Use, acceptance and expectations for the ebook in a research library

Response distribution according to academic status and age

Objectives: This work attempts to establish the use and attitudes that users of the Library of the Institute of Physical-Chemistry ‘Rocasolano’ (Biqfr) of the Spanish National Research Council (CSIC) have with regard to scientific and technical ebooks. Thereby a better understanding will be obtained of the behavioural patterns towards this electronic resource which is in its early stages of implementation within the research environment.

Methods: An online survey was carried out of the users mentioned through the library blog, obtaining a sample of seventy users of which 63% use Biqfr ebooks.

Results: In the main, ebooks are used for the purpose of work and research, and the PC is the device most used to read them. Despite this, the attitude of the users towards ebooks is considered conservative, though at the same time optimistic, as they consider them as a useful tool when searching for information.