percentage of your library's materials budget do you predict ebooks will represent in 5 years? % of school libraries, 2014 Mean: 13.0% Median: 13.4%

High schools and middle schools are pretty closely matched in their expectations of future spending on ebooks. Not unexpectedly, elementary schools trail behind, but not by very much. Table 28. Approximately what percentage of your library's materials budget do you predict ebooks will represent in 5 years? % of school libraries by type of school and geographic region, 2014 Type of School


Elem 5% 4% 16% 24% 10% 16% 25% 12.4% 11.3%

Middle 1% 5% 12% 12% 15% 26% 29% 14.7% 16.8%

High 3% 3% 9% 16% 13% 29% 29% 14.9% 17.0%

Public or Private Public Private 5% 0% 5% 9% 14% 6% 19% 11% 11% 13% 20% 32% 25% 30% 12.9% 15.3% 13.3% 17.5%




Northeast 4% 8% 9% 19% 11% 27% 22% 13.2% 14.6%

West 12% 6% 20% 20% 7% 9% 26% 11.0% 8.6%

South 3% 5% 16% 14% 16% 22% 24% 13.2% 14.0%


65

Looking at five surveys’ worth of five-year projections, we see that school librarians are increasingly certain that ebook expenditures will grow relative to their materials budgets. In 2010, respondents felt that in five years (that is, in 2015) ebooks would represent 7.3% of their materials budgets. Three years later, that projection had doubled, but is more tempered in the most recent survey. However, 2015 is only a year away, and ebooks’ current median percentage of the materials budget is only 3.4% (as per the previous question), so actual growth of ebook spending as a percentage of the materials budget remains below previous expectations. These lower than expected numbers are definitely driven by elementary schools (the largest chunk of our sample and schools nationwide). Middle and high schools are actually on track with their previous projections. As we said earlier, this can be the result of sources for funding other than the materials budget, especially in elementary schools. Figure 40: Median percentage of materials budget represented by ebooks in five years by type of school, 2010–2014




66

Current Volume and Spending Volumes Purchased This Year A new question we added in the 2014 survey asks how many ebook volumes libraries purchased in the 2013/2014 school year. Mean volumes purchased were 225 ebooks (median 42). Almost one-half of respondents (45%) purchased fewer than 50 ebook volumes in the 2013/2014 school year. Figure 41. How many ebook volumes did your library purchase and/or license independently in the 2013/2014 school year (not including consortium- or state-supplied ebooks)? % of school libraries, 2014 Mean: 225 Median: 42

Table 29. How many ebook volumes did your library purchase and/or license independently in the 2013/2014 school year (not including consortium- or state-supplied ebooks)? % of school libraries by type of school and geographic region, 2014 Type of School

Public or Private


Northeast

West

South

19%

10%

13%

31%

21%

37%

35%

29%

47%

39%

36%

26%

21%

19%

21%

22%

10%

23%

16%

15%

13%

13%

25%

7%

5%

11%

5%

4%

7%

4%

4%

10%

4%

2%

4%

500 to 999

2%

4%

2%

2%

2%

2%

2%

4%

1%

1,000 to 2,499

2%

0%

1%

1%

2%

0%

0%

3%

2%

Elem

Middle

High

Public Private

None

18%

20%

17%

18%

Under 50

36%

37%

30%

50 to 99

20%

20%

100 to 249

15%

250 to 499

2,500 or more

4%

1%

2%

4%

6%

3%

6%

6%

3%

Mean volumes

217

150

206

220

357

200

266

309

188

43

41

57

43

44

76

39

25

40

Median volumes




67

This Year’s Spending In the school year surveyed (2013–2014), school libraries spent on average $1,199 (median $402) on ebooks. However, note that just under one-fifth of respondents (18%) said that all ebooks are provided by the state, school district, or consortium. Figure 42. How much would you estimate your library spent on ebooks for the current school year (2013–2014)? % of school libraries, 2014 Mean: $1,199 Median: $402

Even looking at median spending, high schools spend more than twice as much on ebooks as elementary schools. Table 30. How much would you estimate your library spent on ebooks for the current school year (2013–2014)? % of school libraries by type of school and geographic region, 2014 Type of School

Public or Private

Northeast

West

South

11%

9%

31%

21%

15%

19%

17%

23%

15%

22%

18%

16%

9%

6%

13%

15%

15%

12%

18%

17%

16%

22%

13%

18%

10%

17%

16%

9%

1%

9%

9%

2%

12%

1%

4%

3%

2%

1%

1%

5%

2%

5%

3%

3%

5%

$1,104

$1,518

$2,423

$1,195

$2,338

$1,515

$1,362

$848

$1,094

$358

$475

$903

$418

$750

$492

$552

$202

$309

Elem

Middle

High

$0 (all ebooks provided by state/district/consortium)

20%

15%

13%

18%

8%

Less than $200

20%

17%

14%

18%

23%

$200 to $499

13%

18%

13%

15%

$500 to $999

12%

16%

12%

14%

$1,000 to $2,499

19%

17%

21%

$2,500 to $4,999

8%

11%

16%

$5,000 or more

2%

5%

Don't know

5%

Mean $ Median $

Geographical Region

Public Private



Midwest


68

Although on average, median school library spending on ebooks is essentially unchanged, that figure is skewed by elementary schools whose spending is flat. High schools, and to a lesser extent middle schools, are on an upward trend with ebook spending. Figure 43: How much would you estimate your library spent on ebooks for the current school year? median $ by type of school, 2011–2014




69

Source(s) of Funding We added a new question to our 2014 survey that asked specifically where funding for ebooks was coming from. Note that multiple responses were allowed—and libraries typically avail themselves of as many sources as they can find—but far and away the materials budget was the biggest source of funding for ebooks. Eighteen percent have participated in book fairs, 14% have turned to donations or other types of fundraising efforts, and 12% have received grants. The scramble for money to build out ebook collections—and perhaps even provide ereaders (see Chapter 5)—is acute, as these schools also need to keep print book collections up to date (see next question). Figure 44. Where did the money to purchase ebooks come from? % of school libraries, 2014




70

Elementary schools are the least likely to rely (or be able to rely) on their materials budgets, and are thus the most likely to avail themselves of alternate sources of ebook funding. Middle schools are slightly more likely to obtain grants. Table 31. Where did the money to purchase ebooks come from? % of school libraries by type of school and geographic region, 2014 Type of School

Public or Private


Northeast

West

South

85%

84%

75%

81%

58%

18%

10%

20%

4%

11%

26%

9%

13%

13%

12%

19%

8%

13%

15%

14%

11%

4%

8%

12%

9%

15%

8%

4%

10%

0%

10%

5%

24%

6%

11%

6%

8%

9%

6%

10%

18%

8%

4%

7%

3%

5%

7%

2%

7%

1%

3%

11%

Vendor credits

6%

5%

3%

5%

4%

1%

8%

0%

5%

Other

8%

7%

4%

8%

0%

6%

5%

10%

8%

Elem

Middle

High

Public Private

Materials budget

63%

76%

78%

70%

Book fair money Donations/Fundraised money

21%

13%

3%

17%

11%

Grant(s)

12%

PTA/PTO

11%

Technology budget State/County/District funds (write-in)




71

Impact on Print Books Another new question added this survey asked if adding ebook collections has had an impact on school libraries’ print book purchasing. In general, it has had a small impact; one-fourth (24%) of school libraries say they purchase fewer print books now, while 65% say that their ebook collections had no influence on their print book purchasing. And from what we have seen throughout this survey, libraries still need to offer print as an option since student preference for print—especially among fiction titles—remains strong. Happily, almost no libraries say they no longer purchase any print titles. Figure 45. How has the addition of ebooks to your collection influenced your purchase of print book formats? % of school libraries, 2014

Table 32. How has the addition of ebooks to your collection influenced your purchase of print book formats? % of school libraries by type of school and geographic region, 2014 Type of School

No influence on print book purchasing Buy fewer print books now Buy no print books now Other

Public or Private

Elem

Middle

High

63%

63%

50%

65%

26% 0% 11%

27% 0% 10%

29% 1% 20%

24% 0% 11%

Midwest

Northeast

West

South

50%

64%

60%

61%

68%

25% 4% 21%

26% 0% 10%

28% 1% 11%

22% 0% 17%

22% 1% 10%

Public Private



Geographical Region


72

Purchasing Terms If you read through some of the verbatim responses in previous chapters of this report, you’ll find some fairly pointed comments directed toward ebook vendors and publishers about the purchasing terms that school libraries are forced to choose from. Although we found that public libraries have largely made their peace with purchasing terms, or have at least resigned themselves to the current state as a trade-off for finally being able to offer ebook content from the Big Five publishers, school libraries remain less sanguine about the alternatives. And many school library media specialists bristle at the idea of a subscription model especially since, due to schools being out of session two or three months of the year, there is the sense that annual subscriptions are a raw deal for school libraries. There remains a strong desire to, as with print books, buy them once and keep them in circulation. When acquiring ebooks, the majority of libraries—61%—say they “purchase with perpetual access.” This has generally been unchanged for the past four years. Meanwhile, almost a third (30%, up from 26% last year) “purchase with perpetual access through self-hosting (local ownership).” That has certainly been the more appealing option, which is why it is at a record high. Twenty-four percent purchase a “subscription,” which troughed two years ago but has been on the rise again. Not unexpectedly, “patron-driven acquisition”—popular in public libraries—is only at 8% in school libraries. Figure 46. What type(s) of purchasing and/or licensing terms does your library typically use when acquiring ebooks? % of school libraries, 2014




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Table 33. What type(s) of purchasing and/or licensing terms does your library typically use when acquiring ebooks? % of school libraries by type of school and geographic region, 2014 Type of School

Purchase with perpetual access Purchase with perpetual access through selfhosting (local ownership) Subscription Concurrent use/access Upfront purchase with maintenance fee License with set # of circs model Patron-driven acquisition Bundled with other content Pay-per-use ($1 per circ, for example) Other



Northeast

West

South

Elem

Middle

High

59%

67%

65%

61%

67%

54%

62%

70%

61%

31%

26%

20%

31%

18%

36%

29%

17%

31%

26% 19%

15% 24%

22% 27%

23% 20%

31% 27%

26% 16%

34% 22%

26% 22%

16% 22%

5%

13%

21%

6%

24%

8%

9%

12%

4%

6%

7%

8%

6%

12%

9%

5%

9%

5%

8%

5%

9%

5%

12%

6%

2%

7%

7%

3%

8%

6%

2%

14%

3%

2%

3%

3%

1%

1%

2%

1%

4%

1%

3%

0%

2%

5%

3%

4%

4%

2%

4%

5%

11%

1%

The figure below tracks five selected purchasing terms over four years of surveys. Concurrent use/access has had the steepest rise.




74

Figure 47. What type(s) of purchasing and/or licensing terms does your library typically use when acquiring ebooks? % of school libraries, 2010–2014




75

Consortium Membership Over the past four years, a minority of school libraries has been part of a consortium licensing program. This year, only 13% said they currently are consortia members, 75% are not, and 4% plan to join one. Consortium membership is at its lowest point since 2010. Figure 48. Is your library part of a consortium license program for its ebook collection? % of school libraries, 2014

Consortium membership doesn’t vary appreciably by type of school, although schools in the Northeast are a bit more likely to be members. Table 34. Is your library part of a consortium license program for its ebook collection? % of school libraries by type of school and geographic region, 2014 Type of School

Yes No, but planning to join one No Don't know

Public or Private

Elem 11%

Middle 14%

High 19%

4%

7%

5%

4%

77% 8%

74% 5%

71% 5%

75% 9%

Midwest 14%

Northeast 23%

West 6%

South 11%

4%

3%

5%

7%

2%

72% 0%

79% 3%

67% 4%

79% 8%

75% 12%

Public Private 12% 24%



Geographical Region


76

The figure below shows that consortium membership has risen and fallen over the past five years, peaking in 2012 at nearly 20%. High schools have generally been more likely than other schools to be part of a consortium. Figure 49. Yes, library is part of a consortium license program for its ebook collection % of school libraries by type of school, 2010–2014

Consortia are popular among public libraries (two-thirds of public libraries are members of a state or regional consortium that pools resources to provide ebook titles and collections to consortium members), but not so much among school libraries, and that is largely because schools—and school districts—tend to have their own missions that may be incompatible or work at cross-purposes with other schools and districts. School libraries do, however, develop cooperative ventures with local public libraries. In fact, some school libraries have shifted some of the responsibility for providing ebook titles and other related resources (like ereaders) to their public libraries. This helps preserve school library resources for schoolspecific supplies and initiatives while at the same time not duplicating the efforts of others.




77

Vendors Used and Preferred What ebook vendors do school libraries use and which do they prefer? If you read the verbatim comments presented at the end of each chapter of this report—and have read them going back to our first survey—you know that libraries have often had an adversarial relationship with their ebook vendors, typically involving purchasing terms and the perceived high cost of ebooks, as well as access restrictions placed upon ebooks. We asked specifically in this survey what school libraries liked about their preferred vendor, and we included a smattering of these comments in the “In Their Own Words” section at the end of this chapter. School libraries are, on the whole, happier with vendors than has historically been the case. Selection, support, and other elements have all been improving, although some sticking points remain. Although OverDrive has come to dominate the ebook space for public libraries, schools are far more likely to use FollettShelf—63% of all school libraries use Follett. A distant second is MackinVIA, used by 20% of school libraries. Figure 50. From which vendor(s) does your library acquire ebooks? % of school libraries, 2014




78

Different vendors are more suited to different types of libraries. Middle and high schools require greater access to reference materials, hence they are more likely to use Gale Virtual Reference Library, and TumbleBooks offers a greater selection of children’s titles, so they are more likely to be used by elementary schools. Table 35. From which vendor(s) does your library acquire ebooks? % of school libraries by type of school and geographic region, 2014 Type of School

FollettShelf MackinVIA TumbleBooks Abdo Digital Capstone myON Gale Virtual Reference Library OverDrive Barnes & Noble Direct from publisher Lerner Digital Amazon.com Project Gutenberg EBSCOhost Infobase eBooks Rosen Scholastic Storia ABC-CLIO Brain Hive Baker & Taylor Axis 360 Britannica Digital Learning Big Universe eSebco Rourke Educational Media StarWalk Kids Media Ingram MyiLibrary Other

Public or Private

Geographical Region Midwest 60% 19% 25% 10% 4%

Northeast 61% 9% 16% 10% 9%

West 73% 26% 7% 14% 8%

South 62% 22% 16% 20% 26%

56%

13%

21%

19%

11%

11% 8% 8% 7% 4% 4% 4% 3% 3% 3% 2% 1% 1%

13% 21% 15% 4% 19% 13% 21% 17% 0% 2% 13% 8% 6%

19% 12% 6% 2% 6% 3% 1% 1% 0% 4% 1% 2% 1%

9% 13% 15% 12% 9% 3% 7% 6% 12% 1% 6% 4% 2%

10% 7% 8% 6% 7% 7% 6% 0% 1% 1% 1% 1% 2%

10% 6% 5% 9% 2% 6% 5% 5% 1% 3% 2% 1% 1%

1%

1%

4%

0%

0%

0%

3%

1% 0%

0% 0%

1% 1%

0% 0%

0% 0%

0% 0%

3% 0%

1% 2%

1%

0%

0%

1%

0%

3%

0%

0%

0%

1% 0% 5%

0% 1% 3%

0% 0% 8%

1% 0% 4%

0% 2% 17%

0% 0% 5%

0% 1% 5%

0% 0% 8%

1% 0% 3%

Elem 59% 22% 23% 17% 19%

Middle 67% 21% 5% 9% 6%

High 59% 16% 6% 5% 1%

Public Private 64% 42% 22% 2% 17% 10% 16% 2% 16% 0%

6%

22%

46%

13%

11% 7% 8% 9% 2% 3% 3% 1% 2% 3% 1% 1% 1%

12% 16% 5% 2% 11% 9% 8% 8% 4% 3% 4% 1% 4%

18% 11% 9% 3% 12% 13% 8% 7% 3% 1% 6% 0% 5%

2%

1%

1% 1%




79

In terms of preferred vendor, FollettShelf is far and away the top choice among libraries that have a preference, cited by 30%. The next most preferred, MackinVIA, trailed with ten percent. One-third (32%) of respondents had “no preference.” Figure 51. Which is your preferred ebook vendor? % of school libraries, 2014

Table 36. Which is your preferred ebook vendor? % of school libraries by type of school and geographic region, 2014 Type of School

FollettShelf MackinVIA OverDrive Capstone myON TumbleBooks Gale Virtual Reference Library Direct from publisher Amazon.com Abdo Digital Brain Hive Barnes & Noble EBSCOhost Baker & Taylor Axis 360 Project Gutenberg Rosen Infobase eBooks Other No preference

Public or Private Public Private 31% 9% 11% 0% 6% 11% 5% 0% 4% 0%

Geographical Region Midwest 42% 15% 8% 0% 0%

Northeast 20% 1% 7% 5% 0%

West 43% 2% 4% 0% 1%

South 25% 14% 7% 8% 8%

Elem 30% 12% 7% 7% 5%

Middle 28% 10% 10% 3% 0%

High 17% 7% 16% 1% 1%

0%

8%

14%

3%

20%

3%

7%

4%

3%

3% 1% 1% 1% 1% 0% 0% 0% 0% 0% 1% 33%

1% 3% 1% 0% 7% 1% 1% 0% 1% 0% 1% 26%

0% 2% 1% 0% 2% 2% 1% 2% 0% 1% 2% 35%

2% 1% 1% 1% 1% 1% 0% 0% 0% 0% 1% 32%

0% 9% 0% 0% 6% 3% 3% 3% 0% 0% 3% 37%

0% 6% 0% 0% 1% 0% 1% 1% 0% 0% 0% 30%

5% 1% 0% 5% 0% 1% 0% 1% 1% 1% 1% 45%

1% 0% 1% 0% 1% 2% 2% 0% 0% 0% 7% 32%

2% 1% 2% 0% 1% 0% 0% 0% 0% 0% 0% 30%




80

In Summary Among school libraries, ebooks as a percentage of the materials budget are holding steady after having increased substantially in the past few years. In upper grades, especially high schools, ebook spending has grown more strongly. Elementary schools, however, are more likely to finance ebooks through other means, such as book fairs, donations and fundraisers, and grants. Vendor freebies are often a relied upon means of starting an ebook collection. On average, school libraries spent $1,200 (median $402) on ebooks in the 2013– 2014 school year, which translates to a $92 million school ebook spend nationwide. Schools have acquired an average of 225 (median 42) ebook volumes, loosely averaging $5.33 to $9.57 per title. This does not account for titles schools access for free or through consortia, so the per title calculation seems likely to be on the low side. Given that there remains an articulated preference among kids of all ages for printed books, few school libraries have purchased ebooks at the expense of printed books, and for the foreseeable future, p- and e- formats will exist side by side in school libraries. Unlike public libraries, school libraries have not generally availed themselves of a consortium—consortium membership peaked in 2012 at just 19% of all school libraries. That said, anecdotal evidence suggests that some school libraries have allied themselves with public libraries to complement and supplement what school libraries can offer in the way of ebooks (such as access to popular fiction titles and so forth). FollettShelf remains the most widely used and most preferred school ebook vendor. MackinVIA trailed in second place.




81

In Their Own Words In this survey, we asked school libraries to explain why they chose their preferred vendor. Here is a sample of their comments (lightly edited). Abdo Digital •

“Nonfiction ebooks which middle school students want to read.”

Amazon.com •

“We have Kindles in the library and I purchase ebooks from Amazon. Our school system has a license with OverDrive. However, my particular school has input into what is purchased but no budget for OverDrive. The budget comes from the system. Also, with OverDrive the books are not purchased so if we decided not to renew the license the books are no longer available whereas with Amazon, the books are ours.”

B&T Axis361 •

“Format best for all types of ereaders, phones, computers. Does not rely on school to supply ereaders. Checked out for a certain time period only. Cost of service is less expensive than OverDrive.”

•

“I am in control of each title purchased with B & T. With Gale I get a package of titles, many of which don’t fit in my collection.”

Barnes & Noble •

“Students would rather check out a device such as a NOOK than read ebooks on their computer or iPad like the FollettShelf books.”

•

“We are a decade behind with technology and the NOOKs support ebooks which the XP computers without Flash players and iPad will not.”

Bookflix •

“I cannot view the ebooks I purchased from Abdo, and students prefer BookFlix because they can hear the books read to them.”

Capstone myON •

“They had the highest quality fiction and nonfiction resources for my kindergarten–second grade students.”

EBSCOhost •

“Comprehensive nonfiction ebook collection subscription. There’s no way I can develop a nonfiction collection as comprehensive as EBSCO’s. Don’t have the money or resources.”

•

“They not only have graphic novels and fiction with cross-over appeal to our low-level and English-language learners, but their nonfiction research and resource material is excellent. I am constantly amazed at what I can pull out of EBSCO’s catalog.”

FollettShelf •

“Best source for a variety of materials, and mostly fiction titles.”

•

“Ease of ordering books for FollettShelf plus seamless integration into our library automation system.”




82

•

“Follett is the vendor we use most often to purchase electronic and print materials. We use Destiny as our circulation system so we have great customer support if there are access issues with electronic materials.”

•

Follett offers a wonderful helpline available anytime I call and they stay on the phone with me until all my questions are answered; they are reliable. OverDrive changes our various customer reps approx. every 8 weeks; the reps are very young and have no understanding of school needs. They usually cannot answer our questions, nor is there a readily accessible helpline. OverDrive is very difficult to deal with. I trust Follett; I don’t trust OverDrive. We are only using OD because Follett did not have enough current fiction. They are doing better with that, and I am hoping we can drop OverDrive in 2 years when our contract runs out.”

•

“I prefer Follett shelf because good Marc records are included with purchase and their eBooks work seamlessly with Destiny. However, I prefer the OverDrive ereader app.”

•

“They have better prices, better ease of use, more multiple user formats available, more nonfiction titles than OverDrive (second choice).”

•

“We operate on the Follett Destiny system, so it’s easy to use the FollettShelf ebooks with it—no additional websites or passwords.”

•

“We use the Destiny system and it connects right in to the school's OPAC for easy access by students. Simply put, it was easy to do and was not another login for student to remember.”

Gale Virtual Reference Library •

“Ease of use. Gale provides great reference materials, but we have a demand for popular fiction. Neither Gale nor Follett works very well with our Horizon circulation software. Both products are problematic for different reasons.”

•

“Gale has easy access and an easy process for obtaining the ebooks. Most importantly, we don’t encounter technical issues with access, and we OWN the content.”

•

“I prefer their business model; the ability to have a multiple user title within my budget is a defining feature. The delivery system is easy to use from both admin and end user perspectives. The content is well aligned to the curriculum, therefore the nonfiction needs of my students/staff.”

•

“Outstanding service, ease of purchase, excellent preview selection program, choice of titles.”

•

“Reference is what we are replacing and Gale has a great selection and good publishers to choose from including their own imprint. Service is great.”

•

“Students have one access point to find over 600 ebooks. It is easy to teach them where to go to find these books. The collection is so large that they are usually successful when searching for information.”

•

“The interface is much easier to use and requires no individual user names and passwords.”

Infobase Ebooks •

“They offer reasonably priced books (buy ebook get print free). They also have a nice platform.”

Mackin VIA © 2014 School Library Journal. All rights reserved.



83

•

“Because VIA allows for all ebooks regardless of the provider to be accessed through a portal with one username and password. Our biggest roadblock to usage is that teachers and students can’t keep up with all the different usernames and passwords they need to use electronic resources.”

•

“Greater availability of simultaneous/multi-use purchase at a price comparable to print books. MackinVia provides an easy access point for all of the ebooks from different publishers logging in one time. Marc records are also provided to add the eBooks to the OPAC.”

•

“I buy my own library’s books through Mackin because I buy my print books from them. The Gale and OverDrive books are purchased through the consortium.”

•

“I can get TumbleBooks from Mackin and they put things all in one place on their platform.”

•

“I like the platform and the fact that I received free ebooks when I converted to them. They also agreed to host my FollettShelf books for free (initial migration only).”

•

“Our district purchases books for OverDrive, and I purchase books for my school library. I prefer MackinVIA because I can get nonfiction and fiction titles, and they can be multi-user and mostly because they are easily accessible through our MackinVIA.”

•

“They have made a huge effort for consistency. Support is great and it always works.”

•

“They made it easy for us to try it out, gave us a number of free ebooks and free audio books, and made it easy to shop. They have good customer service and an easy interface.”

OverDrive •

“GVRL is used primarily for research and therefore more as a database than for individual titles. OverDrive is used for recreational reading and is the newer and more popular service.”

•

“Our district just purchased a contract with OverDrive and we are in the process of implementing the start-up.”

•

“Our OverDrive subscription started in January. I chose this because I’m encouraging the reading of ebooks for pleasure. GVRL and Project Gutenberg have always been accessible. GVRL is primarily for research/reference purposes.”

•

“OverDrive books are easier to access on a variety of devices, and the system is easy to use when Internet access is not a problem.”

•

“OverDrive offers a very quick turnaround, four hours or less, in loading ebooks to our server. Time is so important for teachers and students in receiving materials. I also feel that the prices they offer are very good in comparison with other vendors. FollettShelf does offer some great titles but most are expensive.”

•

“OverDrive provides the formats I need for my students. I want my kids to have ebooks for their Kindles, NOOKs, iPads, smartphones, iPods, and other Android devices.”

•

“Somewhat easy for the students to access ebooks, either on their iPads (Kindle app or Bluefire app, or OverDrive app) or directly from their Kindle. The web © 2014 School Library Journal. All rights reserved.



84

interface is also very user-friendly. Super expensive, though, and our library is basically just renting the books.” •

“The OverDrive ebooks are easier for the students to use. FollettShelf is improving, but not yet as simple.”

•

“This is the company we’ve fully committed to this past year. We chose them because they can provide books for a variety of formats and also offer Audiobook downloads. There are definite downsides to this vendor, but they are the vendor that feels most ebook-like and provides the largest range in access.”

•

“We are moving to OverDrive 100% next year. App is great, ease of use, good selection and also able to connect to public library and other schools in our district.”

Rosen •

“Great sales staff, responsive to the needs of educators and creates products specifically for school libraries.”

TumbleBooks •

“I find that the single login, multiple access usage is the most viable for school needs, especially since most of our kids do not have iPads, which is the easiest device to use with the various educational vendors. Training them how to use a product when there’s a single login is easier as well. I find that TumbleBooks provides the easiest access and best content for the price point.”

No Preference •

“We own 36 Kindle ereaders. We purchase Amazon books which we preload onto the Kindles. Then we allow the students to check out the readers for a week. We also have FollettShelf. I like these because any student can check out a book and read it on their device. We have become a BYOD district and this allows students to have access to a book for two weeks. The downside is that if a student does not have a device that will download the reader they are unable to enjoy the books.”

•

“I’m dissatisfied with them all in one way or the other. I’m moving toward ProQuest for nonfiction because EBSCOhost can’t create a separate account apart from the consortium collection. Baker & Taylor I’m using for fiction but I’m very unhappy with publishers so I’m in a holding pattern for new purchases. I want to develop a fiction collection to keep not lease books for 1 year or so. It doesn’t make sense with our small 260 enrollment to lease books for 1 year there wouldn't be enough circulations.”

•

“No preferred vendor yet. In a way, I’m happy that I do not purchase ebooks from my budget (only purchased with parent-donated Amazon gift cards), because I am wary of vendors’ terms of service and rules regarding ebooks.”

•

“There are some pros and numerous cons to each vendor at this point. There is no vendor ideally suited to a school library.”

•

“They are all very different. FollettShelf integrates best with Destiny, but Project Gutenberg is free. MackinVIA and TumbleBooks are harder to integrate into Destiny and require user names and passwords, but they are easy to search and use as a stand alone service.”

•

“The two have different advantages. BrainHive has a fairly comprehensive collection for many ages covering many subjects and genres, and slowly making headway into the ‘Big Six (Five? Four?).’ Follett has a comprehensive selection of solid nonfiction for middle school and higher research. I did not explore their fiction because BrainHive is simpler in its funding method and access points.” © 2014 School Library Journal. All rights reserved.



85

5. EBOOKS AND EREADERS This chapter looks at preferred ereaders and school libraries that circulate ereading devices. This section also looks at the transition to etextbooks, as well as the proliferation of “one-to-one schools.”

Ereaders Used Every survey, we ask about the devices on which students read ebooks, and the rate at which new devices and models have appeared to some extent makes historical comparison difficult. For example, in our 2010 survey, the options were: •

Library computer

•

Personal laptop/Computer/Netbook

•

Other portable device

•

Dedicated ebook reader

At that time, “dedicated ebook reader” essentially referred to the NOOK or the Sony Reader, both black-and-white devices at the time. Kindle would not allow for library lending and the first-generation iPad had just been released. What a difference four years makes. The number of tablets and ereaders has expanded greatly, and there are color and monochrome devices at all price ranges and levels of capability. At the same time, smartphones have become larger and tablets have become smaller—the portmanteau word “phablet” has been coined to refer to those devices that exist in the space where phones and tablets overlap.7 There is also greater interest in the cloud, or having content of all kinds stored virtually and then streamed to a device. This precludes the need to download content like an ebook directly to a device. Of course, this means that to read such an ebook, you need to have a constant and reliable Internet connection. Let’s see how things have changed since 2010. Even given the preponderance of models,8 last year, we changed the way we asked this question, dividing each selection into “school/library-owned” and “studentowned.” For the sake of clarity, in the figure on the next page, school/libraryowned devices are in red, student-owned devices are in blue.

7

After Apple’s announcements in September, it is entirely possible that in a future survey we will be asking about students reading ebooks on their watches. 8 We ask more model-specific device questions in the Public Library Survey. © 2014 School Library Journal. All rights reserved.



86

The “school desktop computer” is the top method by which students access the library’s ebook collection, selected by 68% of respondents, down from 76% last year. “Student tablet” was selected by 52%, up from 39% last year. More and more kids have their own iPads or other tablet computers. A “school laptop” was selected by 50% (up from 48%), with “student dedicated ebook reader” at 48%. Generally, school-owned devices are used more often than student-owned devices. Figure 52. What device(s) are most commonly used by students to read ebooks? % of school libraries, 2014

As there was no legible way to include 2013 data into the above chart, Figure 53 below provides ereader usage data from last year’s survey for comparison purposes. The usage of student-owned devices jumped from 57% in 2013 to 72% in 2014.




Figure 53. What device(s) are most commonly used by students to read ebooks? % of school libraries, 2013



87


88

Elementary school students are the most likely to use school-owned devices for ebook reading, while middle and high school students have a higher prevalence of reading on their own devices. School desktop computers are much more common in elementary schools than in the higher grades. Student tablets and dedicated ebook readers are most popular in middle schools. Table 37. What device(s) are most commonly used by students to read ebooks? % of school libraries by type of school and geographic region, 2014 Type of School

NET SCHOOL-OWNED DEVICES NET STUDENTOWNED DEVICES School desktop computer Student tablet School laptop Student dedicated ebook reader School tablet Student smartphone School Interactive whiteboard Student laptop Student desktop computer Student iPod Touch or similar School dedicated ebook reader School iPod Touch or similar School Other Student Other

Public or Private


Northeast

West

South

76%

92%

97%

93%

89%

71%

88%

75%

72%

86%

66%

55%

70%

35%

56%

76%

70%

69%

69% 38%

61% 37%

51% 51%

71% 45%

53% 43%

63% 51%

53% 52%

47% 53%

47%

62%

54%

47%

63%

45%

45%

69%

44%

42% 28%

33% 60%

26% 67%

38% 38%

37% 41%

45% 36%

51% 27%

25% 42%

35% 43%

44%

28%

15%

34%

29%

27%

45%

22%

38%

30%

33%

34%

29%

45%

34%

36%

34%

22%

27%

24%

23%

28%

12%

32%

30%

27%

23%

25%

31%

25%

22%

27%

24%

21%

23%

24%

10%

25%

24%

14%

25%

19%

14%

17%

12%

5%

5%

3%

5%

2%

6%

1%

5%

6%

1% 0%

1% 1%

1% 1%

1% 0%

0% 0%

0% 1%

0% 0%

1% 0%

2% 1%

Elem

Middle

High

Public Private

93%

88%

87%

93%

68%

88%

85%

73%

54%

51% 55%

Table 38 below provides these data from last year’s survey for comparison purposes.




89

Table 38. What device(s) are most commonly used by students to read ebooks? % of school libraries by type of school and geographic region, 2013 Type of School

NET SCHOOL-OWNED DEVICES NET STUDENTOWNED DEVICES School desktop computer School laptop School Interactive whiteboard Student tablet Student dedicated ebook reader School tablet Student laptop Student desktop computer Student smartphone School dedicated ebook reader Student iPod Touch School iPod Touch School Other Student Other

Public or Private


Northeast

West

South

87%

90%

96%

89%

95%

56%

87%

68%

50%

55%

56%

67%

77%

51%

73%

82%

65%

80%

45%

44%

48%

36%

46%

58%

41%

48%

50%

25%

10%

41%

19%

44%

42%

23%

47%

33%

50%

49%

38%

60%

42%

35%

42%

38%

27%

47%

39%

30%

43%

38%

24%

34%

27%

31% 22%

26% 29%

21% 39%

27% 25%

26% 57%

38% 28%

17% 22%

26% 21%

27% 30%

25%

23%

24%

25%

28%

22%

22%

24%

30%

16%

27%

43%

22%

47%

24%

22%

30%

21%

17%

25%

27%

17%

34%

16%

19%

17%

17%

13% 5% 4% 2%

24% 3% 4% 2%

17% 3% 3% 2%

16% 5% 4% 2%

19% 0% 0% 0%

16% 6% 4% 0%

16% 5% 2% 2%

19% 4% 5% 0%

14% 5% 4% 4%

Elem

Middle

High

Public Private

95%

88%

88%

93%

51%

71%

76%

76%

65%

49%




90

Transition to Electronic Textbooks In last year’s report, we identified an emerging trend in schools, which is the replacement of printed textbooks with electronic textbooks, delivered as ebooks, apps, or other digital content. Many schools are also becoming what are called “one-to-one schools,” where each student is given a tablet computer (examples: an iPad or Samsung Galaxy Tablet) or, more recently, a Google Chromebook, and learning and assignments take place largely via these devices. A detailed look at one-to-one schools is beyond the scope of this report, but there is no denying that they will have an impact on ebooks, as with these initiatives, one of the biggest stated challenges to ebook use—lack of ereading devices—is overcome. Related to, or part of, this initiative is a transition to etextbooks. The advantages of etextbooks for schools are obvious: information in etextbooks can be updated regularly, they can be accessed from anywhere, take no shelf space, are lighter to carry and result in no lost books. Much of that likely adds up to lower costs for texts in the long run. Last year, Florida made waves by becoming the first state to mandate a transition to etextbooks by 2015. But how common is such a transition? Has that become the norm, or an outlier? Last year, we added a survey question about plans for a transition from print to electronic textbooks, which we reprised this year. And we don’t find that etextbooks have become all that great a force in El-Hi schools—seven out of ten have no plans to transition to etexts (that’s up three points), and while 15% say that “some new textbooks are purchased digitally,” a further 14% are considering it. Only 1% reported that all new textbooks are purchased digitally.




91

Figure 54. Has your school implemented a transition from print textbooks to digital delivery of texts? % of school libraries, 2013/2014




92

Florida has become the poster child for schools transitioning to all-digital textbooks (3% of respondents in the South region reported their state had mandated such a transition). The Northeast appears to be the most resistant to etextbooks, while the Midwest and the West have made some higher-than-average strides in that direction. Table 39. Has your school implemented a transition from print textbooks to digital delivery of texts? % of school libraries by type of school and geographic region, 2013/2014 Type of School

2014 No, and no plans for digital textbooks No, but the school is considering a transition Not yet, but it is mandated Yes, some new textbooks are purchased digitally Yes, all new textbooks are purchased digitally 2013 No, and no plans No, but the school is considering a transition Not yet, but it is mandated Yes, some new textbooks are purchased digitally Yes, all new textbooks are purchased digitally

Public or Private


Northeast

West

South

41%

64%

76%

65%

69%

14%

9%

17%

7%

15%

15%

1%

1%

0%

0%

1%

1%

1%

25%

25%

14%

48%

19%

16%

18%

12%

1%

2%

1%

1%

2%

1%

1%

1%

3%

70%

57%

53%

68%

36%

62%

77%

55%

68%

14%

22%

24%

15%

26%

17%

10%

26%

13%

6%

2%

3%

5%

2%

6%

0%

10%

5%

9%

18%

19%

12%

34%

14%

13%

9%

13%

0%

0%

1%

0%

2%

0%

0%

0%

1%

Elem

Middle

High

Public Private

75%

55%

52%

70%

13%

15%

20%

1%

2%

10%




93

For the 15% that said that a transition to etextbooks is mandated or at least planned, it is being staved off for a few years: 22% said it will take place in 2015 to 2016, and 42% said it will take place a year after that. Figure 55. If it is planned or mandated, by what year? % of school libraries, 2013/2014

Table 40. If it is planned or mandated, by what year? % of school libraries by type of school and geographic region, 2013/2014 Type of School

2014 2014-2015 2015-2016 2016-2017 2017-2018 Later 2013 2013-2014 2014-2015 2015-2016 2016-2017 Later

Public or Private

Elem

Middle

High

13% 25% 38% 13% 13%

7% 21% 50% 7% 14%

3% 38% 34% 7% 17%

2% 17% 44% 15% 22%

14% 38% 38% 10% 0%

9% 41% 38% 6% 6%

0% 36% 33% 21% 10%

12% 37% 35% 12% 3%

Midwest

Northeast

West

South

0% 100% 0% 0% 0%

0% 16% 51% 0% 32%

0% 33% 56% 0% 11%

9% 14% 43% 0% 35%

0% 26% 29% 36% 9%

9% 18% 55% 18% 0%

27% 42% 29% 3% 0%

9% 28% 43% 20% 0%

8% 30% 42% 17% 2%

6% 36% 37% 13% 8%

Public Private



Geographical Region


94

One-to-One Device Programs An educational initiative that is gaining some traction and has the potential to impact—positively—the further penetration of ebooks in school libraries is one-toone (aka “1:1”). This is a device program whereby a school provides a tablet or laptop computer to each student, and assignments, class readings, homework, etc., are accomplished digitally on these devices. One-to-one programs can be thought of in the same context as—but exist in contrast to—BYOD (“bring your own device”) programs, where students are required or encouraged to bring their own portable devices to school. A detailed look at one-to-one initiatives is beyond the scope of this report, but for our purposes here, just under one-fifth (17%) of school library respondents say their schools currently have a one-to-one device program in place, while a further 15% are planning to offer one. This means that about one-third of schools have, or will have, such a program in place in the near future (see next question). However, the majority of schools—nearly seven out of ten (68%)—do not have, nor currently plan to have, a one-to-one device program. However, as more schools adopt these initiatives—and more (or any) success stories emerge—more schools may go this route. Figure 56. Does your school have a one-to-one device program currently in place or planned? % of school libraries, 2014

Not unexpectedly, high schools are the most likely candidates for one-to-one device programs, with one-fourth (24%) already having implemented one, and a further 24% currently planning to.




95

Of the 15% of schools that plan to implement a one-to-one device program, most plan to do it at some point in the next five years. In fact, 60% of them plan to implement it by the end of the 2016–2017 school year. Another 28% say they “don’t know.” Figure 57. If yes, when? % of school libraries, 2014

Table 41. Does your school have a one-to-one device program currently in place or planned? % of school libraries by type of school and geographic region, 2014 Type of School

Currently offer one-toone Planning to offer one-toone When? 2014-2015 school year 2015-2016 school year 2016-2017 school year 2017-2018 school year 2018-2019 school year Other Don’t know No, and no plans

Public or Private


Northeast

West

South

53%

19%

20%

11%

17%

16%

18%

20%

10%

11%

17%

29% 5% 24% 3% 10% 1% 29% 70%

67% 11% 22% 0% 0% 0% 0% 29%

52% 0% 18% 3% 19% 0% 8% 61%

29% 15% 29% 6% 0% 0% 21% 70%

14% 7% 57% 7% 0% 7% 7% 77%

19% 7% 19% 0% 7% 0% 49% 64%

Elem

Middle

High

Public Private

16%

20%

24%

14%

13%

22%

24%

27% 13% 27% 0% 7% 0% 27% 71%

52% 12% 9% 3% 6% 3% 15% 57%

45% 7% 14% 5% 9% 0% 20% 52%




96

One-to-one programs can work in a variety of ways: devices can be given to all students for the entire school year, they can be given to students in select classes and kept for the entire year, or they can be given to students in select classes and then returned at the end of class. The current M.O. of one-to-one programs is evenly divided between giving devices to all students for the year (32% of the 17% of schools that have a one-to-one program) or to students in select classes for the year (35%). Only 13% collect the devices at the end of each class. A large percentage of respondents responded with “Other,” and a look at the text responses shows a large number of schools assigning a device to students to keep for the duration that they remain in the school. Most of the differences center around specific grades being assigned devices. Figure 58. How does your school’s one-to-one program work? % of school libraries that have a one-to-one device program, 2014




97

Table 42. If yes, how does your school’s one-to-one program work? % of school libraries that have a one-to-one device program, by type of school and geographic region, 2014 Type of School

Students in select classes are assigned a personal device for the year All students are assigned a personal device for the year Devices are distributed in certain classes but returned at the end of class Other



Northeast

West

South

Elem

Middle

High

40%

15%

20%

35%

26%

31%

43%

41%

31%

35%

59%

49%

35%

37%

47%

17%

23%

35%

10%

18%

10%

16%

4%

0%

13%

12%

22%

25%

24%

24%

22%

48%

35%

41%

30%

16%

IPad tablets are the top device used by elementary schools that have implemented a one-to-one device program (72%). Laptops are distributed slightly more often than iPads in high schools and equally as often as iPads in middle schools with 1:1 programs. Figure 59. If yes, what type(s) of one-to-one devices does your school provide for students? % of school libraries that have a one-to-one device program, 2014




98

Table 43. If yes, what type(s) of one-to-one devices does your school provide for students? % of school libraries that have a one-to-one device program, by type of school and geographic region, 2014 Type of School

iPad tablets Laptops Chromebooks/Netbooks (write-in answer) Other tablets Other



Northeast 58% 48%

West 31% 69%

South 64% 53%

Elem 72% 39%

Middle 47% 47%

High 43% 50%

11%

19%

12%

16%

4%

3%

10%

44%

11%

0% 0%

0% 0%

2% 2%

1% 1%

0% 4%

0% 0%

0% 0%

0% 6%

2% 3%

Availability of Reading Devices About one-fourth (24%) of school libraries make ereading devices available to students, with only half of those allowing for take home use. Meanwhile, 26% are considering providing them, and the remaining 50% have no plans to add them. The time series on the next page shows that interest in providing ereaders to students is on the decline, due to a) the expense of buying them, b) the time and expense of maintaining/repairing them and/or replacing lost or manhandled devices (these are kids we’re talking about), and even c) one-to-one device programs precluding the need for the library to supply ereaders. At the same time, more and more of the students themselves have their own ereaders, tablets, or smartphones. Figure 60. Does your library have ereading devices available for students to borrow? % of school libraries, 2014

Over a third of middle and high schools make ereaders available for students.




99

Table 44. Does your library have ereading devices available for students to borrow? % of school libraries by type of school and geographic region, 2014 Type of School

NET YES Yes, but for in-library or classroom use only Yes, for school and take home use Not currently, but considering No and no plans to acquire

Public or Private Public Private 23% 44%

Geographical Region Midwest 24%

Northeast 26%

West 26%

South 23%

Elem 20%

Middle 36%

High 37%

14%

9%

11%

13%

10%

12%

6%

12%

16%

6%

27%

26%

10%

35%

11%

20%

14%

7%

26%

24%

26%

27%

12%

23%

16%

32%

29%

54%

39%

37%

50%

44%

53%

58%

42%

48%

Back in 2010, less than 10% of school libraries circulated ereaders, although by 2013, more than one-fourth did—including almost 40% of high schools. Elementary schools and even high schools have started cutting back on their ereader circulation. Middle schools are a year out of phase with the other schools, and we’ll have to see how things shake out next year. Figure 61. Libraries that provide ereaders % of school libraries by type of school, 2010–2014




100

Which Ereaders Do Libraries Lend? Of the 24% of school libraries that lend ereaders to students, the iPad or iPad Mini surpasses all other as the top device, offered by 54%. The Kindle is a distant second at 28%, followed by the Barnes & Noble NOOK at 24%. Figure 62. If yes, which ereading device(s) does your library currently have available? % of school libraries that circulate ereaders, 2014




101

School library iPad collections are more likely to exist in elementary schools. Of the twenty percent of elementary schools that lend ereaders, 70% offer iPads. The iPad, Kindle, and NOOK are offered about evenly in the upper grades. Table 45. If yes, which ereading device(s) does your library currently have available? % of school libraries that circulate ereaders, by type of school and geographic region, 2014 Type of School

iPad or iPad Mini Kindle NOOK NOOK Color Other tablet Kindle Fire tablet iPod Touch or similar NOOK tablet Sony Reader Nexus tablet Galaxy tablet Kobo Reader 3M Cloud Readers Other

Elem 70% 26% 26% 22% 19% 7% 7% 0% 4% 0% 0% 0% 4% 0%

Middle 33% 39% 34% 15% 3% 11% 7% 8% 5% 2% 0% 0% 2% 3%

Public or Private High 28% 38% 31% 15% 6% 6% 6% 9% 8% 1% 3% 0% 1% 5%

Public Private 54% 39% 26% 48% 20% 43% 23% 13% 13% 9% 8% 13% 9% 4% 3% 9% 1% 4% 1% 0% 1% 0% 0% 0% 0% 0% 3% 0%

Geographical Region Midwest 42% 39% 16% 37% 24% 15% 17% 2% 0% 2% 0% 0% 0% 8%

Northeast 45% 37% 30% 6% 4% 8% 4% 6% 0% 2% 0% 0% 0% 2%

West 54% 28% 19% 34% 17% 6% 4% 0% 0% 0% 0% 0% 0% 3%

South 65% 17% 27% 18% 9% 8% 8% 4% 3% 0% 2% 0% 0% 2%

The iPad has pulled away from the other classes of device (driven by elementary schools, where it finds the highest level of circulation). The Kindle and NOOK are falling out of favor, although the NOOK Color and Kindle Fire tablet are ascendant.




Figure 63. If yes, which ereading device(s) does your library currently have available? % of school libraries that circulate ereaders, 2010–2014



102


103

How Many Ereaders? Even if fewer libraries are circulating ereaders, those that are (24%) are circulating more of them, with libraries that circulate ereaders to students having a mean of 23.4 devices on hand (up from 21 last year). They have a median of 12 devices on hand, up from 10 last year. Figure 64. If yes, how many ereading devices does your library have available for students to borrow? % of school libraries that circulate ereaders, 2014 Mean: 23.4 Median: 12.0

Table 46. If yes, how many ereading devices does your library have available for students to borrow? % of school libraries that circulate ereaders, by type of school and geographic region, 2014 Type of School

Under 5 5 to 9 10 to 19 20 or more Mean # devices Median # devices

Elem 8% 31% 31% 31% 17.0 10.5

Middle 19% 24% 29% 29% 21.1 10.0

Public or Private High 13% 17% 29% 41% 31.8 15.0

Public Private 9% 17% 25% 22% 25% 30% 41% 30% 24.2 33.7 13.0 12.0



Geographical Region Midwest 10% 43% 15% 32% 22.9 7.0

Northeast 19% 30% 29% 22% 13.6 10.0

West 10% 18% 56% 16% 13.7 10.0

South 6% 17% 10% 66% 33.3 30.0


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The number of ereading devices made available per school for students’ use has consistently increased since we began asking this question in 2011, with all three school types upping the number of devices available. Figure 65. If yes, how many ereading devices does your library have available for students to borrow? no. of ereaders by type of school, 2011–2014




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Preloaded Apps Do school libraries that circulate ereaders add any kind of supplementary content or apps on circulated devices? This year, all school libraries that circulate ereaders (24% of respondents) do. That content can be “interactive educational tools” (60%), “book apps/enhanced ebooks” (54%), or “productivity tools for teachers, administrators, etc.” (36%). Figure 66. If your library has tablets, do you load any of the following educational apps or enhanced ebooks on your school's tablets? % of school libraries that circulate tablets, 2012–2014

Book apps/enhanced ebooks are popular in middle and high schools and have become less so in elementary schools in 2014.




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Table 47. If your library has tablets, do you load any of the following educational apps or enhanced ebooks on your school's tablets? % of school libraries that circulate tablets, by type of school and geographical region, 2012–2014 Type of School

2014 Interactive educational tools Book apps/Enhanced ebooks Productivity tools for teachers, administration, etc. Games Other Do not load tablets with apps 2013 Book apps/Enhanced ebooks Interactive educational tools (e.g., TouchPress) Productivity tools for teachers, administration, etc. Games Other Do not load tablets with apps 2012 Book apps/Enhanced ebooks Interactive educational tools (e.g., TouchPress) Productivity tools for teachers, administration, etc. Games Other No, we do not load devices with apps

Public or Private


Northeast

West

South

62%

46%

55%

70%

64%

53%

77%

75%

53%

39%

53%

27%

36%

31%

44%

39%

11%

42%

37% 19%

27% 30%

23% 23%

38% 46%

12% 16%

37% 21%

25% 34%

22% 27%

0%

0%

0%

0%

0%

0%

0%

0%

0%

75%

67%

62%

65%

100%

64%

59%

74%

68%

64%

67%

41%

55%

100%

54%

43%

69%

61%

46%

57%

41%

44%

43%

30%

38%

69%

55%

36% 4%

33% 10%

21% 0%

32% 4%

43% 0%

22% 6%

38% 10%

28% 0%

51% 0%

11%

14%

24%

19%

0%

19%

24%

5%

20%

75%

60%

48%

60%

64%

42%

58%

62%

77%

75%

53%

32%

54%

64%

46%

64%

46%

64%

38%

67%

28%

37%

57%

27%

61%

25%

45%

38% 13%

33% 7%

16% 8%

27% 9%

29% 0%

5% 5%

41% 5%

21% 17%

40% 4%

13%

20%

32%

26%

14%

34%

17%

38%

12%

Elem

Middle

High

Public Private

59%

59%

57%

61%

41%

63%

70%

27%

37%

23% 18%




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What are some of the specific apps that can be preloaded? There are hundreds of possibilities, many class or topic specific, such as Shakespeare or Edgar Allan Poe apps for English class, science apps that explain bodily systems or the solar system, math apps, history apps, and so forth. Some common “general purpose” apps that our respondents indicated that they use heavily include: • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • •

DestinyQuest (accessing Follett ebooks) Dropbox (file-sharing) eBackpack (education-specific file-sharing) Edmodo (teacher-student collaboration) Evernote (organization, project-management) Google Drive (file-sharing) iMovie (video editing) Keynote (presentation) Kindle (ebook reader) MackinVIA Reader (ebook reader) Nearpod (mobile presentations for education) NOOK app (ebook reader) Notability (note-taking on mobile devices) OverDrive (accessing OverDrive ebooks) Pages (word processing) Prezi (presentation) QR code reader (reading Quick Response codes) Socrative (teacher-student interactivity)




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In Summary We have seen earlier in this report that the challenge faced by school libraries, both in terms of offering ebooks at all and facilitating access to their ebook collections, is the lack of ereading devices among students. As a result, the burden of providing ereaders largely falls on the school library, and school-owned devices are the default ereading devices. That said, fewer school libraries overall are circulating ereaders, but those that do have made more devices available to students. The iPad is far and away the most popular device for accessing ebooks among elementary schools. The iPad, Kindle and NOOK reside about evenly in middle and high school libraries. In terms of larger-scale educational initiatives—such as a transition to etextbooks and implementation of one-to-one device programs—so far among our response base, these programs have yet to see anything approaching widespread adoption, and their impact on ebook usage rates remains to be seen. The schools in this study that have 1:1 programs in place do report a larger demand for ebooks than those without.

In Their Own Words More of the write-in “verbatim” comments from our survey: 

“Next week I will be taking 3 classes to our computer lab once a week and we will be using our ebook collection. We have no ereaders in our building and about 12 iPads. Desktop use of ebooks is awkward but that is what’s available. I tried getting 25 to 30 iPads for library use and use within the building when no being used during library time but the grant was denied by our local public school fund until the district has a technology plan in place.”



“We just became a one-to-one school with iPads this year, so though I’ve increased my spending on ebooks recently, the vast majority of the materials I buy are still in print form. This isn’t because I’m old or afraid of technology or change in general. It’s because I genuinely believe in the necessity of children feeling the heft of a book, turning real pages, and having the opportunity to literally stick their noses inside one. At this point, experiencing books like Journey by Aaron Becker or anything by Steve Jenkins on a small, rectangular screen, just can’t compare to the real thing.”



“We are a poor district so many of our students do not have their own tablet to read ebooks on...the ones that do have tablets are taking advantage of the ebooks...others are/cannot.”



“I would love to provide more ebooks to our students and faculty. The biggest issues that prevent this are money and availability of devices to students.”



“Students who try out the Kindles rarely ask to read more on a Kindle. There are students who have their own ereaders or tablets.”



“We have had no demand for them. Our students are disadvantaged and many do not have reader devices or Internet access outside of school. I have not invested much in ebooks yet, waiting for our district to decide how they be providing etextbooks in the near future. Once that has been determined, I will know how best to provide ebooks in the library.” © 2014 School Library Journal. All rights reserved.



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

“This is our first year with iPads given to all 3rd and 4th graders and we have seen a huge increase in the use of ebooks in the classroom.”



“This is our 2nd year of 1:1 iPads for the high school and our students are slowly developing the interest and knowledge of ebooks and audiobooks. This year we started 1:1 with the junior high students, so my hope is they will be more familiar with the devices and easier to train.”



“The county is pushing technology (ebooks) but teachers aren’t on board. Also, our school doesn’t have enough hardware to really promote ebooks to all students.”



“I’m looking into FollettShelf for next year. We have NOOKs now, but they’re not getting checked out. Many of our students have their own devices they want to read on, not the old (four years old) NOOKs.”



“I like ebooks but wish that the students would use them more. They still prefer Google or Wikipedia. There are sometimes connectivity issues with the Internet when using FollettShelf. They do look good for the Library to own.”



“Although we have advertised heavily, students do not have WiFi access on their personal devices at school, so showing them how to use their devices has been a challenge. Also, we rely primarily on databases for our electronic nonfiction access, rather than ebooks, as students mostly use ebooks for recreational reading, which includes some nonfiction but mostly fiction.”



“As more students are assigned tablets, ebook usage should increase tremendously.”



“Our biggest barrier to student use is device-driven and accessibility. I purchased ebooks from FolletShelf which are good titles, but kids do not have devices to access them.”



“Students have limited to access to devices at home so it’s been difficult to really launch ebooks. Many prefer print books, but the non-fiction collection has been a great asset for faculty.”



“The only ebook content we have is from Gale Virtual Reference Library; no fiction. Even though we are a 1:1 school, and most of our students have smartphones, there is very little demand for ebooks. Students this age still prefer print books for pleasure reading. I anticipate that as younger students (who have learned to read on devices and reading on devices is more organic to them) come up through the grades, the demand will increase. By the time today’s 2nd graders are in high school, they will probably be doing most of their reading—pleasure or otherwise—in e-format. I am monitoring my students’ preferences and as soon as the demand for ebooks is there, I will not hesitate to implement a comprehensive ebook circulation program.”



“Our school system just went to BYOD for middle schools this February. Prior to that time there was no need or request for ebooks. We are hoping our district will purchase ebooks for us on a district wide basis. We definitely will purchase more ebooks in future years.”



“The administration has been pushing the idea of purchasing ebooks as we are a one-to-one iPad school. Most of my students do not like ebooks and prefer print books. There have been countless occasions when I would offer the ebook version of a book they want and they will wait for the print version (especially for graphic novels/manga). Many students tell me they prefer holding a book, find it easier to read, and the ability to share with friends. Ebooks though are great for my students who have reading issues. As a low income area, some of my students cannot afford glasses so the larger font size can help and for reluctant readers it © 2014 School Library Journal. All rights reserved.



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can feel not as tedious as when holding a book. For my LGBT club I have purchased ebook materials for them as many students would not want to check out a book about coming out (even though I carry them in print) or books that feature gay characters. My LGBT students do not face harassment in our school but at home, so having an ebook version helps them read LGBT literature without their parents knowing.” 

“Once we move to a 1 to 1 environment, I expect ebook usage to dramatically increase, but many students still prefer print books, even those with ereading devices.”



“The biggest issue is always devices. I love Myon, and it ought to replace our nonfiction guided reading collection, but it can’t until we have enough devices to use it.”



“It is our hope that usage will increase when our library can provide devices.”



“Until we can be fairly certain that students will have comprehensive 1 to 1 access to devices and that most homes have adequate internet access, purchasing of ebooks will probably continue at the pace of an old snail.”



“Even with our 1 to 1 initiative this year, where every student has a laptop, that also swivels to a tablet, their preference is a hardcopy library book. Overwhelmingly so. I have been surprised.”



“Until my school or my patrons have more hardware available, the usage of ebooks will not rise. As the Testing Coordinator for the computer-based testing that is now being required by our state, I can tell you it has already negatively impacted access to all resources. Access to all resources will be blocked for at least a fourth of the year next year if it continues as planned!!! Wi-fi is down for all personal devices, district-owned devices are being used for testing, and print resources are unavailable because the library is closed for testing.”



“I hope to use them more in the future, especially on kids’ phones. Unfortunately, the student account import process is time consuming and complicated enough that I haven’t had enough time to set it up properly!”



“I know the teachers use ebooks with their smart boards. They also have students read them at desktops as part of center work. I don’t know if students do or are able to access them at home due to lack of technology.”



“The students who have used the ereaders during the last two years are now more excited about reading. They visit the library to check out print books; whereas, they only came to the library if the teacher demanded they check out a book.”



“We are just getting started. Expect greater circulation next year with 1:1 iPads for students.”



“Right now use is still low because students generally prefer print books. those who have ereaders are not all aware that books can be borrowed. Also, the public library has a much larger selection for borrowing and many use that. I publicize ebooks as much as possible. The concurrent use reference ebooks are the most often used.”



“We had a disaster with Baker & Taylor’s Axis 360 which really set our program back. We have since recovered during this second semester of the school year. We anticipate much greater usage when students have 1:1 tablets next year.”



“The only ebooks we have available are the ones that are currently on the Kindles that are available for student check out. I didn't see an option to choose this type of program early on in the survey.” © 2014 School Library Journal. All rights reserved.





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“I’m waiting on ONE overall ebook format to emerge as the leader. Overall I think it is Kindle, but to my knowledge there isn’t a ‘Kindle School’ platform available. The fed or state government is going to HAVE TO come up with more bandwidth and faster loading speeds for schools, too. My own district is so conservative, there are too many filters and restrictions on what even staff can access. We are a rural, low-income district, so not that many of our students even have portable reading devices or access to them at home.”




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GENERAL CONCLUSIONS AND TRENDS Up to two-thirds (66%) of the U.S. school libraries reporting now have ebooks available for students. The median number of titles available has grown 39% since last year to 189 titles. Median circulation is up three-fold over last year, but circulation remains lower than the number of electronic titles available (meaning that many ebooks in school library collections were not read even once). Our study found that 45% of schools reported an increase in ebook demand, albeit mostly a slight increase. Nearly half of schools indicated that one of the biggest hurdles keeping students away from reading ebooks (behind “limited access to ereading devices”) is that “users prefer print books.” Read just a sampling of the open-ended comments sprinkled throughout this report and respondents state over and over that many kids still prefer to read in print. Students do and will need computer skills to succeed in an increasingly high-tech world and job market. As computers evolve into tablets, that is where the skills will need to go, and schools (and to a slightly lesser extent public libraries) are often the only places poor and disenfranchised kids can get the kind of hands-on technological experience that can help raise them out of poverty. A recurring comment among respondents’ remarks was that their school district was in an impoverished, often rural, area, with no Internet or ereading device access outside the school. Currently, 24% of school libraries reporting have ereading devices on hand for students to borrow. One-to-one programs, whereby a school issues a tablet or laptop to each student at least part of the school day, if not 24/7, are another way to bridge the digital divide. In the 2013-2014 school year, about one-in-five schools (17%) had some sort of one-to-one program in place and another 15% were considering adding one. Our research shows that schools with one-to-one programs experienced an elevated demand for ebooks. School ebook collections lean more heavily on the nonfiction side (56% nonfiction). Respondents’ comments would make it seem that students prefer using ebooks for school projects and print for recreational reading. The answer to the question, “Are your ebooks more commonly used for lessons/assigned reading or for recreational/free choice reading?” was split almost evenly, with recreational reading favored slightly. Last year, a Pew Internet study confirmed that ereading was growing among children, with little objection and much encouragement from parents, it also found that parents on the whole still find that print books are important.




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More than nine in ten parents of minor children say it is important to them that their children read print books—eighty-one percent say it is “very important,” and an additional 13% say it is “somewhat important.” Very few say having their children read print books is “not too important” (3%) or “not important at all” (3%).9

An earlier Pew study found: We asked people who read both print books and e-books in the past year which format they thought was better for a variety of situations. We found that people prefer e-books when they need a book quickly, when they want a wide selection, or when they want to read “on-the-go” while commuting or traveling. Print, meanwhile, is the preferred format for “social reading,” such as sharing books with others or reading with a child. And when it comes to the time-honored tradition of reading in bed? The verdict was split: 45% say e-books are best here, while 43% prefer print.10

Print and electronic is not an either/or choice and school libraries, perhaps more than other libraries, will need to offer a variety of formats to best suit user preferences—and foster learning and nurture a love for reading, which should be the primary functions of a school library. This means tough format choices for the school librarian when allotting what is too often preciously little funding. In 20132014, almost 6% of school materials budgets were spent on ebooks, which was expected to rise to 13% in five years.

Ebook Trends What can we identify as the trends to watch? •

The continued growth of ereading among children and adults of all ages.

•

Children growing up in an electronic world will be as used to reading on devices as on paper.

•

Many children currently prefer print.

•

For the foreseeable future, it is likely that, in schools, ebooks and ereading will be task-specific: students will prefer ebooks for research, school assignments and projects, and other “nonfiction” uses. But will still tend to gravitate to print for pleasure, leisure, and other “fiction” uses.

•

There is a continuing trend toward “one-to-one schools,” where each student is given a tablet or laptop computer. This will increase exposure to, and comfort with, electronic content.

•

As some schools shift to etextbooks, it will also have a positive impact on the growth of ebook usage.

9

Kathryn Zickuhr, “In a digital age, parents value printed books for their kids,” Pew Internet & American Life Project, May 28, 2013, http://libraries.pewinternet.org/2013/05/28/in-a-digital-age-parents-value-printed-books-for-their-kids/. 10 Kathryn Zickuhr, “Print books vs. e-books: Which is better for what,” Pew Internet & American Life Project, April 13, 2012, http://libraries.pewinternet.org/2012/04/13/print-books-vs-e-books-which-is-better-for-what/. © 2014 School Library Journal. All rights reserved.



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•

Ebook demand has continued to slow when compared to previous surveys. Last year, we suggested it was a temporary lull, but it could be indicative of a larger trend.

•

Though the general economy is growing, it is still far from robust in many communities. Economic hardship limits the ability of many to acquire ereaders or otherwise engage with ebooks—except via their public libraries.

•

Libraries will still be challenged by paying for new initiatives and expanded collections.




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APPENDIX: SCHOOL LIBRARIES QUESTIONNAIRE The Survey Methodology The ebook survey was developed by Library Journal and School Library Journal to measure current and projected ebook availability in libraries, user preferences in terms of access and subjects, and library purchasing terms and influences. The present report is one-half of an overall survey, the companion of which looked at public libraries. LJ’s school library ebook survey was fielded from April 4, 2014 to July 2, 2014. A survey invite was emailed to all Library Journal and School Library Journal newsletter subscribers. The survey link was advertised in School Library Journal newsletters and via SLJ’s social media outlets in April and May. A drawing for an Apple iPad mini was offered as incentive to reply. Data presented in this report includes information from 835 U.S. school libraries. The questionnaire was developed, programmed, hosted and tabulated in-house. Numbers shown in total were weighted based on NCES (National Center for Education Statistics) data to represent the percentage breakdown of U.S. school libraries (Elementary, Middle School, High School) nationwide. Previous data sets used for comparisons were comprised of 1,271 U.S. school libraries in 2013, 1,427 U.S. school libraries in 2012, 905 U.S. school libraries in 2011, and 697 U.S. school libraries in 2010.




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School Library Ebook Survey If you work in more than one school, please answer all questions for the largest school you serve. 1. How long has your school offered ebooks?  We do not offer ebooks [If your school has no ebooks, skip to Q 34]  Less than 6 months  6 to 12 months  1 to 2 years  3 to 4 years  Longer than 4 years 2. How many ebooks does your library have in your total collection, including ebooks available through your district, state or a consortium?  Under 100, specify #________  100 to 249  250 to 499  500 to 999  1,000 to 2,499  2,500 to 4,999  5,000 or more, specify # _______ 3. Is your library part of a consortium or state license program for its ebook collection?  Yes  No, but planning to join one  No  Don’t know 4. Have you experienced a change in demand for ebooks since this time last year?  Dramatic increase in demand  Slight increase in demand  Demand is unchanged  Decreased demand  We received no requests for ebooks 5. What percent of your library’s ebooks allow for access in each of the following methods? One user at a time _______% Simultaneous access _______% © 2014 School Library Journal. All rights reserved.



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6. Are ebooks discoverable through your library’s general OPAC?  Yes  No 7. Can students access your library’s ebooks from home?  Yes  No 8. Approximately, what was your total ebook usage/circulation for the last complete school year? 2012-2013 school year usage/circulation _______________ 9. Compared to last year, do you expect this school year’s usage of ebooks will have increased, stayed the same or decreased?  Increased, by what percentage? ___________%  Stayed the same  Decreased, by what percentage? ___________% 10. Are your ebooks more commonly used for lessons/assigned reading or for recreational/free-choice reading?  Lesson-driven (teacher selected/assigned title)  Recreational/free-choice reading  About equal  Don’t know 11. Has your school implemented a transition from print textbooks to digital delivery of texts?  No, and no plans for digital textbooks  No, but the school is considering a transition by (specify year)______________________  Not yet, but it is mandated by (specify year)______________  Yes, some new textbooks are purchased digitally  Yes, all new textbooks are purchased digitally 12. Which categories of ebooks does your school library media center currently offer? Check all that apply.  Picture ebooks  Young adult fiction  Easy readers  Young adult nonfiction  Chapter ebooks  Classic literature  Elementary nonfiction  Graphic novels  Middle grade fiction  Reference ebooks  Middle grade nonfiction  Other (specify)____________________




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13. Approximately what percent of the ebooks you have available are fiction versus nonfiction titles? How does this compare to your fiction/nonfiction breakdown for print books? Ebooks _____% fiction _____% nonfiction

Print books _____% fiction _____% nonfiction

14. What fiction and nonfiction ebook genres or categories are most in demand in your library? Please select up to three categories for each. Fiction Nonfiction  Adventure/Thrillers  Animals  Classic literature  Biography  Dystopian fiction  Careers  Fantasy  Crafts/Hobbies  Folktales, Fables, Myths  General reference  Graphic novels  Geography/Travel  Historical fiction  Health  Horror  History  Mystery  Humor  Picture books  Language-learning  Poetry & Drama  Literary criticism  Realistic fiction  Nature  Romance  Science/Math/Technology  Science fiction  Social situations  Other  Sports  Study aids  Transportation  Other 15. What hinders students/faculty from reading your media center’s ebooks?  Too few titles available  Difficult to find/discover ebooks  Difficult to read onscreen/online  Difficult to annotate  Ebooks not available for preferred devices  Limited access to e-reading devices (at home and/or school)  Limited access to internet for off-site access  Users prefer print books  In demand titles not in ebook format for libraries  Long wait times for ebooks  Lack of training  Technology issues (e.g., slow/complex to download, district restrictions, etc.)  Students unaware of ebook availability  Ebook titles not available concurrent with print release  Other (specify)_____________________________  None of the above © 2014 School Library Journal. All rights reserved.



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16. What device(s) are most commonly used by students to read ebooks? Please select up to five devices. School or Student library owned owned devices devices   Desktop computer   Laptop   Dedicated ebook reader (e.g., Kindle, NOOK, Sony Reader)   Tablet (e.g., iPad, Kindle Fire, Galaxy, Nexus)   Smartphone   iPod Touch or similar   Interactive whiteboard   Other 17. Does your school have a one-to-one device program currently in place or planned?  Currently offer one-to-one  Planning to offer one-to-one, when?_______________________  No, and no plans [skip to Q20] 18. (If currently have 1:1) How does your school’s one-to-one program work?  All students are assigned a personal device for the term  Students in select classes are assigned a personal device for the term  Devices are distributed in certain classes but returned at end of class  Other, please specify: ____________________________ 19. (If currently have 1:1) What type(s) of 1:1 devices does your school provide for students?  Laptops  iPad tablets  Kindle Fire tablets  Nexus tablets  Samsung Galaxy tablets  Other devices, please specify:______________________ 20. Does your library have ereading devices available for students to borrow?  Yes, but for in-school use only  Yes, for school and take-home use  Not currently, but considering [go to Q23]  No, and no plans to acquire [go to Q23]




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21. If yes, which ereading device(s) does your library currently have available? Check all that apply.  Kindle  iPad or iPad mini  Kindle Fire tablet  Nexus tablet  Kobo Reader  Galaxy tablet  Sony Reader  3M Cloud Readers  NOOK  Other tablet, specify:_______________  NOOK Color  iPod Touch or similar  NOOK tablet  Other (specify) ________________________ 22. [If Yes] How many ereading devices does your library have available for borrow? ______ 23a. [If Tablet in Q21 or have 1:1 tablets] Do you load any of the following educational apps or enhanced ebooks on your school’s tablets? Check all that apply.  Interactive educational tools  Book apps/enhanced ebooks  Productivity tools for teachers, administrators  Games  Other, please specify _________________  Do not load devices with apps 23b. Please name some of your favorite apps or apps that have been especially useful: _________________________________________________________________ 24. Do you have a role in making purchasing recommendations/decisions for ebooks in your school?  Yes  No (If No, go to Q33) 25. How has the addition of ebooks to your collection influenced your purchase of print book formats?  No influence on print book purchasing  Buy fewer print books now  Buy no print books now  Other, specify:________________________________ 26. Approximately what percentage of your library’s materials budget did ebooks represent last year, in the current school year and what percent do you predict ebooks will represent in 5 years? 0% 1%-2% 3%-5% 6%11%16%Over 10% 15% 20% 20%        Last year        Currently        In 5 years © 2014 School Library Journal. All rights reserved.



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27. How many ebook volumes did your library purchase and/or license independently in the 2013/2014 school year (not including consortium or state supplied ebooks)?  None  250 to 499  Under 50, specify #________  500 to 999  50 to 99  1,000 to 2,499  100 to 249  2,500 or more, specify #_______ 28. How much money would you estimate your library spent on ebooks in the current 2013/2014 school year?  $0 – all ebooks provided by state/district/consortium  Less than $200  $200 - $499  $500 - $999  $1,000 - $2,499  $2,500 - $4,999  $5,000 or more (specify) $_______________________  Don’t know 29. [If Q28 > $0] Where did the money to purchase ebooks come from? Check all that apply.  Materials budget  Grant(s)  Technology budget  PTA/PTO  Donations/Fundraised money  Book fair money  Vendor credits  Other (please specify)________________ 30. From which vendor(s) do you acquire ebooks for your library? (Check all that apply) 31a. Which is your preferred ebook vendor? Q30. Q31a. One Ebook Preferred vendor(s) used ebook vendor   ABC-CLIO   Abdo Digital   Amazon.com   Baker & Taylor Axis 360   Barnes & Noble   Big Universe   Brain Hive   Britannica Digital Learning   Capstone myON   EBSCOhost   eSebco   FollettShelf   Gale Virtual Reference Library © 2014 School Library Journal. All rights reserved.



Infobase eBooks Ingram MyiLibrary Lerner Digital MackinVIA OverDrive Project Gutenberg Rosen Rourke Educational Media Scholastic Storia StarWalk Kids Media TumbleBooks Direct from publisher Other (Specify)___________________________ No Preference

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            

             

31b. Briefly, why did you name that company as your preferred vendor? _________________________________________________________________ 32. What type(s) of purchasing and/or licensing terms does your library typically use when acquiring ebooks? Check all that apply.  Purchase with perpetual access  Pay-per-use ($1 per circ, for example)  Purchase with perpetual access  License with set # of circs model through self-hosting (local ownership)  Patron-driven acquisition  Subscription  Upfront purchase with maintenance fee  Concurrent use/access  Other (specify)_______________________  Bundled with other content 33. If you have any comments about ebooks in your media center/school, please write them below. (after answering, please skip to Question 36)




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THE 2 NEXT QUESTIONS ARE FOR THOSE WHO DO NOT CURRENTLY OFFER EBOOKS. 34. Why doesn’t your library offer ebooks? Check all that apply.  No money for ebooks  Lack of ereading devices  Lack of technical support  Don’t understand logistics of ebooks  No demand for them from users  Waiting to see what the best platform will be  Staff/administrative resistance  Other (specify)________________________  We are in the process of adding ebooks 35. What are your library’s plans for ebook purchases in the next two years?  We will definitely purchase ebooks to add to our collection  We may purchase ebooks but it is not a priority  We will definitely NOT purchase ebooks to add to our collection  Other (specify)______________________________ DEMOGRAPHIC QUESTIONS 36. What is the zip code at your school’s location? __________________ (U.S. only) 37. What type of school do you work in? Check all that apply.  Elementary school  Middle/Junior High school  High school  Other school (K-8, K-12, etc.), specify grades:________________  District level/administration 38. Is your school public or private?  Public  Private  Other 39. Which of the following comes closest to your job title?  Library Media Specialist  Library Media Generalist  Teacher Librarian  Librarian  District library coordinator/supervisor  Other (please specify)____________________




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40. Approximately how many students attend the school you work in? If you work in more than one school or at the district level, please answer for the largest school you serve.  Under 200  1,000 – 1,499  200 – 499  1,500 – 1,999  500 – 749  2,000 or more, specify #___________  750 - 999 41. What is your library media center’s total materials budget for this school year (2013-2014)? If you work in more than one school or at the district level, please answer for the largest school you serve.  $0 – no materials budget  $15,000 - $19,999  Less than $2,500, specify______  $20,000 - $24,999  $2,500 - $4,999  $25,000 - $29,999  $5,000 - $9,999  $30,000 or more, specify:_____________  $10,000 - $14,999




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