ICLS Project Planning Team: Elizabeth Arkles, Stephanie Cusworth, Steven Chang

The structure of this presentation

The broader importance of this project

The benefits that this project will bring to the institution

Have you heard of an eBook Reader before? YES/NO

If so, how did you find out about them? What would you use an eBook Reader for? Have you ever used an eReader before?

YES/NO Would you borrow one from a library? Any other comments you have about eBook

Readers?

Who we chose – BIT academic staff and PhD students

Why this group as eligible borrowers What terms and conditions, borrowing

protocol, details, etc Teaching the teachers

◦ Pass on their knowledge/skills to the next generation students

Why this device?◦ Wide format support◦ Flexible – not tied to proprietary services/systems◦ Highly portable

Possesses features perfectly suited to research, teaching, and academic work◦ Annotation◦ Bookmarking◦ Wi-Fi internet

connectivity

Favourable reviews◦ “...up there with the best e-book readers...its e-ink

display is also a pleasure to read for hours on end” - Edward Chester, TrustedReviews.com, May 13,

2010 Kindle

◦ Lack of Australian content◦ Difficulties with accessibility of non-Australian

content◦ Limited range of e-book formats

iRex iLiad◦ Prohibitive pricing, at $1600 each in Australia

Purchase 40 devices◦ Order online via BeBook's secure website

http://www.bebook.net.au $569 per device Total cost for devices: $22,760

Textbooks as e-books, for class Journals General eBooks Subscription packs of subject-based

databases◦ New and existing

Use of existing staff◦ Library staff

Head Librarian – Program Co-ordinator [program contact] Team Leaders – Library staff general assistance All staff - Content selection, cataloguing, user assistance, etc.

◦ IT staff Technical support

◦ Extra training will be organised◦ However - increased workload...

Use of new staff◦ Extra body to help with transition – must be experienced◦ Temporary part-time position (subject to approval)

If necessary - option to retain longer or on a more permanent basis◦ Hire during January – will participate in staff training program

Mid-late 2010◦ Grant approval◦ Informally notify staff and eligible borrowers of

pilot◦ Discussions with relevant department heads

(ISTS, BIT, ICLS etc.) where necessary

Late 2010◦ Research, selection and purchase of content and

readers◦ Formal marketing of pilot program begins

January 2011◦ Hiring of new staff member(s)◦ Preparation of library◦ Staff training sessions

February 2011◦ Formal launch of program◦ Information session for eligible program participants

March 2011◦ Academic Year begins◦ Pilot program begins

End of 2011◦ Pilot program concludes◦ Feedback collated, viability assessed

Two audiences – staff / users Online campaign including social media

◦ Global BIT emails◦ Facebook group◦ Twitter account◦ Link on BIT homepage to specialised information

portal about the Readers Print marketing (leaflets, booklets, etc) Launch event on campus

What indicators we will use to evaluate

Ongoing evaluation throughout project◦ Monthly meetings / reports - management ◦ Ongoing budgeting◦ Print and online feedback forms◦ Head Librarian - contact for questions, issues, any

other enquiries regarding the pilot◦ Surveys – before / during / after◦ Statistics about levels of borrowing and

demographics, etc

Benefits for ICLS◦ Easy distribution of learning resources◦ Cutting edge reputation

Raising the benchmark of library technology and resource accessibility

◦ Further the enviable skill sets that staff, and in turn and students already achieve Improve overall confidence Next generation of students will be more technically

knowledgeable, ensures staff are still able to pass on valuable skills to them

Grant application...◦ Budget estimate - $850 000

Grant needed = $250 000 - $300 000