E-Readers on Trial: Qualitative Results from an Academic Library Pilot Project

In 2010, the University of Texas at San Antonio Libraries opened a bookless satellite library, the Applied Engineering and Technology (AET) Library. AET librarians wanted to offer a new service: lending e-readers loaded with academic content and other e-books of interest to engineering and science students. Librarians chose three e-readers for the pilot project: Kindle, Sony Reader, and Nook. The study\u27s purpose was to determine whether the devices provided an effective option for access to these materials. Preliminary results from a small pilot project indicated considerable student interest in the devices while raising questions about the availability and accessibility of academic content formatted for e-readers