1. Conducted by:

2. Public, School and Academic Library ebook Survey
Survey methodology:
An email invite was sent to 46,651 LJ and SLJ
newsletters subscribers on August 5, 2010, with a
reminder to non-responders on August 20. In addition,
the survey link was advertised in LJ/SLJ newsletters.
The survey closed September 3, 2010 with 1,842 total
respondents:
 781 Public libraries
 697 School libraries
 364 Academic libraries

3. Public, School and Academic Library ebook Survey
Number of ebooks available
28%
18%
22%
12%
20%
None Under
250
250 -
999
1,000 -
2,499
2,500
or
more
67%
14% 12%
7%
None 1 to 20 21 to
100
Over
100
Public Library
Mean*= 1,529 ebooks Mean*= 33,830 ebooksMean*= 49 ebooks
Q. How many ebooks does your library currently subscribe to or own?
* Mean # of ebooks based on those who offer ebooks.
Academic LibrarySchool Library
6%
22%
19%
32%
21%
None <1,000 1K-9K 10K-
49K
50K+

4. Public, School and Academic Library ebook Survey
ebook categories offered
86%
84%
76%
69%
46%
10%
8%
3%
23%
24%
39%
34%
40%
18%
11%
84%
90%
39%
35%
26%
56%
51%
42%
Gen'l adult nonfiction
Gen'l adult fiction
Bestsellers
YA fiction
Children's fiction
YA nonfiction
Children's nonfiction
Reference (non-circulating)
Children's picture books
Scholarly monographs
Public School Academic
Q. Which categories of ebooks does your library currently offer users? Check all that apply.

5. Public, School and Academic Library ebook Survey
Growth in ebook circulation
84%
15% 1%
77%
22%
1%
65%
34%
1%
Increase Stay the
Same
Decrease
School
Academic
Public
Q. Compared to last year, do you expect this year’s circulation
of ebook titles will increase, stay the same or decrease?
Overall % Change
Projected:
+ 36%
+ 18%
+ 26%
77%
84%
22%
15%

6. Public, School and Academic Library ebook Survey
Top barriers to ebook usage
Q. What hinders the public from reading your library’s ebook content? Check all that apply.
#3Limited access to ereading
devices
#2Limited titles available
Public School Academic
Unaware of ebook availability #1 #1 #1
Not available for preferred
devices
#2
Lack of training #3 #3
Difficulty with DRM #2
Difficult to read onscreen/ online #3

7. Public, School and Academic Library ebook Survey
How do you market ebooks?
80%
52%
52%
43%
35%
11%
81%
23%
21%
24%
3%
5%
4%
11%
General online catalog/OPAC
Unique ebook catalog on website
Fliers/bookmarks
Library newsletter
Social Networking
Classes/Student Instruction
Library website
Other
Public School
Q. How does your library market the availability of ebooks in your library?

8. Public, School and Academic Library ebook Survey
ebooks: Impact on other formats
53%
56%
61%
21%
8%
7%32%
26%
36%
0% 50% 100%
Academic
School
Public
ebooks help 'grow'
use of other
formats
Neither
ebooks reduce
usage of other
formats
Q. Do you feel the popularity of ebooks is having an impact on the use of other formats?
For instance, do you feel that the library’s offering of books ‘grows’ usage
of print and/or media for a new category of library users?

9. Public, School and Academic Library ebook Survey
If not currently offering ebooks, when?
32%
28%
28%
5%
13%
16%
47%
34%
24%
25%
16%
32%
0% 20% 40% 60% 80% 100%
Academic*
School
Public In the next 12 months
1 to 2 years from now
Longer than 2 years
from now
No plans to offer
ebooks
Q. Do you expect your library will offer ebooks…?
Base = Libraries who do not currently offer ebooks. *academic libraries base size is small (n=19)

10. Public, School and Academic Library ebook Survey
Reading device(s) used most often
61%
52%
36%
16%
25%
52%
9%
13%
72%
9%
84%
12%
22%
70%
9%
Personal laptop/Computer/Netbook
Dedicated ebook reader
Other portable device
Library Computer
Don't know
Public School Academic
Q. What device(s) do your library users most often use to read ebooks? Check all that apply.

11. Public, School and Academic Library ebook Survey
Does your library circulate
preloaded ereading devices?
26%
37%
24%
63%
57%
69%7%
11%
6%
0% 20% 40% 60% 80% 100%
Academic
School
Public
Yes Not currently, but considering No
Q. Does your library circulate preloaded ereading devices?

12. Public, School and Academic Library ebook Survey
User preferred ebook formats
7%
23%
14%
6%
36%
39%
13%
32%
40%
44%
42%
35%
20%
23%
14%
16%
53%
24%
ePub
PDF
Optimized for dedicated
ebook device
Optimized for other mobile
device
Full-text HTML
Don't know
School Academic Public
Q. In which format do users generally prefer ebooks? Check all that apply.

13. Public, School and Academic Library ebook Survey
Percentage of materials budget
spent on ebooks: current and projected
11%
55%
27%
4%
2%0%
7%
32%
34%
27%
0% 1%-2% 3%-5% 6%-
10%
More
than
10%
3%
28%
31%
22%
17%
1% 3%
9%
25%
62%
0% 1%-2% 3%-5% 6%-
10%
More
than
10%
Public Library
Current, Mean% = 2.5%
In 5 Years, Mean % = 7.4%
Q. What percentage of you library’s materials budget do ebooks currently represent
and what percentage do you predict ebooks will represent in 5 years?
Base = Respondents involved in the purchasing process of ebooks for their library.
Academic LibrarySchool Library
Current, Mean% = 7.2%
In 5 Years, Mean % = 18.0%
Current, Mean% = 2.7%
In 5 Years, Mean % = 7.4%
15%
58%
15%
7% 5%
0%
11%
29% 31% 29%
0% 1%-2% 3%-5% 6%-
10%
More
than
10%

14. Public, School and Academic Library ebook Survey
Budget sources for ebooks
Q. Which budget line does the purchase of ebooks come from? Check all that apply.
Base = Respondents involved in the purchasing process of ebooks for their library.
Public School Academic
Electronic resources budget 32% 50%
Separate budget for all downloadables 27%
Print resources budget 18% 35%
Separate budget for ebooks only 12% 14%
Multimedia budget 11%
LMC book budget 90%
School district budget 16%
School technology budget 13%
AV budget 5%

15. Public, School and Academic Library ebook Survey
Top ebook purchase decision factors
Q. What factors influence your decision to purchase an ebook for your library? Check all that apply.
Base = Respondents involved in the purchasing process of ebooks for their library.
#1#2Faculty request
Public School Academic
Usage statistics/ Projected
Usage
#1 #1 #3
User request #2
Book reviews #3 #3
Inclusion in bundles with
attractive pricing
#2

16. Public, School and Academic Library ebook Survey
ebook usage license model
Q. What ebook usage license model is currently employed at your library?
41%
Both 12%
39%
40%
Both 35%
23%
20%
Both 19%
59%
Public
AcademicSchool
Single ebook use at a time Unlimited access/ simultaneous use
8% Other 2% Other 2% Other

17. Public, School and Academic Library ebook Survey
For more information from the
LJ/SLJ Survey on ebooks and libraries:
 Watch the pages of LJ/SLJ
 Specialized Cross-Tab Reports will be
made available for purchase
 Contact : Ian Singer isinger@mediasourceinc.com
or Roy Futterman rfutterman@mediasourceinc.com