Survey Results from Madison area youth services librarians
1. Do patrons contact you with questions about e-book use? What kinds of questions do they have?
- Librarian A: Yes! Everything...from how to turn on their new iPad/Kindle/Nook to setting up an Overdrive account to downloading e-books.
- Librarian B: Very few patrons contact me with ebook questions, especially young patrons. I do have a few middle grade readers who are occasionally interested but it's usually because I mention ebooks as a library card perk, not because they actively ask me questions. The questions are usually of a very basic getting-started nature.
- Librarian C: Infrequently at youth services. Majority of questions are related to Overdrive and how to access it from their devices.
- Librarian D: Yes, mostly how to "check out" e-books from the library to their device
- Librarian E: Yes, we are often approached at the Help Desk with questions about using Overdrive to download ebooks (text and audio versions) to specific devices.
2. Do you provide any formal training for e-book use?
- A: After the holidays, the adult department usually offers a class or two. Immediately following Christmas is a huge time for questions -- lots of e-readers/tablets are being given as gifts to people who don't know anything about them. More typical is patron's approaching the children's or reference desk with their e-reader in hand and questions. I've also asked patrons during reader's advisory/reference questions if they have access to an e-reader, if I know there are resources for their topic potentially available through Overdrive.
- B: The Children's dept. does not provide formal training. The adult department schedules one-on-one training sessions for ereaders.
- C: The reference department offers classes for using Overdrive with Nooks & Kindles.
- D: We don't provide e-book training per se, but we do offer e-reader workshops and e-books are obviously a part of that training. Informal drop-in mostly
- E: I personally don't, but Adult Reference does. In fact, when people ask for help at the Help Desk, we almost always refer them to Adult Reference.
3. Do you use e-books in programming for kids? If so, how are they incorporated?
- A: Not yet. I just attended PLA and attended a great session on using Apps in storytime. Most successful picture books are not straight e-books (take a look at some in Overdrive -- they're kind of horrible to look at), and are pay-based apps instead. I'm thinking of doing an App-enhanced storytime this fall, based on ideas I brought back from PLA.
- B: No.
- C: We have not used ebooks in regular programming at all. We do have some ebooks on an iPad that has kids apps on it in the "science corner" of children's room of the library - this could be considered passive programming.
- D: We don't currently. At school visits, we talk up the fact that we have e-readers to checkout from the library , and that you can check out e-books to your own device
- E: Not much, other than Books and Brownies where kids check out Kindles with pre-downloaded books and then come together for book discussions
4. Do you have any recommendations, ideas, or plans for incorporating e-books into future programming?
- A: Mainly the ideas I brought back from PLA. I've attached the presentation PDF and here are some links:
- Something the presenters talked about that really made an impression with me is that we can model good technology use, just like we model early literacy skills. Too many parents (myself included!) often do the "pass back" of the device -- i.e. here's the game, go ahead and play -- instead of fully interacting with their child and using the device as a tool rather than a babysitter. We can show parents real ways to incorporate apps/"appified" e-books into interactive play.
- B: I may someday project a picture book app onto a large screen. If we ever get a library iPad I may use it in storytime for children to play with. I prefer to focus on books in story time, though I enjoy reading ebooks myself and love picture book apps. I feel they lend themselves more to one-on-one vs. group sharing.
- C: No, not really.
- D: Not sure yet how to do this, but any suggestions would be helpful :)
- E: No, but there are lots of blogs out there... little e-lit is one that I read.
5. Who do you see as the largest audience for using e-books (adult, teens, tweens, younger children)?
- A: For true e-books, I think it's chapter books and older (tweens through adult)...since straight-up e-book picture books are generally poorly executed.
- B: Teens and adults
- C: Not really sure - think they appeal to all ages of readers.
- D: adults and teens. I have heard of a bit of tween use as well
- E: adults
6. What are your personal feelings regarding e-books?
- A: For chapter books, I think they're great for travel! It's always been hard for me to pack enough books when I travel. :) E-books are simply another way to read -- if they get more people reading, I'm all for it! Here are some thoughts I gave to an interviewer recently:
- Majority of young people (teens into 20s) prefer print books over e-books (multiple studies/surveys have shown this)
- Ebooks are simply another way to read – much like audiobooks…more people are simply reading MORE
- Ebooks are another tool – it’s not an either/or question
- Print can be better for:
- Hands-on experience
- Falling in love with reading
- Focusing a child’s attention
- Ebooks can be better for:
- Convenient for travel
- Interactivity (can also be a drawback)
- Adjusting to a child’s unique learning level when learning to read
- B: I like ebooks and have read several on a Kindle and iPad, but I prefer printed books. I appreciate that they open up the reading experience for people who may have difficulty otherwise--enlarging text for low-vision readers, providing pronunciation and limitless re-reads for people learning how to read, etc.
- C: I think they are very useful in some situations, particularly when traveling. I don't see the appeal for use in story times, would not want to sacrifice the face-to-face time with children & families for face-to-screen time.
- D: It’s still reading!
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