Library Out Loud

The Library has this month introduced a policy of ‘ebook preferred’. This means that the first copy of any book will be purchased as an ebook rather than print, if available on a suitable platform, i.e. satisfactory usability, no restrictive limits on downloading and printing, multiple users, and so on.

This meets staff and student need around New Zealand and the world. In the 2014 Student Experience Survey around 70% of distance and internal students selected ‘more ebooks’ as their top choice of areas that would improve the Library.

Linda Palmer, University Librarian, said “This policy will result in close to 50% of all books bought each year being electronic. It is the first step in a shift to more digital resources. The Library aims to better support Massey’s initiatives in the online learning environment, and to ensure quality resources are available to staff and students at their point of need”.

New Zealand, Ngā Kupu Ora (Māori) and Pasifika resources will continue to be bought in print as the first copy (with subsequent ebooks if needed and available), as will some other books if required, on a case by case basis. New Zealand resources are not commonly available as ebooks. Availability of ebooks varies enormously across disciplines (a snap shot over the last few months suggests this could be as low as 17% for art books and as high as 69% for geography).

It should be noted that ebooks, in the tertiary library context, are different to ebooks available for individuals to purchase, or ebook fiction titles available to public libraries.

Guidance is available on Ebooks at Massey University Library. For further help please contact the Library.