2026-05-17T15:13:54Zhttps://keep.lib.asu.edu/oai/requestoai:keep.lib.asu.edu:node-582026-04-10T16:38:52Zoai_pmh:alloai_pmh:repo_items58
https://hdl.handle.net/2286/R.I.9495
<p>Danielle M. Carlock, Anali Maughan Perry, (2008) "Exploring faculty experiences with e-books: a focus group", Library Hi Tech, Vol. 26 Iss: 2, pp.244 - 254</p>
10.1108/07378830810880342
0737-8831
http://rightsstatements.org/vocab/InC/1.0/
open access
http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0
2008-01-29
13 pages
eng
Perry, Anali Maughan
Carlock, Danielle
Version uploaded is authors' final, refereed document. Published version can be found at http://www.emeraldinsight.com/doi/abs/10.1108/07378830810880342
<p><strong>Purpose:</strong> In spring of 2007, Arizona State University Libraries held a focus group of selected faculty to discover their perceptions and use of electronic books (e-books) in their research and teaching.</p>
<p><br />
<strong>Methodology/approach:</strong> We employed the services of the Institute of Social Sciences Research to recruit and moderate the focus group. The following major themes were explored:<br />
1) Use of e-books as textbooks.<br />
2) Use of e-books for personal research.<br />
3) Comparison between e-books and print.<br />
4) Disciplinary differences in perceptions of e-books.<br />
5) Motivators for future use</p>
<p><strong>Findings:</strong> Overall, the focus group revealed that faculty had generally unsatisfactory experiences in using e-books in their research and teaching due to the unreliability of access, lack of manipulability, and the steep learning curve of the various interfaces. However, most faculty agreed that e-books would be a very viable and useful alternative if these issues were resolved.</p>
<p><br />
<strong>Research limitations/implications:</strong> The focus group consisted of only six faculty members and hence is not representative of faculty as a whole. A larger survey of a more diverse faculty population would greatly serve to clarify and expand upon our findings.</p>
<p><br />
<strong>Practical implications:</strong> The implications for academic libraries include providing better outreach and training to faculty about the e-book platforms offered, provide better course support, and advocate to e-book vendors to consider faculty's teaching and research needs in their product development.</p>
<p><br />
<strong>Originality/value of paper:</strong> To the best knowledge of the authors, this is the first published study of faculty opinions and use of e-books utilizing focus group methodology and offers detailed information that would be useful for academic libraries and e-book vendors for evidence-based decisions.</p>
Text
Academic libraries
Exploring Faculty Experiences With e-Books: A Focus Group