This presentation was given at the KLA Joint Spring Conference, March 22, 2013

1. Digital Literacy & Ebooks: The
Grand Challenge
Jill Hurst-Wahl
@jill_hw

2. QUICK POLL
What type of computing device do you use for
pleasure?
Smartphone
Tablet computer/iPad
eReader
Laptop computer
Desktop computer

3. DIGITAL LITERACY:
SETTING THE STAGE

4. “Literacy represents a person’s
ability to read, write, and solve
problems using both spoken and
written language. Digital literacy is
What is digital literacy?
the ability to apply those same skills
using technology such as desktop
computers, ebook readers and
smartphones.”
Digital Literacy Standards for New Yorkers
diglitNY.org

5. Digital Literacy Principles
Critical Thinking
Creativity and Innovation
Communication and Collaboration
Technology Usage for Personal Development
Digital Citizenship and Ethics
Digital Literacy Standards for New Yorkers
diglitNY.org

6. ≠
 Digital literacy ≠ Print literacy
 Digital literacy ≠ Technology
literacy
 But you can’t be digitally literate
without either!
 You can’t use an ebook without
being digitally literacy.

7. Statistics: Pew Internet & American Life
(September 2012)
45% of Americans own smartphones
66% of those ages 18-29 own smartphones
68% of those living in households earning
$75,000 own them
http://www.flickr.com/photos/intelfreepress/8389435615/

8. Statistics: Pew Internet & American Life
(December 2012)
33% owns a device that can be used as an ereader
More tablets than ereaders
Surge in “ereader” ownership during December
Most likely to read e-books include:
Those with college or graduate degrees
Those who live in households earning > $75,000
Those whose ages fall between 30 and 49
http://www.flickr.com/photos/mpimagery/4564521012/

9. Reading Habits in Different
Communities (Pew, Dec. 2012)
“Some 14% of readers read an e-book and a
printed book in the past year. Those book readers
in dual platforms were asked which type of book
is better for different reading activities…
Generally, urban readers in both formats are more
likely to prefer e-books for many reading
activities, while rural readers who have read in
both formats tend to prefer print.”

10. Young Americans & Reading
(Pew, Oct. 2012)
Quotes:
Among Americans who read e-books, those under
age 30 are more likely to read their e-books on a
cell phone (41%) or computer (55%) than on an e-
book reader such as a Kindle (23%) or tablet
(16%).
Many of these young readers do not know they
can borrow an e-book from a library, and a
majority of them express the wish they could do
so on pre-loaded e-readers.

11. More Statistics
In 2010, the US ranked 15th out of the top 31
countries in terms of broadband penetration. [a]
Top 40 books read by high school students are at
a 5 th grade reading level (average). [b]
“More than 50% of students entering two-year
colleges & nearly 20% of those entering four -year
universities are placed in remedial classes.” [c]

12. More…
At some point everyone will have an ebook
reader, but the need for ebooks will continue to grow
Prices for ebooks are declining
More authors self-publishing ebooks
Growing number of sites for socially interactive
ebook reviews
Brick-n-mortar booksellers are declining
Digital “first sale doctrine” still a problem

14. What do we do
when we read?
Nicole Henning, Reading on E-Book Devices: the user experience (2010)
http://www.slideshare.net/nic221/reading-on-ebook-devices-the-user-experience

15. OUR CHALLENGE:
HOW CAN WE HELP?
Let’s play to our strengths.

16. Provision / Selection of Technology
http://www.flickr.com/photos/marusula/8052330432/

17. Selection of “Materials”
http://www.flickr.com/photos/wfryer/8528609655/

18. Instruction
http://www.flickr.com/photos/wustllibraries/7790155484/

19. Our Next Actions?

20. http://www.beyondnuclear.org/home/2013/1/9/a-big-thank-you-to-all-our-supporters.html