From Novice to Expert...For the Motivated: an Exploratory Study of University Press Staff Adoption of E-readers

摘要

Books and journal articles are the most familiar forms of disseminating scholarly research, however, the move from "ink-on-paper" to a digital format presents small presses with difficulties. E-books, e-readers and digital publishing demand that presses transform their publishing model and rethink their business practices. Challenges are wide ranging and numerous; inadequate resources hinder press staff ability to develop the necessary skills to create eBooks while lack of experience with e-reading technology limits staff knowledge. With the barrier of device ownership removed, do publishing staff feel better prepared to create new services, develop their skills, and transform their practices?ududLibrarians at Oregon State University Libraries & Press recognized that our press staff lacked personal experience with e-reading technology. We secured funding to distribute four different types of e-readers to the Press staff as part of a larger year-long study of e-reader adoption and use. This poster explores some of the study’s findings and discusses how small presses face challenges as they move into digital publishing. It also looks at some of the emotional and intellectual factors influencing adoption or rejection of e-reader technology by the Press staff, how their experience has changed their business and, their thoughts on the future of the book.