Abstract
In order to understand the patterns of use of electronic books, total netLibrary usage for one year for five academic institutions was collected. Ranked use by number of titles closely fit the power curve, a model known to describe modern developments such as airport hubs and Internet links. A chi-square test of independence compared subject use by library and showed a modest institutional effect. Subjects were ranked by popularity. Computers, technology, and specific sciences were more popular than traditional social sciences and humanities. Implications for acquisitions decisions are reviewed.
Acknowledgments
The author wishes to thank the following for their advice and assistance: Dr. Stephen J. Bensman, Louisiana State University Libraries; Dr. Bertram Zinner, Auburn University Department of Mathematics; and Dana Caudle, Auburn University Libraries. The author is grateful to the following individuals and their respective institutions for supplying netLibrary use statistics, without which this research would have been impossible: Kathryn Loafman, The University of North Texas; Lisa Muilenburg, Nunez Community College, Chalmette, Louisiana; and Karen Akins, Texas A and M University-Commerce.