Data collection and analysis

After a one-person pretest, a questionnaire (see Appendix), was distributed to the masters and doctoral students who took two courses the author taught at the Palmer School of Library and Information science in the USA in spring 2002. A total of 27 students completed the questionnaire during two separate class session breaks. The subjects were asked to answer certain questions, depending on whether they had used e-books before. The data was then analyzed quantitatively as well as qualitatively.

Results and discussion

Among the 27 survey respondents, exactly one third (or nine people) have used e-books in the past. The number of e-book users is by no means impressive even though the percentage increases when compared to the 15 per cent reported in the 2000 Seybold survey (Hilts, 2000). When the subjects in this study were asked why they did not use e-books, some cited too little “thought or exposure” as a reason (see Table I). It seems that proper publicity and marketing is needed before a larger number of people begin to read e-books.

E-books are available in different formats: computer-based, reader-based or device-based such as PDA or palm pilot. Of those respondents who used e-books, eight (89 per cent) read computer-based e-books, three used reader-based e-books, and two tried device-based e-books. Although a person might read more than one form of e-book, the majority chose the computer-based format, probably because they require no extra equipment such as a reader or palm pilot.

Unlike printed books, e-books have not yet become a format that individuals purchase regularly for their own use. None of the subjects in this study had purchased any. Four people obtained them from libraries, five got their e-books from other sources (e.g. titles available for free on the Web), and one person borrowed them from others. The respondents apparently preferred to use e-books that could be obtained from libraries or the Web without incurring any direct expense to themselves. They were unwilling to pay for e-books as they do for print books. While the reasons could be multi-fold, a lack of confidence in the value and quality of e-books appears to be one possible cause.