Survey of Ebook Usage in U.S. School Libraries

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2 2014 Survey of Ebook Usage in U.S. School (K-12) Libraries 1 Survey of Ebook Usage in U.S. School Libraries Executive Summary... 3 Introduction... 9 About the 2014 School Library Journal Ebook Survey... 9 How This Report Is Organized... 9 Data Presentation... 9 Chapter Structure For More Information Profile of Respondents Public or Private Number of Students Materials Expenditure Library Location Respondent Job Title/Ebook Recommendation Authority Role in Ebook Decisions Onward Ebook Supply and Demand Offer Ebooks School Libraries Without Ebooks Ebook Plans How Long Libraries Have Offered Ebooks How Many Ebooks? Demand for Ebooks Ebook Circulation Changes in Circulation/Usage Ebook Access Access at Home Hindrances and Barriers OPAC Discoverability In Summary In Their Own Words Ebook Collections and Categories Ebook Categories Fiction vs. Nonfiction In-Demand Ebook Genres Fiction Nonfiction Academic or Pleasure Reading In Summary... 58

3 2014 Survey of Ebook Usage in U.S. School (K-12) Libraries 2 In Their Own Words Ebook Budgets and Buying Ebooks and Library Materials Budgets Last Year s Budget This Year s Budget Budget Current Volume and Spending Volumes Purchased This Year This Year s Spending Source(s) of Funding Impact on Print Books Purchasing Terms Consortium Membership Vendors Used and Preferred In Summary In Their Own Words Ebooks and Ereaders Ereaders Used Transition to Electronic Textbooks One-to-One Device Programs Availability of Reading Devices Which Ereaders Do Libraries Lend? How Many Ereaders? Preloaded Apps In Summary In Their Own Words General Conclusions and Trends Ebook Trends Appendix: School Libraries Questionnaire The Survey Methodology

4 2014 Survey of Ebook Usage in U.S. School (K-12) Libraries 3 EXECUTIVE SUMMARY Since we launched our annual survey of ebook trends in libraries in 2010, we have seen ebook usage explode among the general public and in public libraries, while ebook adoption by U.S. school libraries has expanded more slowly. Currently 66% of schools nationwide offer ebooks, an increase of ten percentage points over last year s survey. Tallies of the number of ebooks available and their usage, however, remain low. Several factors are driving the slow rate of ebook adoption in school libraries and among children in general. Our data shows that limited access to ereading devices and cost (school library budgets are decidedly less than lavish) are keeping school librarians from investing more in ebooks. In addition, student demand for ebooks is not as robust as the demand for them in public libraries. School librarians reported that often student awareness of school ebook collections is low, and many students have a clear preference for print books, at least for certain types of reading. Indeed, one recurring comment is that school library staff and faculty are more excited about ebooks than the kids are. Despite a surge in student-owned computers and devices, most school s ebooks are being read using devices provided in school (school desktops, laptops, tablets and whiteboards). This is especially true in poor and/or rural areas where technology has been slow to penetrate. A quarter of U.S. schools reporting in 2014 provided ereading devices for students to borrow and 17% of schools had a one-to-one device program in place. It makes sense that giving children access to ereading devices strongly influences their interest in accessing ebook content. To prove that point, we looked at the question, Have you experienced a change in demand for ebooks since this time last year? comparing schools with one-to-one programs to those without. Eighteen percent of 1:1 schools reported a dramatic increase in demand, versus 3% of those without a 1:1 program. Maintaining both print and digital collections on a typical school library budget is a very big challenge. As a result, we have found that schools especially elementary schools have become creative in seeking alternate types of funding for their ebook initiatives. We are also seeing continued dissatisfaction with vendors and publishers. Among public libraries, the vitriol seems to have largely abated, but among school libraries, dissatisfaction with purchasing terms remains high. That said, they are finding ways of making ebooks work.

5 2014 Survey of Ebook Usage in U.S. School (K-12) Libraries 4 Small Ebook Collections in Most Schools In 2014, 66% of library media centers (LMCs) indicated that they offer ebooks to students and faculty, a ten percentage point increase over The lack of ereading devices available has become the top cited reason for not making ebooks available. No money for ebooks has become less of an issue. Of the 33% of school libraries that do not currently offer ebooks, 11% say they have no plans to ever offer them, although 20% say they definitely will add them in the next two years. Offer ebooks % of school libraries 33% 44% 40% 56% 66% There is no denying this is the future of libraries. We still have many, many students and teachers who prefer to have print books, but because of cost and maintenance, constant care, and a NEVER increasing budget, it makes more sense to purchase digital books that can t be lost, destroyed, or held hostage by the patron. Given that we provide all students with an ipad, NO student is denied access to the digital collection while MANY students seldom make it to the physical library because of scheduling or lack of interest. Ebook collection sizes have increased steadily but the median number of ebooks per school is a very low 189 titles (mean 1,104). To put this in perspective, the median number of print books in a school library collection is 11, Ebook collections Median # of ebooks Obstacles Persist The lack of ereading devices either school-provided or student-owned is a major impediment to LMCs offering ebooks. Limited access to ereading devices (at home or at school) is the top barrier to ebook usage reported by school libraries and is at an all-time high for this barrier. A close second is users prefer print books. Students unaware of ebook availability is not far behind, and lack of training is also on the uptick. Demand Exists but is Not Overwhelming User demand for ebooks has leveled off in the present survey. Just over four-in-ten respondents (44%) have witnessed an increase in demand for ebooks this year, unchanged from 2013, however most of that demand is slight. Notably, 20% of school libraries reported receiving zero requests for ebooks, dropping slightly from 23% last year. Dramatic or slight increase in demand for ebooks % of all school libraries 27% 46% 44% 44% 1 School Media Center Resource Survey, School Library Journal, 2014.

6 2014 Survey of Ebook Usage in U.S. School (K-12) Libraries 5 At first ebooks were very big, but students have their own devices now and access on their own. Also, I have found that most students still prefer holding books in their hands and use their ebook devices in certain circumstances...when traveling etc. for convenience only. Ebook Usage on the Rise For the school year, respondents with ebooks during that time period reported a median circulation/usage of 100 ebooks overall (mean 652), up from a median of 25 the previous year. Elementary schools saw the highest increases in ebook usage. Dividing ebook circulation figures by enrollment translates to approximately one ebook use per every 3.4 elementary students. In middle schools, usage was one ebook per every 7.4 students, and in high schools one ebook used per every 13.1 students. Ebook circulation Median ebook circulation Love ebooks as options. Do NOT want a library which is entirely ebooks. Many students and staff do not enjoy them, find them unsuitable for their purposes and will not use. Generally, one-half of school libraries ebooks (51%) have a one user at a time restriction, while 49% allow simultaneous access by multiple users. Virtually all libraries (94%) said that students could access the library s ebook collection from home. Respondents expect a 29% increase in ebook circulation next year, statistically unchanged from last year. This is much less bullish than we saw in Ebooks have yet to see the surge in demand and circulation in school libraries that public libraries experienced, which was often in the triple digits year over year. Expected ebook circulation increase % change in ebook circulation +26% +43% +48% +30% +29% Fiction and Nonfiction Ebook Collections More than half (56%) of school libraries ebooks are nonfiction titles, and 44% are fiction. The top three fiction and nonfiction categories carried by each school type are: Elementary school Middle school High school Fiction Nonfiction Fiction Nonfiction Fiction Nonfiction realistic dystopian dystopian general animals history fiction fiction fiction reference adventure/ thrillers fantasy science/ math/ technology biography fantasy realistic fiction science/ math/ technology realistic fiction history biography fantasy biography

7 2014 Survey of Ebook Usage in U.S. School (K-12) Libraries 6 Our students love ebooks for research, but do not want to check out pleasure reading in e-format. They demand print for their fiction and extracurricular reading needs. Almost four out of ten respondents (37%) said that their ebooks are read primarily for recreation, while another 34% feel they are used most regularly for school assignments and academic reading. Eighteen percent said usage was about equal. Students are quick to use nonfiction ebooks with research projects. For fiction, I find that students are more likely to use devices already loaded (NOOKs). Our public library offers ebooks through OverDrive so I try not to duplicate those services. Ebook Spending Rises In the school year, library media centers estimated they spent on average $1,199 (median $402) on ebooks. Notably, almost one-in-five reported spending zero dollars, as their ebooks were made available through the state, school district, or consortium membership. A median of 42 ebook volumes was purchased or licensed independently in the school year, bringing the average cost per ebook to $9.57. Since last year s survey, the percentage of materials budgets spent on ebooks has declined, predominantly due to elementary schools decreasing their spending on ebooks (or, as we ll see below, finding sources of funding other than their local materials budget). The projected national school ebook spend for the school year was anywhere from $31 million (calculated using medians) to $92 million (calculated using means). In five years time (2019), libraries expect ebook spending as a percentage of their total materials budget to almost quadruple to 13%. Ebook spending as a % of total materials budget Type of school (median %) All school libraries 1.6% 1.6% 1.5% 4.0% 3.4% 13.4% Elementary schools 1.5% 1.5% 1.4% 3.6% 1.9% 11.3% Middle schools 1.6% 1.5% 1.7% 3.9% 4.4% 16.8% High schools 1.8% 1.9% 1.7% 4.4% 4.8% 17.0% Creative Funding Sources Libraries avail themselves of as many sources of funding as they can, but far and away their materials budget was the biggest source of funding for ebooks. Eighteen percent have participated in book fairs, 14% have turned to donations or other types of fundraising efforts, and 12% have received grants. Elementary schools are the most likely to seek alternate sources of funding besides their materials budget. Some schools rely on the local public library to provide access to certain ebooks, and focus their ebook spending on titles related to the curriculum. The challenge for school libraries is expanding ebook collections while also maintaining print book and media collections, as well as other services. In general, though, ebook purchasing has had an impact on print book purchasing. Nearly a quarter of school libraries (24%) indicated that they purchase fewer print books now, while 65% said that their ebook collections had no influence on their print book purchasing.

8 2014 Survey of Ebook Usage in U.S. School (K-12) Libraries 7 Only 13% of school libraries currently take part in a consortium licensing program. This is the lowest rate of consortium membership in the history of our survey, though it has never been an especially popular option for school libraries, in direct contrast to public libraries. I have found the transition to ebooks to be very frustrating. I seem to be more excited about them than the students are! Leasing the books which may or may not be checked out for a year is not realistic to the budget, and titles available for purchase are not desirable to the students. Purchasing Terms Unlike what is happening in public libraries, the purchasing terms for schools buying ebooks have not changed appreciably. In 2014, 61% purchased with perpetual access, up one point from 2013, while 30% purchased with perpetual access through self-hosting (local ownership), up four percentage points. Twentyfour percent purchased a subscription or licensed ebooks, up from 20%. One reason annual licenses do not find favor with more school librarians is that the library is only open for ten months out of the year. The number one method used by public libraries to acquire ebooks is the license with a set number of circulations model, which is used by only 6% of school libraries. I will not ever lease an ebook. Period. Ebook Vendors In terms of vendors used, FollettShelf continues to dominate the ebook space for school libraries 63% of school libraries use FollettShelf. Nearly a third of respondents (31%) indicated a vendor preference for FollettShelf while 32% percent have no preferred vendor. [FollettShelf] has better prices, better ease of use, more multiple user formats available, more nonfiction titles than OverDrive (second choice). Ebooks and Ereaders School-owned devices are used most often for reading libraries ebooks, although nearly three-quarters of schools report their ebooks are also read on student-owned devices. The school desktop computer is the top method by which students access the library s ebook collection, selected by 68% of respondents, down from 76% last year. Student tablet was selected by 52%, up from 39% last year. A school laptop was selected by 50% (up from 48%), with student dedicated ebook reader at 48%. Providing ereaders to students is on the decline, with 24% of school libraries making ereaders available for students to read ebooks (only 12% allow take-home use). The ipad or ipad Mini has become far and away the top device circulated, especially for younger readers, with the Kindle a somewhat distant second. The school libraries that lend ereaders have a median of 12 devices on hand (up from 10 last year). Of the schools that provide tablets to students, 60% preload interactive educational tools, 54% preload book apps/enhanced ebooks, and 36% preload productivity tools for teachers, administrators, etc. on those devices.

9 2014 Survey of Ebook Usage in U.S. School (K-12) Libraries 8 Etextbooks and One-to-One Schools Since last year, etextbooks have not become a major force in El-Hi schools. Only 1% reported that all new textbooks are purchased digitally, 15% (up from 12% last year) say that some new textbooks are purchased digitally, and 14% are considering it. Two-thirds (69%) have no plans to transition to etexts. Once we move to a 1 to 1 environment, I expect ebook usage to dramatically increase, but many students still prefer print books, even those with ereading devices. Seventeen percent of school library respondents say their schools currently have a one-to-one device program in place, and 15% are planning to offer one one-third of schools have, or will have, such a program in place in the near future. Of schools that have one-to-one programs, one-third assign personal devices to each student for the year, another third gives devices to students in select classes for the year, and 13% distribute and then collect devices at the end of the class period. IPads are the top device used by schools that have implemented a one-to-one device program (64%). We just became a one-to-one school with ipads this year, so though I ve increased my spending on ebooks recently, the vast majority of the materials I buy are still in print form. This isn t because I m old or afraid of technology or change in general. It s because I genuinely believe in the necessity of children feeling the heft of a book, turning real pages, and having the opportunity to literally stick their noses inside one. At this point, experiencing books like Journey by Aaron Becker or anything by Steve Jenkins on a small, rectangular screen, just can t compare to the real thing. Conclusions Two-thirds of school libraries offer ebooks, which is a steady increase from past surveys, even if school libraries lag behind public libraries. The biggest hurdle to offering students ebooks is limited access to ereading devices but, generally speaking, many kids still prefer to read in print. At this juncture, print and electronic is not an either/or choice. School libraries will need to continue to offer a variety of formats to best suit user preferences and foster learning and nurture a love for reading, the primary functions of a school library. This means tough format choices for the school librarian and an ongoing struggle to carefully allot what is too often preciously little funding.

10 2014 Survey of Ebook Usage in U.S. School (K-12) Libraries 9 INTRODUCTION About the 2014 School Library Journal Ebook Survey Welcome to the fifth School Library Journal survey of electronic book usage in U.S. school libraries. The present report is one of two that look at the current state of ebooks and their place in libraries. Our most recent survey reprises many questions from previous years surveys, allowing us to track long-term trends more effectively, as we now have four or five data points to consider. We also tweak some other questions based on responses to past surveys or to better reflect changes in the market, so some data points may not be entirely consistent with past responses. In addition, there are also some brand new questions this year. Once again, we invited survey respondents to answer open-ended questions that asked about school libraries experience with ebooks in general and, in this survey, about their relationship with their primary, preferred ebook vendor. Despite a lot of the crankiness we find in the general open-ended questions, libraries do have their favorite vendors, and there is a fairly high comfort level with, and even enthusiasm for, some vendors. As we always say, the verbatim responses are a useful lens through which to view the quantitative results of our survey. A selection of these responses can be found at the ends of Chapters 2, 3, 4, and 5. How This Report Is Organized If you have used past versions of our ebook usage surveys, much of what follows in the present report will seem familiar, although we have added some new features this year to aid readers in making the best use of the data. Data Presentation The bulk of each chapter provides top-level survey results in chart form in essence, the all responses results, or what all libraries surveyed said about a specific question. This gives an overall idea of the prevailing attitude. In those cases where we have calculated averages, such as average number of ebooks available, average number of ereaders available, or average amount spent on ebooks, we provide both a mean and a median. A mean is a simple average, or the sum of a collection of numbers divided by the number of numbers in the collection. 2 A median is the numerical value separating the higher half of a data sample, a population, or a probability distribution, from the lower half. 3 Medians are more useful than means when looking at datasets with outliers that is, figures that are anomalously high or anomalously low. For some of the questions in this survey, there were very large outliers that skewed mean figures, so looking at median values gives us a better idea of what the reality is

11 2014 Survey of Ebook Usage in U.S. School (K-12) Libraries 10 Each chart is followed by a corresponding table that breaks down the survey responses by type of school library (elementary, middle, or high school), whether it is public or private, and geographic region. Different grade levels and types of schools have varying attitudes and behaviors and it s a mistake to assume that all libraries think and act alike. An elementary school library will have a different set of needs and attitudes and be subject to different forces than a high school library. We have called out in commentary those figures in these cross-tabulations that we think merit attention, but users who are looking for specific things may find much of value in these detailed tables. For geographical region, we grouped our survey sample into four general regions: Northeast, Midwest, West, and South (see Chapter 1 for which specific states are included in these regions). Geographical data can be helpful for vendors, publishers, or other companies seeking to identify where to focus sales, marketing, or even customer support efforts. In this report we also sought to add a greater historical perspective, so for questions that have appeared in at least three of the past five surveys, we have provided a time series chart which is an easy way to track trends over time. Some of these line charts may resemble squashed mosquitoes, but we have done our best to keep the presentation of data as clear as possible. Chapter Structure Chapter 1 offers a demographic profile of the libraries and individuals who responded to our survey. Chapter 2 looks at ebook supply and demand. How many libraries offer ebooks? What is preventing libraries from amassing ebook collections? How has ebook demand circulation changed? Chapter 3 looks at ebook collections. What ebook categories and genres are most in demand from users? Chapter 4 looks at budgets and purchasing terms. How much do school libraries spend on ebooks? Are ebooks taking a greater percentage of the budget pie? Are libraries cutting elsewhere to pay for them? What purchasing terms do libraries buy? Which vendors do libraries use and which do they prefer? Chapter 5 looks at ereading devices. What are the most popular hardware devices on which users read ebooks? Do libraries circulate hardware devices to students? Which ones? Are schools switching to etextbooks and/or becoming one-to-one schools? The Appendix provides the questionnaire and methodology for this year s survey. At the end of each chapter, we have also added selected responses to our write-in comments questions.

12 2014 Survey of Ebook Usage in U.S. School (K-12) Libraries 11 For More Information For questions or comments regarding this study, please contact our research manager, Laura Girmscheid by phone (646) or by at

13 2014 Survey of Ebook Usage in U.S. School (K-12) Libraries PROFILE OF RESPONDENTS This section provides a basic demographic profile of the libraries that responded to our 2014 survey. As the chart below shows, 67% of the school libraries responding to this questionnaire described themselves as an elementary school, 15% high school and 12% middle/junior high school. We also captured a small number of other types of schools (generally schools that teach a mix of lower to upper grades) as well as administrative offices. 4 The preponderance of elementary schools also allows this survey to be somewhat predictive of middle and high school trends in the next few years as kids move up through the grades and take their ebook experiences and preferences with them. As we ll see, however, students can be more inclined to develop an interest in and a preference for ebooks as they get older. Figure 1. Which of the following best describes your library? % of school libraries, 2014 The table below breaks the data down by public/private and geographic region. Table 1. Which of the following best describes your library? % of school libraries by geographic region, 2014 Public or Private Public Private Midwest Geographical Region Northeast West South Elementary school 70% 12% 64% 64% 67% 70% Middle/Junior High School 12% 26% 12% 14% 11% 11% High School 14% 46% 14% 14% 16% 14% Other School (K-8, K-12 etc.) 4% 42% 10% 8% 6% 4% 4 This data was weighted to represent the breakdown of elementary, middle and high schools nationwide.

14 2014 Survey of Ebook Usage in U.S. School (K-12) Libraries 13 Public or Private The majority (93%) of respondents to our survey were public schools, while 6% were private schools. Figure 2. Is your institution public or private? % of school libraries, 2014 The following table breaks the public/private data down by type of school and geographic region. Table 2. Is your institution public or private? % of school libraries by type of school and geographic region, 2014 Type of School Geographical Region Elem Middle High Midwest Northeast West South Public 95% 91% 86% 93% 90% 94% 94% Private 4% 8% 13% 6% 10% 4% 6% Other 0% 0% 1% 1% 0% 2% 0%

15 2014 Survey of Ebook Usage in U.S. School (K-12) Libraries 14 Number of Students School libraries responding to our survey had an average (mean) of 682 students in their school (median 569). Figure 3. Approximately how many students attend the school you work in? 5 % of school libraries, 2014 Mean number of students: 682 Median number of students: 569 Table 3. Approximately how many students attend the school you work in? % of school libraries by type of school and geographic region, 2014 Type of School Public or Private Geographical Region Midwest Northeast West South Elem Middle High Public Private Under 200 2% 2% 2% 2% 12% 2% 1% 4% 4% 200 to % 22% 15% 37% 33% 43% 54% 33% 29% 500 to % 33% 13% 35% 27% 32% 22% 35% 39% 750 to % 22% 12% 11% 16% 8% 11% 13% 13% 1,000 to 1,499 3% 16% 24% 8% 11% 7% 7% 6% 10% 1,500 to 1,999 0% 2% 17% 3% 0% 4% 3% 5% 2% 2,000 or more 0% 3% 17% 3% 1% 4% 2% 4% 3% Mean # students Median # students The survey question included the qualification, If you work in more than one school or at the district level, please answer for the largest school you serve.

16 2014 Survey of Ebook Usage in U.S. School (K-12) Libraries 15 Materials Expenditure The mean materials expenditure for the 2013/2014 school year for school libraries responding to our survey was $7,012 (median $4,382), up from last year s mean expenditures of $6,360. Over fifty percent (53%) reported that their total materials budget for the year was between $2,500 and $9,999. Sadly, 9% reported no materials budget at all. Figure 4. What was your library media center s total materials expenditure this past year ( school year)? % of school libraries, 2014 Mean materials budget: $7,012 Median materials budget: $4,382 Table 4. What was your library media center s total materials expenditure this past year ( school year)? % of school libraries by type of school and geographical region, 2014 $0 to no materials budget Type of School Public or Private Geographical Region Elem Middle High Public Private Midwest Northeast West South 9% 5% 7% 10% 8% 7% 3% 19% 9% Less than $2,500 20% 11% 7% 17% 8% 17% 8% 21% 18% $2,500 to $4,999 36% 30% 18% 33% 22% 31% 33% 31% 32% $5,000 to $9,999 20% 28% 19% 21% 16% 19% 25% 20% 22% $10,000 to $14,999 10% 12% 19% 12% 4% 16% 18% 4% 10% $15,000 to $19,999 3% 6% 10% 3% 7% 3% 5% 3% 3% $20,000 to $24,999 0% 3% 5% 1% 5% 2% 0% 0% 2% $25,000 to $29,999 0% 2% 4% 1% 11% 1% 4% 1% 2% $30,000 or more 1% 3% 11% 2% 19% 4% 4% 2% 2% Mean materials budget $ 5,652 8,983 13,348 6,502 18,084 7,753 9,057 4,824 6,806 Median materials budget $ 3,953 5,808 9,614 4,300 8,749 4,596 6,115 3,369 4,274

17 2014 Survey of Ebook Usage in U.S. School (K-12) Libraries 16 Library Location The following figure shows the geographical location of the libraries responding to our survey, based on U.S. Census Bureau regional classifications: New England: Connecticut, Maine, Massachusetts, New Hampshire, Rhode Island, Vermont Mid-Atlantic: New Jersey, New York, Pennsylvania South Atlantic: Delaware, Florida, Georgia, Maryland, North Carolina, South Carolina, Virginia, West Virginia, District of Columbia East North Central: Illinois, Indiana, Michigan, Ohio, Wisconsin West North Central: Iowa, Kansas, Minnesota, Missouri, Nebraska, North Dakota, South Dakota East South Central: Alabama, Kentucky, Mississippi, Tennessee West South Central: Arkansas, Louisiana, Oklahoma, Texas Mountain: Arizona, Colorado, Idaho, Montana, Nevada, New Mexico, Utah, Wyoming Pacific: Alaska, California, Hawaii, Oregon, Washington These nine regions are also grouped into four larger U.S. regions: Northeast: New England and Mid-Atlantic Midwest: East North Central and West North Central South: South Atlantic, East South Central and West South Central West: Mountain and Pacific

18 2014 Survey of Ebook Usage in U.S. School (K-12) Libraries 17 Figure 5. In which region of the country is your library located? % of school libraries, 2014 Looking at the four major geographical divisions, we see that our sample skewed a little heavily toward the South, and away from the Northeast. SOUTH 38% WEST 21% MIDWEST 21% NORTHEAST 19% Table 5. In which region of the country is your library located? % of school libraries by type of school, 2014 Type of School Public or Private Elem Middle High Public Private South Atlantic 14% 14% 12% 16% 14% West So. Central 14% 12% 16% 13% 14% East No. Central 15% 15% 16% 13% 13% Mid Atlantic 11% 15% 15% 12% 18% Pacific 11% 12% 16% 12% 12% Mountain 12% 10% 7% 10% 1% East So. Central 10% 5% 7% 9% 5% West No. Central 7% 8% 8% 8% 11% New England 6% 8% 4% 7% 11% SOUTH 38% 32% 35% 38% 34% WEST 23% 22% 22% 22% 13% MIDWEST 22% 24% 24% 21% 24% NORTHEAST 18% 23% 20% 19% 29%

19 2014 Survey of Ebook Usage in U.S. School (K-12) Libraries 18 Respondent Job Title/Ebook Recommendation Authority Most of the respondents to our survey gave their job title as library media specialist (54%) or teacher librarian (26%). Thirteen percent described themselves simply as librarian. Figure 6. Which of the following comes closest to your job title? % of school libraries, 2014 Table 6. Which of the following comes closest to your job title? % of school libraries by type of school and geographic region, 2014 Type of School Public or Private Geographical Region Midwest Northeast West South Elem Middle High Public Private Library media specialist 56% 54% 55% 56% 27% 52% 61% 26% 66% Teacher librarian 25% 19% 21% 26% 24% 15% 25% 49% 21% Librarian 11% 16% 17% 12% 37% 18% 9% 17% 11% District library coordinator/supervisor Library clerk/aide/assistant 4% 4% 2% 2% 3% 0% 3% 2% 1% 1% 1% 0% 1% 0% 5% 0% 0% 0% Library technician 1% 1% 1% 1% 0% 2% 0% 3% 0% Library director/manager 0% 1% 1% 0% 5% 1% 1% 0% 0% Library media generalist 0% 2% 1% 1% 1% 1% 0% 1% 1% Other 2% 2% 1% 2% 3% 6% 2% 1% 0%

20 2014 Survey of Ebook Usage in U.S. School (K-12) Libraries 19 Role in Ebook Decisions Virtually all of our survey respondents 96% have a role in making ebook purchasing recommendations and decisions. Figure 7. Do you have a role in making purchasing recommendations/decisions for ebooks in your school? % of school libraries, 2014 Table 7. Do you have a role in making purchasing recommendations/decisions for ebooks in your school? % of school libraries by type of school and geographic region, 2014 Type of School Public or Private Geographical Region Elem Middle High Public Private Midwest Northeast West South Yes 96% 98% 97% 96% 96% 99% 98% 96% 93% No 4% 2% 3% 4% 4% 1% 2% 4% 7% Onward Our 2014 sample of school libraries has slightly higher materials budgets than last year. However, it represents a consistent distribution of school locations throughout the U.S. Our survey was completed almost entirely by ebook decision makers. The survey sample of libraries offering ebooks is generally comparable in profile to last year s sample and to previous years surveys making comparisons statistically valid.

21 2014 Survey of Ebook Usage in U.S. School (K-12) Libraries EBOOK SUPPLY AND DEMAND This section examines the percentage of schools offering ebooks, the number of ebooks available, as well ebook circulation, and access methods. How have ebooks fared in school libraries in the past year? Offer Ebooks In the most recent survey, 66% of school libraries reported that they offer ebooks to students. In last year s survey, 56% of respondents indicated that they offered ebooks to school library users. Ebook usage in school libraries is continuing to grow, even if it has yet to reach the pace we have seen in any of our public library surveys. Figure 8. Does your school offer ebooks? % of school libraries, 2014 The following table breaks these data down by type of school and geographic region. As we find in every survey, high schools lead the pack in offering ebooks to their students, with 80% offering them. Middle schools are not far behind at 73%. Elementary schools trail with less than two-thirds offering them. Table 8. Does your school offer ebooks? % of school libraries by type of school and geographic region, 2014 Type of School Public or Private Geographical Region Elem Middle High Public Private Midwest Northeast West South We do not offer ebooks 38% 27% 20% 35% 29% 34% 36% 50% 25% We offer ebooks 62% 73% 80% 65% 71% 66% 64% 50% 75% Many of the questions in this survey have been asked in at least four of the last five surveys conducted thus far, giving us the opportunity to plot a time series. Figure 9 shows the extent to which ebook usage in school libraries has been increasing.

22 2014 Survey of Ebook Usage in U.S. School (K-12) Libraries 21 All types of school libraries offering ebooks are at their highest levels ever. There was a slight dip in our 2012 survey, but the general trend is upward. High schools and middle schools lead the pack. Figure 9. School libraries that offer ebooks % of school libraries by type of school,

23 2014 Survey of Ebook Usage in U.S. School (K-12) Libraries 22 School Libraries Without Ebooks Of those libraries that do not offer any ebooks (34%, or two-thirds, of all respondents), the top-cited reason is lack of ereading devices, selected by 72% of school library respondents, and is up from last year. No money for ebooks is at 56%, and is actually down from last year (where it was at 60%). No demand from users was selected by 35% of respondents, only down two points from last year. Figure 10. Why doesn't your library offer ebooks? % of school libraries, 2014 The lack of ereading devices is especially acute in elementary schools a full three-fourths of elementary school respondents cited it as a reason they did not offer ebooks to students. Lack of technical support is also a big issue in elementary schools. Interestingly, no demand for them from users was constant across all three school levels, belying the hypothesis we have been formulating that it is younger readers who are less interested in ebooks. We won t force our will on the data, but there is evidence quantitative and qualitative elsewhere of this basic trend.

24 2014 Survey of Ebook Usage in U.S. School (K-12) Libraries 23 Table 9. Why doesn't your library offer ebooks? % of school libraries by type of school and geographic region, 2014 Type of School Public or Private Geographical Region Elem Middle High Public Private Midwest Northeast West South Lack of ereading devices 76% 59% 62% 73% 59% 66% 70% 72% 77% No money for ebooks 57% 49% 47% 56% 64% 48% 48% 60% 63% No demand for them from users 35% 35% 33% 34% 36% 24% 33% 41% 36% Lack of technical support 35% 19% 31% 33% 55% 37% 34% 30% 38% Waiting to see what the best platform will be 29% 43% 36% 28% 36% 25% 28% 20% 38% Don't understand logistics of ebooks 13% 17% 16% 15% 14% 13% 15% 20% 11% Staff/administrative resistance 11% 16% 9% 10% 14% 2% 8% 16% 10% Other 12% 13% 22% 13% 9% 20% 10% 13% 10% We are in the process of adding ebooks 0% 0% 0% 0% 0% 0% 0% 0% 0% Lack of ereading devices has become an even bigger factor in whether schools offer ebooks. Generally, if students don t bring their own devices (and many schools still disallow it), the school is unable to provide them. Unexpectedly, no money for ebooks has decreased in our most recent survey, while lack of technical support has peaked. These trends suggest it is technology more than money that is impeding further penetration of ebooks into school libraries. Figure 11. Why doesn't your library offer ebooks? % of school libraries,

25 2014 Survey of Ebook Usage in U.S. School (K-12) Libraries 24 Ebook Plans Of the 34% of school libraries that do not offer ebooks, 11% have categorically ruled out ever offering them, up from 7% last year. On the other hand, 20% said they definitely will be adding ebooks to their collections, while 59% may offer them in the future, but haven t made it a priority. Figure 12. What are your library's plans for ebook purchases in the next two years? % of school libraries, 2014 Middle schools lead the pack in intent to add ebooks to their collections in the next two years. Table 10. What are your library's plans for ebook purchases in the next two years? % of school libraries by type of school and geographic region, 2014 We will definitely purchase ebooks to add to our collection We may purchase ebooks, but it is not a priority We will definitely NOT purchase ebooks to add to our collection Type of School Public or Private Geographical Region Elem Middle High Public Private Midwest Northeast West South 20% 27% 24% 19% 27% 14% 23% 15% 28% 63% 52% 56% 61% 41% 65% 61% 59% 56% 8% 6% 5% 10% 23% 14% 6% 17% 5% Other 8% 14% 15% 10% 9% 7% 10% 10% 11%

26 2014 Survey of Ebook Usage in U.S. School (K-12) Libraries 25 High schools were among the early adopters of ebooks, as a result, only 20% still don t offer them. There is the sense, however, that ebook use may have peaked in high schools for now, as the number of holdouts who say they will definitely add ebooks has declined, even as intent to purchase is up among the lower-grade schools. Figure 13. Will definitely purchase ebooks to add to our collection % of school libraries by type of school,

27 2014 Survey of Ebook Usage in U.S. School (K-12) Libraries 26 How Long Libraries Have Offered Ebooks As of 2014, school libraries have been offering ebooks to students, on average, for 1.9 years, up from the 1.4 years reported in last year s survey. Indeed, 44% of 2014 respondents said that they have carried ebooks for one to two years. Figure 14. How long has your school offered ebooks? % of school libraries, Mean (2014): 1.9 years Mean (2013): 1.4 years Mean (2012): 1.3 years

28 2014 Survey of Ebook Usage in U.S. School (K-12) Libraries 27 High schools have offered ebooks slightly longer than other school types. Private schools began ebook adoption well ahead of public schools. Table 11. How long has your school offered ebooks? % of school libraries by type of school and geographic region, Type of School Public or Private Geographical Region Elem Middle High Public Private Midwest Northeast West South 2014 We do not offer ebooks 38% 27% 20% 35% 29% 34% 36% 50% 25% Less than 6 months 15% 12% 10% 10% 15% 8% 11% 18% 10% 6 to 12 months 15% 15% 15% 16% 9% 17% 11% 21% 14% 1 to 2 years 43% 45% 37% 44% 24% 49% 48% 40% 40% 3 to 4 years 23% 19% 21% 24% 24% 24% 23% 13% 29% Longer than 4 years 4% 9% 16% 5% 28% 2% 8% 8% 6% Mean # years We do not offer ebooks 47% 39% 32% 43% 50% 50% 36% 54% 37% Less than 6 months 15% 13% 14% 15% 16% 17% 14% 16% 13% 6 to 12 months 11% 12% 11% 12% 4% 8% 16% 10% 13% 1 to 2 years 20% 22% 22% 20% 12% 17% 21% 12% 25% 3 to 4 years 5% 10% 13% 7% 10% 6% 9% 5% 9% Longer than 4 years 1% 4% 8% 3% 8% 3% 5% 4% 2% Mean # years We do not offer ebooks 67% 50% 37% 60% 51% 71% 54% 67% 51% Under 6 months 11% 14% 9% 11% 8% 9% 14% 11% 11% 6 to 12 months 10% 12% 14% 11% 7% 7% 10% 9% 15% 1 to 2 years 10% 14% 16% 12% 12% 6% 13% 7% 17% 3 to 4 years 2% 8% 13% 4% 15% 6% 6% 3% 3% Longer than 4 years 0% 2% 10% 2% 7% 1% 3% 2% 2% Mean # years

29 2014 Survey of Ebook Usage in U.S. School (K-12) Libraries 28 How Many Ebooks? In our past surveys, we found that outliers in the survey skewed our average figures, so while we calculate the mean number of ebooks to which school libraries have access to be 1,104, the median number is 189, which we feel may be a more accurate figure. Figure 15. How many ebooks does your library have access to in total, including ebooks licensed through your district, state or consortium? % of school libraries, 2014 Mean number of ebooks: 1,104 Median number of ebooks: 189 Notably, 15% of private schools boast 5,000 or more electronic titles in their collection. Table 12. How many ebooks does your library have access to in total, including ebooks licensed through your district, state or consortium? % of school libraries by type of school and geographic region, Type of School Public or Private Geographical Region Elem Middle High Public Private Midwest Northeast West South Under % 37% 28% 32% 30% 22% 43% 37% 31% 100 to % 33% 28% 31% 22% 27% 24% 26% 35% 250 to % 11% 14% 13% 19% 24% 14% 10% 11% 500 to % 8% 8% 11% 4% 14% 4% 14% 11% 1,000 to 2,499 4% 5% 10% 6% 6% 7% 3% 7% 6% 2,500 to 4,999 4% 2% 6% 3% 6% 1% 2% 0% 6% 5,000 or more 3% 4% 6% 4% 15% 4% 9% 6% 1% Mean , , ,159 1, Median

30 2014 Survey of Ebook Usage in U.S. School (K-12) Libraries 29 School libraries ebook collections have been growing substantially over the past four years. In 2010, the median number of ebook titles in schools collections was under 50. Today, that number is over 150 for all school grades and over 200 for high schools. The growth curve remains steep, and even if the number of schools offering ebooks is not rising as dramatically, those who do offer ebooks continue to expand their collections. Figure 16. Median number of ebooks library has access to by type of school,

31 2014 Survey of Ebook Usage in U.S. School (K-12) Libraries 30 Demand for Ebooks Demand for ebooks has increased in the last year, but is less dramatic than last year. In 2014, 45% of respondents reported an overall increase in demand for ebooks, up a tick from 44% last year. However, this year the split was 4% dramatic/41% slight, compared to a 9%/35% dramatic/slight ratio last year. Thirtyfour percent of respondents reported that demand is unchanged, up from 27% last year. We received no requests for ebooks has been on a downward trajectory: from 58% in 2011 to 26% in 2012 to 23% in 2013 to, finally, 20% in Figure 17. Have you experienced a change in demand for ebooks since this time last year? % of school libraries, 2014 Interestingly, middle schools reported the most dramatic increase in demand (10%). Table 13. Have you experienced a change in demand for ebooks since this time last year? % of school libraries by type of school and geographic region, 2014 Type of School Public or Private Geographical Region Elem Middle High Public Private Midwest Northeast West South Dramatic increase in demand 5% 10% 5% 3% 4% 4% 5% 2% 3% Slight increase in demand 45% 44% 33% 40% 39% 46% 28% 43% 43% Demand is unchanged 32% 23% 36% 35% 28% 34% 43% 33% 31% Decreased demand 1% 2% 2% 1% 7% 1% 3% 0% 2% We received no requests for ebooks 17% 20% 24% 20% 22% 15% 22% 22% 20%

32 2014 Survey of Ebook Usage in U.S. School (K-12) Libraries 31 Elementary schools and especially middle schools are seeing an uptick in demand for ebooks, even as demand or at least dramatic demand in high schools appears to have peaked. Figure 18. Have experienced a dramatic or slight increase in demand for ebooks % of school libraries by type of school,

33 2014 Survey of Ebook Usage in U.S. School (K-12) Libraries 32 Ebook Circulation Ebook circulation, too, is on the rise in school libraries. For their last complete school year ( ), respondents reported a mean circulation/usage of 652 ebooks (median 100) 6, up from 405 ebooks (median 25) the previous year. Overall, just over one-half (52%) reported that they circulated fewer than 250 ebooks in the most recent school year, down from 65%. Only 8% (down from 17% last year) circulated no ebooks. Figure 19. Approximately what was your total ebook usage/circulation for the last school year? % of school libraries, school year Mean: 652 Median: 100 Table 14. Approximately what was your total ebook usage/circulation for the last school year? % of school libraries by type of school and geographic region, school year Type of School Public or Private Geographical Region Elem Middle High Public Private Midwest Northeast West South 0 6% 10% 9% 8% 12% 9% 10% 17% 4% Less than % 59% 47% 53% 33% 39% 51% 46% 60% 250 to 499 9% 8% 8% 7% 9% 2% 10% 2% 9% 500 to 999 5% 2% 7% 5% 6% 1% 2% 14% 6% 1,000 or more 13% 8% 9% 11% 12% 18% 7% 9% 10% Don t know 18% 11% 17% 15% 27% 31% 19% 10% 8% Very Low 1% 3% 1% 1% 0% 0% 0% 2% 2% Average usage (if greater than 0) , Median usage (if greater than 0) Mean and median ebook usage figures are for schools that reported circulations greater than 0.

34 2014 Survey of Ebook Usage in U.S. School (K-12) Libraries 33 This year, median circulation is up across the board after having been generally flat particularly among middle and elementary schools from 2011 to The median ebook circulation among elementary students grew sixfold to 150. Figure 20. Median ebook usage/circulation for the last school year by type of school,

35 2014 Survey of Ebook Usage in U.S. School (K-12) Libraries 34 Changes in Circulation/Usage One perennial survey question asks to what extent school library media specialists expect ebook circulation/usage to change over the next year compared to the previous year. We ve seen usage increase in the past year compared to previous years. Do school libraries expect this growth to continue? Just over one-half (55%) expect ebook circulation to increase, while 42% expect it to stay the same. Three percent expect it to decrease. Overall, however, when asked to estimate the percentage increase or decrease respondents expect, the answer was a net 29.4% increase in ebook circulation for next year. Figure 21. Compared to last year, do you expect this year's usage of ebooks will increase, stay the same or decrease? % of school libraries, 2014 As we have been seeing throughout this section, middle schools expect to see the greatest increase in ebook usage (net 35.1% increase, although that is down from last year). The Midwest also looks to be a locus for anticipated ebook circulation increases. Table 15. Compared to last year, do you expect this year's usage of ebooks will increase, stay the same or decrease? % of school libraries by type of school and geographic region, 2014 Type of School Public or Private Geographical Region Elem Middle High Public Private Midwest Northeast West South Increase 59% 61% 51% 55% 55% 64% 56% 45% 53% Stay the same 39% 33% 46% 43% 38% 34% 40% 48% 45% Decrease 2% 6% 4% 2% 8% 2% 4% 7% 1% Overall % change

36 2014 Survey of Ebook Usage in U.S. School (K-12) Libraries 35 For this question, we created two time series figures to gauge the extent to which ebook circulation is expected to change. In the first, we look at respondents who expected ebook circulation/usage to increase. There is a sense that ebook circulation usage has peaked among school library users. Figure 22. School libraries that expect ebook circulation/usage to increase in the next year compared to the previous year % of school libraries by type of school,

37 2014 Survey of Ebook Usage in U.S. School (K-12) Libraries 36 In the second time series, we look at the magnitude of that increase, or the overall percent change in ebook circulation/usage. Figure 23. Overall percentage change in ebook circulation/usage by type of school,

38 2014 Survey of Ebook Usage in U.S. School (K-12) Libraries 37 Ebook Access A question we had added to the 2013 survey asked the extent to which students had unlimited simultaneous access to their school s ebooks, or if they were limited to one user at a time. (Some ebook vendors do not allow multiple access of the same title.) We reprised the question again this year, and found an approximately split. This breakdown is completely unchanged from last year. Figure 24. What percent of your library s ebooks are accessed using each of the following methods? % of school libraries, 2014 Table 16. What percent of your library s ebooks are accessed using each of the following methods? % of school libraries by type of school and geographic region, 2014 Type of School Public or Private Geographical Region Elem Middle High Public Private Midwest Northeast West South One user at a time 45% 61% 52% 49% 41% 61% 41% 52% 45% Unlimited, simultaneous access 55% 39% 48% 51% 59% 39% 59% 48% 55%