E-books and e-book reading devices : their possible incorporation into New Zealand public library services

Abstract

This research has attempted to investigate the possible adoption and incorporation of e-books and e-book readers into New Zealand public library services. The aim of the research was to identify the current options and emerging problems associated with e-books and e-book readers in order to determine the main factors that influence people's perceptions of these factors and direct the success of this new technology. E-books and e-book readers are becoming the reality and many libraries are starting to incorporate them into their collections and services. However, until recently, no New Zealand public library has permanently adopted this emerging technology. One of the public libraries in New Zealand have recently started to run a pilot scheme to loan e-book readers to their patrons. As public libraries are more likely to adopt the technology, this research surveyed the collection managers from forty-six public libraries in New Zealand using close-ended questionnaires complemented with five selected semi-structured interviews. The general diffusion of innovations theory provided a useful framework for this research. However, special emphasis was given to the rate of adoption, which is determined by perceived attributes of innovations. There are five independent variables that determine the rate of adoption of new ideas. However, the five characteristics of perceived attributes of innovations, such as relative advantage, compatibility, trialability, observability and complexity, particularly influence user's acceptance of new ideas and therefore can be viewed as success factors. The research found that out of the thirty-nine public libraries that responded to the survey, seven New Zealand libraries situated in urban locations were planning to incorporate e-books and e-book readers into their services. Since the researcher's hypothesis was that the rate of adoption was in direct correlation with the urban location of the libraries and their size, the hypothesis was supported by the collected and analyzed data. Four of the libraries are already running a pilot. The general opinion of the collection managers is that e-book technology is a new medium that is going to find its place in libraries. There are several perceived relative advantages of the e-book technology over the existing technology. However, the rate of adoption will not be much higher unless the two biggest issues for libraries - compatibility and copyright are not solved. The implications of the study are discussed and suggestions for future research presented.