Deep Log Study
Understanding the behaviours of users of e-books is essential in developing a sustainable and effective market that will provide users with the e-books they need for teaching and learning.
The deep log analysis study is being undertaken by CIBER at UCL. The study commenced in January 2008 and is due for completion in summer 2009. The study has two aims, to collect qualitative and quantitative data on e-book user behaviours and to measure the impact of making e-books freely available at the point of use on publisher’s print sales and library circulation figures.
- Benchmarking surveys carried out in January 2008 and in January 2009 explored current users’ awareness, perceptions and attitudes towards e-books. Together, these surveys received over 48,000 responses.
- Raw server logs have been analysed to see exactly how users discover, navigate and use the e-books.
- Case studies including focus groups were held at 8 universities. Data gathered from the focus groups held with students, teaching staff and librarians has been analysed against the log data to explain user behaviours and attitudes.
- Library circulation and print sales data has been analysed against the usage of the e-books and information on student purchasing intentions.
Current Reports Available
- Initial findings from the Deep Log Analysis Study - a brochure made available in March 2009
- Findings from the first benchmarking user survey carried out in January 2008 - over 22,000 responses by UK HE students and teaching staff
- Analysis of the free text fields from the first benchmarking user survey - what do students think are the advantages of e-books?
- Headline findings from the Librarian survey undertaken in January 2008 - what the library looked like in 2008 with regards to e-book adoption and budgets
- Headline findings from the focus groups with librarians at the case study institutions- some of the key themes that arose in the focus groups
What is Deep Log Analysis?
Deep Log Analysis (DLA) takes the raw server logs from MyiLibrary. The logs have no statistical filters on them, they are the raw logs and they provide data on how users navigate to and through the e-book. The data is then related to user characteristics and institutional profiles and patterns arising from all this information are identified. To find out why the patterns exist questionnaires and interviews are carried out with staff and students in institutions and a real understanding of user behaviour is developed.
Why the DLA study?
- DLA is action research, it allows us to map the virtual user in real time so we can see the impacts very quickly and make changes according to the data - if we see that the users are not using the e-books we can find out why and make appropriate changes.
- This study is effectively a national laboratory producing data on thousands of users that will allow us to base future decisions on real data, on a real understanding of what our users needs are.
- DLA is a great opportunity to identify best practice in terms of promotion, discovery, access models - institutions can experiment themselves with different promotional methods and watch the effects.
- DLA provides an important opportunity to get the business, licensing and pedagogic models for e-books right from the very start, rather than seek to review and correct with the benefit of hindsight.
- DLA will allow us to really connect with the users as knowledge of what they are doing, who they are, how they use e-books and what they want will improve the services provided to them.
Further information on DLA: