BC Library Conference 2017

Generously Sponsored By: Simon Fraser University Library

In the years since Amazon first offered the Kindle, e-reading has proliferated markedly, such that today, e-books comprise a significant proportion of book budgets at most academic libraries. From cost savings to convenience to the ability to grow collections without corresponding space demands, e-books offer many benefits.
However, as recent research, including Naomi Baron’s Words Onscreen and Library Journal’s most recent report on e-book usage in U.S. academic libraries tells us, college and university students are not overwhelmingly migrating to e-books. Moreover, while some subject areas may be heavier users of electronic content than others, growing evidence suggests that not only do students prefer reading print over e-books, but that technology may even be changing the way we read and learn.
This session will share the methods and results of an investigation into the book format preferences of undergraduate students in the Colleges of Science and Engineering at Seattle University. The study was based on the administration of in-class paper surveys in classes required for undergraduate majors in Chemistry, Physics, Environmental Science, Civil and Environmental Engineering, and Mechanical Engineering, resulting in a high and statistically significant response rate. Methods used, including partnering with department chairs and faculty, collaborative survey development and delivery, and data analysis will be described, as will the results of the study, including a detailed look at the comments provided by students in response to questions about why they prefer electronic or print books.