E‐books in Spanish academic libraries

Abstract

Purpose -This study aims to explore the current presence of e-books in the collections of Spanish academic libraries, from the viewpoint of the contents on offer. Design/methodology/approach -Exploration of the library web sites was undertaken in order to gauge the level of presence of packages that distribute electronic books. In evaluating the extent of content available, the data recorded were compared with those derived from another research carried out in 2004. Similarly, an approximate indication of the topic areas with greatest representation was attempted, distinguishing multi-disciplinary suppliers from those specializing in one field. Findings -Out of the 50 existing universities 36 support the subscription of at least one collection of electronic books. The universities of the communities of Andalusia, Catalonia and Valencia are those that have reached a greater implementation of e-books. There is a considerable diversity -many universities have subscribed to collections specializing in literature and in the field of engineering. The main multi-disciplinary collections purchased by libraries are E-libro and NetLibrary. Practical implications -This is a sector that is definitely taking off in Spain and will require progressive acceptance on the part of the academic community. Librarians have the responsibility to aid their users in understanding the growing complexity of the information market and the increasing range of resources available for research. Originality/value -The research is a necessary approach to the integration of collections of e-books into Spanish public universities. Encouraging the use of monographs in electronic format takes on great importance, when it is borne in mind that e-books will have a crucial role in the new model for education advocated by the European Higher Education Area (EHEA).

Trends in Library Collection Circulation in Spanish Universities: The Case of the University of León

“…3 The development of the electronic book (e-book) sector has not affected the usage of print monograph collections as much as predicted, although university libraries have increasingly included e-book collections in their offerings, as observed throughout Spain. 4 In general, circulation studies of monographic collections at university libraries conducted in recent years make it clear that the usage of print collections drops as university libraries increase their investments in the acquisition of e-resources. 5 Previous research completed by the University of León's (ULE) CONDOR (Organization and Use of Digital Contents) Research Group focused on the usage, behavior, preferences and satisfaction levels of the academic communities at universities in northwestern Spain and Portugal with respect to e-journals.…”

The emergence of electronic books publishing in Spain

“…For their part, scientific monographs and mainstream publications, after several years subject to contradictory movements, moving forwards and backwards in line with the successes and failures of technology, seem to have started a tendency that is becoming more and more consolidated, and all data seem to confirm it. The growth rate in the production and demand of electronic books has grown by approximately 20 per cent in the last few years (Just, 2007; Alvite Diez and Rodriguez Bravo, 2009). Outsell (2009) increases this estimate up to a progression of 50 per cent in the last years.…”

“…In Spain, there are several working experiences with electronic books, mainly through the subscription of collections in university and research libraries. (Alvite Diez and Rodriguez Bravo, 2009). Electronic books have been present for more than a decade, although their distribution and use have been restricted to the academic fields through aggregators such as Ebrary, NetLibrary, Questia, etc.…”