A presentation that describes the e-book reader pilot program at Fairleigh Dickinson University.

1. E-Reader Pilot Program at Fairleigh Dickinson University Denise O’Shea Systems Librarian & Technical Support Specialist

2. Fairleigh Dickinson University Largest private university in New Jersey 2 campuses in the U.S. College at Florham (Morris County, NJ) Metropolitan Campus (Bergen County, NJ) 2 campuses overseas (not part of the pilot) 12,000 students 8,585 Undergraduates 262 Full-time faculty

3. E-Reader Initiative A mandate from the University President A collaborative effort involving: The campus libraries The Center for Teaching and Learning with Technology (CTLT) The Office of Information Resources Technology (OIRT)

4. The Pilot Each library circulates: 4 Kindle DXs 4 Sony Reader Touches (PRS-600 and 700) 4 iPod Touches Policies Devices may be borrowed for 1 week, with a 1 time renewal. Overdue fines & fees apply. E-Readers are pre-loaded with a selection of titles Borrowers are asked to participate in a survey

5. Training Library staff are trained in e-reader basics Turning devices on and off Navigating the list of titles Opening and reading a book Charging batteries Borrowers are provided with 1 page tip sheets Vendor documentation is embedded on devices

6. What is an e-Reader? A reading device with an electronic paper display: Books, magazines, newspapers, blogs Readers can take notes, highlight and bookmark text In some cases, access to a built-in dictionary An audio player: mp3s, audio books A web browser (some models)

7. E-Reader Benefits Convenience Weight Costs Additional features: Built-in dictionary Link to Wikipedia Text-to-Voice Other features Environmental factors

8. E-Reader Limitations Book formats and DRM Slow black and white e-ink display Highlighting, note-taking and page navigation Consumer privacy and e-book permanence

9. Amazon Kindle Features No backlight, but easy to read in direct sunlight Wireless access via AT&T’s 3G network Supports Amazon’s proprietary DRM format Support for other text formats and PDFs International wireless access (Kindle 2 only) Built-in keyboard, textbook-sized screen Text-to-speech, plus support for audio books Can store up to 3,500 ebooks

10. Sony Reader Touch Features 6-inch touch screen Can print your notes Supports e-pub format May borrow e-books from public libraries No wireless access, coming soon No mobile app for smart phones, it’s in the works Can store up to 350 e-books Have to install books via USB

11. iPod Touch Features Free Kindle app from Amazon Other e-book apps available from iTunes store Synchronize device with Kindle Does everything an iPhone can do, except make phone calls: Support for video, audio, color, graphics, email, SMS text Wireless access Safari browser

12. Project Expectations Investigate possible educational use of e-readers at FDU Collect feedback from students and faculty that borrow the devices: Do they like reading on the devices? Compared to other technology, are the devices ‘clunky’? Can they envision using e-readers for reading textbooks? Enhance image of campus libraries

13. Project Mechanics Purchase devices and accessories Setup generic accounts with Amazon, iTunes and Sony Register, rename and configure devices Purchase e-book titles recommended by librarians and students Download purchased e-books to devices Establish circulation policy in ILS Barcode and catalog devices Package devices, accessories and tip sheets for circulation Advertise availability of new service

14. The Survey Administered via Blackboard/WebCampus Response has been strong Mix of student and faculty borrowers Some patrons borrowed multiple devices for comparison purposes

15. Issues and Constraints Establishing an Amazon corporate account Use of credit cards to purchase digital content Amazon’s 1-click option Tracking number of e-book licenses Purchasing e-books ‘on-the-fly’ 1 generic account or multiple e-reader accounts Limitations of Sony’s e-reader software Risk that iPod borrowers may not actually read anything

16. Next Steps Evaluate survey results Launch academic e-reader pilot program in Spring 2010 1 class will get 20 e-readers, pre-loaded with course materials Continue loaning e-readers through the library Further analysis

17. Q&A Contact info: oshea@fdu.edu

18. Resources Links to blogs and websites about e-readers and libraries: http://ireaderreview.com/ -- a blog about e-readers. http://www.princeton.edu/ereaderpilot/ -- FAQ about the Princeton pilot http://mobile-libraries.blogspot.com/ -- the mobile libraries blog http://www.facebook.com/#/group.php?gid=14473239090 – e-book readers in libraries group