This edition of the HILJ club has been prepared by Alan Fricker, NHS Knowledge and Library Hub Manager. @AlanFricker.bsky.social (Twitter RIP)

Paper for Discussion

How research into healthcare staff use and non-use of e-books led to planning a joint approach to e-book policy and practice across UK and Ireland healthcare libraries

Hélène Gorring BA (Hons), MSc, FCLIP, Denise Duffy BA, DipLis, Alison Forde BA, PG DipLib, MEd, Donna Irving MCLIP, FHEA, Katherine Morgan, Katie Nicholas BA (Hons) MA MCLIP

Volume40, Issue1 March 2023 Pages 114-119

https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1111/hir.12469 (Open Access)

Abstract

The research goals were to obtain an understanding of who the users of e-books in the NHS are, what they are using e-books for, and when and how they use them. This article presents the methodology used and the findings from the research. It also explores the outputs and next steps from the research, both for the individual countries and collectively. The Five Nations group, (library leads in England, Northern Ireland, Ireland, Scotland and Wales) commissioned research into healthcare staff use and non-use of e-books to understand the behaviours, needs and expectations of healthcare staff and to identify shared challenges around e-books to inform policy and practice.

HILJ Club reflections

Coincidentally just selected as part of a virtual issue to accompany HLG 2024

The article opens with a summary of the challenging environment in which health libraries operate with regard to ebooks. Covid applied turbo chargers to what had been a slow transition of formats. Pricing and licencing models remain a significant barrier to uptake.

The research commissioned and described in the article (full report – the link on HILJ having already been a victim of Link rot) seeks to answers a range of fundamental questions around ebooks and hence appropriately takes the Who? What? Where? When? approach.

Semi structured interviews were sought with a wide range of participants. It is a shame that challenges around screen sharing prevented much of this type of interaction given that what users says they do is often at odds with what they actually do (the say do gap). Personas were generated along with journey maps. An online survey was carried out to help validate the small scale qualitative work.

I found the findings to be in line with my expectations which is sometimes a concern – I hoped for more surprises. A fifth of users at this point preferred ebooks over print. Discovery is a problem for users who have little interest in different platforms – they just want the content. Shiny bells and whistles (rarely present anyway) are little sought. Currency is a concern with it perhaps less obvious if you are looking at the current edition. Old ebook editions can be a persistent feature of library collections (print ones are easier to spot to the casual weeder) and the practice of continuing to licence these is a concern. The scattered nature of ebook collections poses a challenge to users particularly when we are aware that searching of library systems is dwarfed by use of open web search tools (University of Utrecht still not pursuing a discovery based approach ten years on).

The article shares some practical approaches taken as a result of the research. In my own work we have been working to smooth the linking process for ebooks within the NHS England discovery tool. Progress with ebook linking using browser extensions that can surface the library ebooks wherever the user might find the book on the open web have real potential to make the vital link between reader and content.

Possible questions

What are the trends in ebook use in your service during the current stage of the pandemic versus the 2020 / 2021 situation?

What is the correct balance for collection building between print and ebooks?

How would you like to see ebooks licenced?