Do Patrons Need Help with eBooks?

As the coordinator for the statewide virtual reference service, AskMN: The Librarian Is In!, I monitor chat and review transcripts regularly. I have seen an uptick in the number of questions referring to ebooks, devices, and downloading material in the past 18 months which has led me to review library policies on ebooks. I’ve also familiarized myself more with the patron experience by checking out ebooks, downloading them in different formats, and learning about the guides provided by libraries and ebook vendors. I always encourage the AskMN participating libraries to do the same. How many questions about devices (iPad, Kindle, iPhone, Nook…) has your library received in the past six months? How many questions about ebooks has your library received in the same amount of time? Have you noticed an increase in questions? Recently, I came across a short video (6 minutes) of David Christensen’s (Seattle Public Library) presentation at the 2011 Oregon Virtual Reference Summit. He had some good information to share about the types of questions his library is seeing from patrons, the support available for library staff to assist patrons, and advice on five steps to support Zen for ebooks. Seattle Public Library offers patrons ebook and device support through classes, “Getting started” guides, and troubleshooting help. Christensen reports that all their Seattle Public Library staff, all clerical staff, branch staff, and volunteers, received questions about ebooks from patrons. Seattle Public Library offers various support options to staff including an Intranet site to learn about ebooks, information on their staff blog, a computer station for practice, and an ebook reader kit for practice. Here are Christensen’s five steps to digital book support Zen:

1. Create getting started guides
2. Keep track of difficult questions (and answers – don’t reinvent the wheel each time)
3. Buy a couple ebook readers for staff
4. Make sure all staff know how you’re handling troubleshooting assistance (none, or through ask a librarian service…)
5. Go make friends at places patrons go to get started with ebooks (Barnes and Noble, Amazon to train staff and attract new users)

Christensen also noted that they have upgraded several of their digital devices for staff to avoid confusion over different ways of working with newer models. I was curious to see what types of questions AskMN has been receiving about ebooks recently. Here is a sample of questions that have come in to AskMN within the past three months:

• im doing my research paper and every time I click an ebook a little box with an X in the corner pops up and no text shows up. getting really flustrated. plz help
• can I download books to my Nook from here?
• hello i am wondering if you could help me find out what my library username and pin would be? im trying to rent ebooks and its asking me for that.
• Can I get an ebook on my kindle fire with 3m cloud
• is there a way to suggest to a library to get certain books in ebook format?
• I can't sign into Overdrive, it gives the error We are unable to connect to the library authentication server at this time. Please contact your library to report the issue.
• My loan expired on an ebook I wasn't finished reading. When I looked the ebook up again there was no option to hold or check out. How do I recheck an ebook out?
• Is there a class I can take to download books?

Perhaps this list will give you an idea of how your patrons may be using your ebook collections and the issues they may face in trying to access them.