The book is dead Long live the book
The book is dead! Long live the book! Reflections on e-books – diversity, growth, use Tefko Saracevic, Ph. D tefkos@rutgers. edu http: //comminfo. rutgers. edu/~tefko/ Tefko Saracevic 1
Central idea: transformations Books • Books are changing – in transition from print to electronic • p. Books to e. Books Tefko Saracevic Libraries • Most digitization efforts in libraries are micro, even nano in scale • Mass book digitization is on industrial scale – causing an industrial scale revolution in technology, services & use – in and beyond libraries • And BIG transformations in libraries & library use 2
On disappearance of print books p. Books e. Books • Many elegies • Many critiques • Lamentations the way – “they lack the majesty, the aura of we experience books the artifact” (Lynch, 2009) above & beyond • But they are striving. reading And how! – physicality of books • heft, texture, scent – we have a pile, collection Tefko Saracevic 3
A small sample of articles Tefko Saracevic 4
Sample of studies Tefko Saracevic 5
Books: a brief look back Civilizations, cultures • Since they appeared some 3 millennia ago books were critical for any/all civilizations, cultures that wrote – linked to the desire of humans to create lasting records – represent human beliefs, memory, achievements & scholarly record Tefko Saracevic Technology • Since beginning to this day they were connected with & realized by many, very different technologies and yet, despite all changes they remained books 6
A few historical examples. . . Book: wood, gypsum 18 th dynasty in ancient Egypt, circa 1550 B. C. E. Word of Khakheperraseneb A literary discourse concerning personal and social chaos Tefko Saracevic 7
Book: clay tablet 600’s B. C. E. Royal Library at Niniveh in Babylonia. Tefko Saracevic 8
Chinese bamboo books date back to 500 B. C. E. Tefko Saracevic 9
First (credited) printed book “Diamond Sutra” China 868 C. E. - woodblocks Tefko Saracevic 10
Amati paper (fig bark) book – Maya, North America, pre-Columbian called “Dresden Codex” ~ 14 century Tefko Saracevic 11
Ibn al-Haytham (965 -1040 C. E. ) “Book on Optics” 1021 C. E. His studies of the eye gave the first modern understanding of lens, retina and optic nerve, as well as the mechanics of vision and perception. See also: Arab Science: A Journey of Innovation Tefko Saracevic 12
And then in Europe came printed books Johannes Gutenberg Put together four skeins of technology • • paper ink movable type printing press He started printing books around 1450. Tefko Saracevic (c. 1398 - 1468) He was not the first to invent printing … Korea, China were before … but … Mass production of books that followed changed society since then over 100 mill. books published 13
And now from p. Books onto e. Books • No sculpture, yet, commemorating e. Books • But e. Books are the fastest & and most massive globally spreading books in book history – e. g. Book sculpture - commemorating invention of modern printing Walk of ideas, Berlin Tefko Saracevic a virtual fair July, 4 to Aug. 4, 2010 , featuring over 3, 000 e. Books; org. by World Public Library Michael Hart (Gutenberg Project) 14
In the grand scheme of things all interact & all are transforming e. Books e. Book readers Producers makers of e. Books Physical – devices Vendors (aggregators) – putting it all together Virtual – in a device Tefko Saracevic e. Book users Institutional – libraries, schools Direct – individuals, groups 15
e. Book Producers • Concentrate on scanning books – and then providing access • Libraries = micro producers • Mass producers = industrial scale Tefko Saracevic makers, suppliers Vendors (aggregators) • Concentrate on putting together many collections of e. Books – and then provide unified access, add value - search, link … • Book databases 16
Libraries as producers – first generation Digitization • Globally, great many libraries digitized books from own collection • Many are rare, historical, classics – opened treasures to public – very well received – important for scholarship & education • But all together small in numbers Tefko Saracevic A few examples from many • British Library Online Gallery – 30, 000 items; among them many rare books • Gallica - Bibliothèque numerique Bibliothèque nationale de France – 1 mill. items, 160, 000 books, • World Digital Library – cultural treasures from around the world; so far about 1400 items; over 200 from Middle East 17
Mass digitization projects – second generation Pioneered • Industrial scale of e. Book digitization – innovative • applications of new technologies • some partnerships with libraries Major projects • Project Gutenberg – first, gave ideas to all; ~140, 000 books • Universal Digital Library - Million Book Project – global cooperation; ~1, 7 mill books • Raised many issues & • Google Books disagreements – largest: ~ 12 mill books; – international; many libraries • Global Tefko Saracevic & even countries cooperate 18 – cultural, legal controversies
Example: Project Gutenberg Stat istic s Tefko Saracevic 19
Example: Universal Digital library - Million Book Project Tefko Saracevic 20
Example: Google Books Tefko Saracevic 21
Next generation: Interaction in e. Books Major innovation • Adding potential for interaction is a giant step in evolution of e. Books – using dynamic web vs. static scanned displays – makes e. Books into something else – Web 2. 0 Tefko Saracevic p. Books vs. e. Books • Interactive capabilities embedded within e. Books provide clear & even huge advantages over p. Books 22
Vendors (aggregators) What? Who? • Large, universal ones taking the role of superbookstores • Bring together e. Books from different sources & publishers & make it – with some interactivity available to libraries & • Smaller, more institutions; also users specialized, aimed at • Add various significant specific markets, topics capabilities - interaction – particularly libraries & similar institutions • Some do it via specific – many most innovative software or apps Tefko Saracevic 23
Sample of vendors … all online only Giants with global reach • Amazon – a super store & bookstore, e- & p. Books – mid 2010: for every 100 p. Books sold, 180 e. Books were sold • i. Books – Apple repeating the music formula to books, some digitized heritage books (e. g. Project Gutenberg) + current; many for digital natives (While we do not call them “vendors” or “aggregators” that is what they are) Tefko Saracevic Specialized or niche • ebrary : Academic Complete subscription: 50, 000 books in many subjects. Interactive capabilities. New: Patron Driven Acquisition – among others, Saudi Digital Library & King Saud University Library subscribe • Class. Zone – large global text book publisher turned to e. Books. Extensive interactive e-texts for middle & high schools. Geared toward digital natives. Interactive learning: “Textbooks come to life. ” • Other vendors offer similar capabilities, e. g. Gale, Netlibrary, Overdrive 24
Example of a vendor: elibrary content for academic libraries Tefko Saracevic 25
ebrary search & interaction capabilities – with Info. Tools Tefko Saracevic 26
Class. Zone example of an interactive biology text for high school Tefko Saracevic 27
Over. Drive : Example of a vendor providing variety of resources & apps for libraries, schools etc. for access & variety of users, digital natives included Tefko Saracevic 28
Example of a public library: audio & e. Books to download Tefko Saracevic 29
e. Book readers Physical • Devices used to display e. Books & other e-content – variety on the market • Plus: portable, readability in various conditions, long battery life • Goal: for the technology to seem to disappear – concentrate on content Tefko Saracevic delivery for eyes, could be also ears Virtual • Software for reading e. Books (& other econtent) on a computer & other devices – variety on the market • Used also for acquiring & managing e. Books • International Digital Publishing Forum (IDPF) tries standardization 30
Battle of e. Readers on the go Readers (physical) Sample of most popular ones: – Amazon Kindle – Apple i. Pad – Sony e. Reader Proliferation of formats • Standards needed for interoperability • Most used/popular: – pdf (Adobe) – e. Pub (International • Proprietary - not Digital Publishing Forum) compatible • Other formats • These companies sell & available couple a device & e. Books & other e. Media Tefko Saracevic 31
Apple i. Pad & e. Books access to e. Books, magazines, newspapers, audio … i. Bookstore Tefko Saracevic 32
i. Book reader - Interaction: connects highlighted words to a dictionary & Wikipedia; Voice. Over reads text Tefko Saracevic 33
Battle of e. Readers for reading on your device - computer, mobile … e. Readers (virtual) • Adobe Digital Editions – reads pdf, e. Pub • Several other readers on the market - combine a bookstore with reader • Vendors e. g. Overdive, provide own readers for download Tefko Saracevic Software – platforms • Independent of hardware; incompatible • Some combined with bookstores • Adding interactive capabilities – browsing, searching • “Reading revolutionized” 34
My e. Books on Adobe Digital Editions Tefko Saracevic 35 back
e. Book users Institutional • Libraries, schools, museums, organizations, agencies … – free e. Books and/or with subscription/license • Integrating with – other p & e. Resources – essential part of collection – other services Tefko Saracevic User categories Direct • Individuals – new: Patron Driven Acquistion (ebrary) • Groups – children, adults, students, scholars, professionals … • Combined – groups from institutions, universities – e. g. courses, research projects. . . 36
Libraries and e. Books Digitized old(er) books But now • Support tradition, culture • Subscribe, license e. Books & other e. Media – enlarge collection – attract interest for “buried” treasures – provide resources for education, scholarship • Many libraries have a large number – from a variety of vendors • Why subscribe or license? – – – provide innovative services possible for multi locations circulate as other books go with digital natives for some no alternative Libraries continue the shift to e-collections, including e-books Tefko Saracevic 37
e. Book advantages for libraries Operations Access • Can’t be stolen, lost, mis-shelved • Automatic circulation • No additional space • Management easier • 24/7 from anyplace – software often included • Easy collection of statistics - valuation Tefko Saracevic – but often restricted to own users (university, city) • High demand books easily managed • Merges with other services • p. Book= single concurrent user; e. Book = many 38
Advantage: Integrated collection & services e. Books Services • Combine with other resources – audio books, music, video, software … • Seamlessly connect with MARC records • Both increase use • e. Books circulated as other books • Popular with users • Many public & school libraries offer access to variety of e. Media • Circulation rising dramatically Tefko Saracevic 39
Example of e. Books at Washington, D. C. Public Library – available to D. C. residents only Tefko Saracevic 40
Example of a dynamic library web site - Denver Public Library Tefko Saracevic 41
e. Book disadvantages for libraries Economics Need for balancing • Lots of $$$, €€€, SARs … • With print collection • Funding a challenge – still the major part for all libraries • Technology investments • Still a good proportion still high of users are not there • New competencies, yet (re)education needed Mind-set changes needed & hard to achieve Tefko Saracevic 42
Digital scholarship & e. Books Digitized old(er) books New generation of e. Books • Changed, broadened access • Fast update as needed – particularly old heritage & classics • Opened new education & research areas – e. g. in digital humanities Tefko Saracevic – cooperative autorship • Aligns with digital scholarship • “Journalization” in use of e. Books – sections as needed 43
Publishers & e. Books Seeking adjustments • Publishers struggling & searching for new models – inventory-free print-ondemand attractive (print isn’t dead yet) – distributing e. Books though vendors • profits? ? – authors looking for larger share of profit • samoizdat versions attractive Tefko Saracevic Scholarly publishers • Most convert all p. Books immediately to e. Books – integrating p- & e. Book & journal publishing – aggregating from other publishers, large libraries & societies – providing use statistics to libraries – offering comprehensive (& expensive) packages 44
Example of Springer. Link a large scholarly publisher – many academic libraries, including in Saudi Arabia, subscribe Tefko Saracevic 45
e. Book use metrics – new items for library statistics & reports Importance Example of metrics • To indicate various parameters of use, users, collection • For policy, negotiation, valuation, justification • Not yet standardized • Downloads, views – various publishers & vendors provide different data Tefko Saracevic – sections, whole units • Visits, sessions, searches • Title reach (been used) – age of titles reached • Cost per use • Contrast to p. Book use • Turnaways 46
e. Book use studies in universities Growth findings Effecting use • Number of studies show • Cataloging e. Books & significant increase in having them in OPACs e. Book use over time increases use – gain of e. Books over • Students use more than p. Books faculty – varies by discipline, but • Non-awareness linked trend the same to non-use Users do not know or care for term or concept “digital library” for them it is a library that, as always, has books - these ones a bit different Tefko Saracevic 47
Digital natives and e. Books Digital resources Integration • Part of their universe • Devices: Becoming better, ubiquitous, & cheaper – young predominate, but not only young • Changing patterns how people read – & search for information – implication for libraries • But information literacy still low – BIG role for libraries to improve Tefko Saracevic – integrated with life • e. Books are just books – to be read anywhere • Libraries need to adapt to information age, not to alienate potential users, particularly the young. 48
Ally reading her book at a soccer game where her sister was a goalie (score 3: 3) Tefko Saracevic 49
Conclusions e. Books are succeeding because (part I) Mass digitization projects • Several high profile projects made available great amount of classic & heritage books – many current too • Raised availability & public interest Tefko Saracevic Commerce • A number of companies (some old, some new) entered into e. Book business – an industry is emerging – with competition, innovation, markets • Transforming the landscape 50
e. Books are succeeding because (part II) Scale, innovation • Industry: producing – growing list of current titles – interactive capabilities • Libraries: inclusion in OPACs, new services • Publishers: reorienting – p & e. Books together, or e. Books alone Tefko Saracevic Technology • e. Reader hardware & software better – evolving continuously • Wild west in formats is cooling • Costs are down • Apps are better & easier 51
e. Books are succeeding because (part III) Social acceptance • Innovation reached from early adapters to early majority – passing in the mainstream • Cycle maturing: Technology Tefko Saracevic Society But there also social issues – a dark side • Predicated on easy availability of technology, but • Digital divide is real – with this, exclusion may be even growing – leaving out many – with what effects? 52
At the end ﺷ ﻜ ﺮ ﺍ ﺟ ﺰﻳﻞ Thank you for inviting me! Tefko Saracevic 53
Webliography - URLs used in the presentation Name URL Adobe Digital Editions http: //www. adobe. com/products/digitaleditions/ Amazon http: //www. amazon. com/ Apple i. Pad http: //www. apple. com/ipad/ Arab Science: A Journey of Innovation http: //www. grouporigin. com/clients/qatarfoundation/ The British Library Online Gallery http: //www. bl. uk/onlinegallery/index. html Chicago Public Library http: //www. chipublib. org/ Class. Zone http: //www. classzone. com/cz/index. htm Denver Public Library http: //discover. denverlibrary. org/? q= Google Books http: //books. google. com/ i. Books http: //www. apple. com/ipad/features/ibooks. html International Digital Publishing Forum http: //www. idpf. org/ Million Book Project http: //www. archive. org/details/millionbooks Overdrive http: //www. overdrive. com/ Project Gutenberg http: //www. gutenberg. org/wiki/Main_Page Sony Reader http: //ebookstore. sony. com/reader/ Springer. Link http: //www. springerlink. com/ Universal Digital Library http: //www. ulib. org/ Washington D. C. Public Library http: //www. dclibrary. org/ World e. Book Fair http: //worldebookfair. org/index. htm World Public Library http: //worldlibrary. net/ Word Digital Library Tefko Saracevic http: //www. wdl. org/en/ 54
For download • This presentation can be found at my site: http: //comminfo. rutgers. edu/~tefko/articles. htm • To find my site just go to Google and type “tefko” – first entry is my site Tefko Saracevic 55
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