NHS Greater Glasgow and Clyde
Library Network
Collection Development: Books vrs eBooks (Feb 2009)
Summary of Recommendations
- All libraries within the NHS Greater Glasgow and Clyde Library Network to maintain a print collection relevant to the user population it serves
- The Library Network will continue to develop electronic resources subject to user need and budget restrictions, specifically within the reference collection
- The Library Network will market and improve access (including training) to existing electronic resources
- The Library Network through communication with the NHSGGC IT Department will continue to monitor staff access to IT hardware and the Internet, and reflect this within its collection management policy.
- The Library Network will make bids for budget/funding increases when required to make changes to the collection.
Background
The Library Network consists of 12 libraries across Greater Glasgow and Clyde covering both Acute and Partnerships/CHCPs. The Library Network has 73, 4760 items in stock (includes Audio Visual), with over 12, 300 staff registered to borrow them[1]. This collection is supplemented by an eBook collection provided by the NHS Scotland eLibrary (www.elib.scot.nhs.uk) consisting of c5000 titles covering a range of clinical and non-clinical topics, accessed via the internet and an NHS Scotland Athens username and password.
Introduction
This paper is in response to questions raised about the inclusion of books within the libraries of the new builds of NHSGGC. This paper will take into account borrower behaviour and preference, coverage and usage, cost comparison, a direct comparison of the two formats and conclude with an assessment of the impact of withdrawal of a print book collection on the Library Network.
This paper was informed by a literature search which was performed using LISA, LISTA, Medline, Emerald and a general Internet search[2]. Also consulted were various pieces of research and user needs analysis performed within NHSGGC, and the usage statistics of both print and eBooks.
Borrower Behaviour and Preference
In a technology rich society it is often supposed that anything electronic would be preferred. We have seen it with eJournals, access and use of the Internet, and the increased requests for Audio Visual material from Library users; however it appears that eBooks are exempt. The reasons why eBooks are not the preferred choice may include: awareness; eye strain; and ease of access[3].
In terms of reading habits print books are preferred for prolonged reading, whilst eBooks tend to be used for reference purposes[4],[5]. This could be because eBooks do lend themselves to reference use, allowing the user to search for specific paragraphs and section that they want using a key word search. They can also be accessed outside the library (print reference books cannot be borrowed and consequently can only be accessed within the library).
One factor which should be considered is the age of the workforce population, in academic libraries where there is a predominance of younger readers there may be a higher acceptance of the eBook[6], however the NHS has an older workforce population with a high proportion over the age of 45[7]. As the younger generation of workers within the NHS ages, preference for the eBook may grow.
The Library Network recently performed a User Needs Analysis[8] to inform its strategic development as a single service. Respondents were asked to provide feedback on their satisfaction with resources, as well as provide an indication of their likely impact on patient care; both print books and eBooks were listed. The results show that respondents are more satisfied with the print book collection than the eBooks available, although interestingly the impact of the eBook on patient care is judged to be similar to if not better than the print book. An extract from the results report is provided in Table 1 below. The difference between satisfaction and impact may be due to the satisfaction question being restricted to respondents who had used the resource, whereas the all respondents regardless of whether they had used the resource or not were asked to provide an opinion on what they thought the impact might be.
Table 1
Satisfaction / Excellent / Good / Satisfactory / Needs Improvement / Not relevant / Did not know about it / Response CountBooks / 50 / 124 / 75 / 43 / 29 / 12 / 333
eBooks / 19 / 66 / 40 / 10 / 53 / 105 / 293
Impact* / High / Medium / No Impact / Not relevant / Negative / Response Count
Books / 128 / 181 / 41 / 5 / 1 / 356
eBooks / 147 / 165 / 32 / 6 / 0 / 350
*The Literature Search Service, Enquiry Service, eJournals, and the Librarian were judged to have the highest impact on patient care.
Coverage and Usage
The predominant publishing format is still the print book, and therefore titles that are available in electronic format tend to have a print counterpart, however the same cannot be said of all print books – not all titles are available in electronic format. For example the book (relevant to nurse practitioners and the new Ambulatory Care Hospitals) “Minor Injuries: a clinical guide for nurses” by Purcell and Cooper, is available via the Library Network in the print format, however is not available on the eLibrary (there are no books on minor injuries currently within the eLibrary subscriptions), and is not available from the publisher in an electronic format. Also for the more obscure titles where publication may have ceased there is also the second hand market (not available in the electronic format). However the draw back of the book is only one person at a time can borrow it, necessitating the need for the Library Network to purchase multiple copies. It is also subject to loss, damage or theft.
One of the selling points for eBooks is that they are always available for the reader to access whenever they want, however this is not true. The NHS Scotland eLibrary eBook subscriptions are predominantly through NetLibrary (c4, 900 titles) which allows only one user at a time to access them – the same as with a print book. However OVIDsp, which provides access to clinical titles (approximately 60 titles), does allow concurrent access by multiple users, however the number and range of titles are limited. Another difference between the print book and eBook is that the eBook is accessible from any location with Internet access and an NHS Scotland Athens username and password, but this assumes that all staff have both. The most accessible type of eBook is one that can be carried with the borrower using a PDA or other portable reader, however as yet these are not in widespread use. For the rest access to a PC is required, if this is not available in the workplace for extended use for reading or research then the reader would have to come to the library to use a PC there.
In terms of usage print books are still in demand from library users, below in Table 2 are the most recent Library Network statistics[9]. Table 3 shows the number of accesses to eBooks through NetLibrary during the same time period[10]. It is not entirely appropriate to compare the two sets of figures as the NHSGGC print collection is approximately 15 times larger than the eBook collection on the NHS Scotland eLibrary, however even if the figures were to be manipulated (e.g. dividing the NHSGGC items borrowed by 15) the number borrowed would still vastly exceed the number of electronic accesses.
Table 2 / Items Borrowed / Table 3 / AccessesOct / 3306 / Oct / 164
Nov / 3495 / Nov / 158
Dec / 2562 / Dec / 83
Note: With proper marketing and training both print book and eBook usage would improve.
As stated previously OVIDsp, provided by the publisher Wolters Kluwer also provides access to more clinically orientated texts for multiple users. The usage of these titles are more encouraging, although it is noted the titles within this eBook collection are what would normally be stocked in a print reference collection, giving weight to the argument that eBooks within the NHS GGC should be used in place of print reference material[11].
Cost Comparisons
The cost of eBooks for individuals purchasing a copy can be cheaper than the print book, this of course does not take into account the cost of the hardware required to access it. However when it comes to a library purchasing access to an eBook the cost is significantly higher to allow multiple readers to access it, between 3-4 times more than the print book which costs exactly the same regardless of how many people borrow it. Although the library should seek to follow user behaviour, and purchase electronic replacements for print reference books this will have to be done prudently to ensure expenditure within current restrictions. To venture beyond a few key reference text there would have to be an uplift of budget, to replace an entire collection (not currently possible with eBook coverage) would require an increase of 300-400% of the current book budget.
In Table 4 below there is cost comparison between the print version of a book, the subscription costs (i.e. annual costs) and the purchase costs, these costings were provided by Wolters Kluwer in November 2008.
Table 4
Title / Print Cost (includes NHS discount) / Subscription Cost / eBook Purchase costPediatric Critical Care Medicine / £74.40 / £474 / £949
The ICU Book / £36.00 / £636 / £1, 272
Handbook of fractures / £32.00 / £207 / £413
Books vrs eBooks
Table 5 provides some direct comparisons of the book vrs eBook.
Table 5
Books / eBooksAvailability / Can be limited, and time taken to transfer between library sites, and can only be borrowed during library open times*. / Majority of eBooks available only 1 user at a time – although the clinical titles available via OVIDsp are always available.
Access / Available through any library, and can be sent to the workplace. / PC/mobile device, Internet access, and Athens username and password required.
Cost / Single copies are cost competitive, although multiple copies (especially of the more expensive reference texts) can be cost-prohibitive / NHS Education Scotland eBooks subscriptions are free to the board and user, supplementary texts provided by NHSGGC cost-prohibitive, with the possible exception of reference text where 1 electronic copy to replace multiple reference copies may be cheaper; This would have to be done as new editions arise as the current budget could not make whole-scale changes.
Storage / Requires space to be allocated in the library / Takes up no space in the library, although PCs to access them do.
Training / Requires basic literacy and training to use the catalogue required (although not essential to borrow) / Requires basic ICT literacy, and training on the eLibrary, and eBooks.
User preference / For reading / For reference
* Libraries are seeking a self-service solution which would allow out of hours borrowing.
Impact on the Library Network
The Library Network provides resources and services to support all staff within NHS Greater Glasgow and Clyde on an “equity of access” basis[12]. This requires us to consider all staff types and roles within the NHS when purchasing resources and developing services, this includes coverage, training needs, and access. This extends to the book collection. Although we do stock predominantly clinical titles, we also cater to non-clinical staff as well.
With the implementation of a single Library Management System (LMS) late in 2007 the collection of all libraries (RAH collection to be added in early 2009) is available to all members of the library service, this means that there is greater circulation of the stock between sites, and with increased circulation comes fewer requests for Inter-Library Loan, which if only available from the British Library can cost approximately £10 per request.
The Library Network does want to improve access to electronic resources for NHS GGC staff, however this has to be on the “equity of access” basis, and it has to be done in response to demand and user needs. Indeed it can be seen that in a future with greater proliferation of eBook readers or handheld devices and a licensing/cost model from publishers that take into account institutional or library purchasing needs, that a move towards a local eBook collection may be viable. At present, however, removing access to all print books on one or more sites would have a detrimental effect on the Library Network and NHSGGC staff. Staff within these sites would have access to only the limited titles available via the NHS Scotland eLibrary, and the few supplemental texts the Library Network can afford to acquire. Staff who do not have any eBooks covering their specialty at all would have no books available on site, this inequity would lead to staff within a few select sites having no access to a large part of the evidence base, virtually no library and placing an unreasonable pressure on the print collections of other libraries within the Network.
It is therefore our conclusion that whilst eBooks have a place within the reference collection of the Library Network, print books are still very much in demand and should continue to be the main book collection within the Library Network, and that this conclusion is supported by evidence.
References
[1] Stewart, C. Library Network December 2008 statistics report, NHS Greater Glasgow and Clyde.
[2] McKee, T. Literature Search Results KIRKWO-SUVEGU6998 , Library Network Literature Search Service, January 2009.
[3] Gregory, CL. “But I want a real book”: an investigation of undergraduates’ usage and attitudes towards electronic books. Reference and User Services Quarterly 47(3): 266-273, 2008.