E-book RoI can have big effect on libraries

E-book return on investment (RoI) could have profound effects on libraries where the allocation and prioritisation of resources is concerned, argues a new white paper released by Springer, in partnership with Publishers Communication Group (PCG).

The paper, Scholarly eBooks: Understanding the Return on Investment for Libraries, explores how libraries might determine the value of e-books, and why it is important to do so. The paper is said to provide a broad view of the current state of e-book valuation, the implications of this measurement for the library community and the challenges that face those who are tracking these metrics.

However, determining RoI for library resources is a challenge. It may seem to be a simple question of money in versus money out but the real difficulty in determining this value lies in the need to consider a number of factors, argues the paper. These factors include savings in staff time, ease of access to e-books, the effect on research and the space saved in the physical libraries.

The paper also notes the importance for librarians of staying up-to-date with developments from new and ongoing research into the value of e-books.