NLM Informationist Fellow, Graduate School of Public Health, Department of Behavioral and Community Health Sciences, University of Pittsburgh, Pittsburgh, PA 15261, USA.
J Med Libr Assoc. 2011 Jul;99(3):218-28. doi: 10.3163/1536-5050.99.3.009.
The purpose of the Health Sciences Library System (HSLS) electronic book (e-book) study was to assess use, and factors affecting use, of e-books by all patron groups of an academic health sciences library serving both university and health system-affiliated patrons.
A web-based survey was distributed to a random sample (n=5,292) of holders of library remote access passwords. A total of 871 completed and 108 partially completed surveys were received, for an approximate response rate of 16.5%-18.5%, with all user groups represented. Descriptive and chi-square analysis was done using SPSS 17.
Library e-books were used by 55.4% of respondents. Use by role varied: 21.3% of faculty reported having assigned all or part of an e-book for class readings, while 86% of interns, residents, and fellows reported using an e-book to support clinical care. Respondents preferred print for textbooks and manuals and electronic format for research protocols, pharmaceutical, and reference books, but indicated high flexibility about format choice. They rated printing and saving e-book content as more important than annotation, highlighting, and bookmarking features.
Respondents' willingness to use alternate formats, if convenient, suggests that libraries can selectively reduce title duplication between print and e-books and still support library user information needs, especially if publishers provide features that users want. Marketing and user education may increase use of e-book collections.
健康科学图书馆系统 (HSLS) 电子书研究的目的是评估服务于大学和卫生系统附属用户的学术健康科学图书馆的所有用户群体对电子书的使用情况和影响使用的因素。
我们向图书馆远程访问密码持有者的随机样本（n=5292）分发了一份基于网络的调查。共收到 871 份完整和 108 份部分完成的调查，估计响应率为 16.5%-18.5%，所有用户群体均有代表。使用 SPSS 17 进行描述性和卡方分析。
55.4%的受访者使用过图书馆电子书。不同角色的使用情况有所不同：21.3%的教师报告说已将电子书的全部或部分内容分配给课堂阅读，而 86%的实习医生、住院医生和研究员报告说使用电子书来支持临床护理。受访者更喜欢纸质教科书和手册，以及电子格式的研究方案、药物和参考书，但表示对格式选择具有高度的灵活性。他们认为打印和保存电子书内容比注释、突出显示和书签功能更为重要。
如果方便的话，受访者愿意使用替代格式，这表明图书馆可以有选择地减少印刷版和电子版书籍之间的重复，并仍然支持图书馆用户的信息需求，特别是如果出版商提供用户想要的功能。营销和用户教育可能会增加电子书馆藏的使用。
