1. LIBRARY MOBILE
Configuring
the 'Future
Gerald McKiernan
Associate Professor/Science and Technology Librarian
Iowa State University Library
Textbook'
In late May 2006, more than 50 educators and publishers, representing
a wide range of specialties, gathered at the National Academy of Sciences,
in Washington, D.C., to participate in a 3-day National Science
Foundation-funded workshop titled "Reconsidering the Textbook." 4Through small- and large-group discussions, the attendees "examined
the current state of the textbook and its relationship to the growing
number of electronic tools that also serve as learning resources for
today's students" and sought to envision the textbook of the future.
At the conclusion of the workshop there was general consensus that:
[T]he textbook of the future will be more than a static printed
volume. ... It will function as a guide, interweaving and
coordinating a variety of different learning resources including
animations, simulations, and interactive exercises. ... [It will]
be easily searchable, and thus would be learner accessible with
a flexible electronic interface.
-http.//bit.Vy/gytdx0
T he group envisioned the "Future Textbook" - whetherprinted or electronic - as "the organizing hub of an inte-
grated learning environment [that would] become increasing-
ly adaptable, customizable, and responsive." They imagined it
as a "Web-linked travel guide" that was modular by design,
thus allowing an instructor to configure content to suit the
goals of a particular course as well as the specific needs of in-
dividual students. In this view, access to networked resources
would strongly promote higher-level thinking. The group also
agreed that the Future Textbook would be integrated with
course management systems.
The attendees clearly recognized that creating the Future
Textbook would be a collaborative process that involved tech-
nical specialists as well as instructors and publishers. They also
recognized that faculty and students would have to accept a
new learning paradigm and that demonstrating and docu-
menting the benefits of alternative textbook models and tech-
nologies were critical to their adoption.
Participants agreed that the creation and integration of the
Future Textbook within learning environments would become a
major educational change agent, observing that "the adaptable,
flexible textbook will shift the way in which higher education is
accomplished." In their view,the Future Textbook could realign
formal education from a faculty-directed focus to a more stu-
dent-centered one. In addition, by catering to different learn-
ing needs and styles, the Future Textbook could significantly
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May 2011 43

2. MOBILE
increase the audience for "formal as well as informal science
education by making learning far more inviting for distance, in-
dependent, and out-of-field learners" [http://bit.ly/gDufmS;
http://bit.ly/ekUTl3].
In view of the enhancement and enrichment of digital
learning resources that have occurred since the workshop was
convened, as well as the accelerated development and wide-
spread adoption of mobile devices, platforms, and technolo-
gies in recent years, many would consider the attendees' vision
insightful, perceptive, and prescient. However, while some par-
ticipants considered the wiki as the framework for the Future
Textbook, ironically there is neither mention of the ebook as a
possible model nor appropriate recognition of the packaging
of textbooks with accompanying CD-ROMs and, more recent-
ly, the incorporation of links to companion websites and relat-
ed internet resources. Some did, however, consider the iPod
and cell phone as potential "future" platforms [http://bit.ly/gy
tdxO; http://bit.ly/g2qeEFl.
While different in some respects, most notably content and
purpose, the digital textbook is similar to the electronic book,
which has been defined as "atext and image-based publication
in digital form produced on, published by, and readable on
computers or other digital devices. ... IEI-books are usually
read on dedicated hardware devices known as e-Readers or
ebook devices. Personal computers and some cell phones can
also be used to read ebooks" [http://bit.ly/OWIJDI.
Ebooks
In early February 2011, the EDUCAUSE Learning Initiative
(ELI), in cooperation with New Media Consortium (NMC), re-
leased its "Horizon Report 2011" [http://bit.ly/fYalBu]. Pub-
lished since 2004, the report seeks to identify and describe
"emerging technologies likely to have a large impact over the
coming five years on a variety of sectors around the globe,"
most notably the "potential impact on and use in teaching,
learning, and creative inquiry."
For the past 8 years, each edition of the "Horizon Report"
has profiled emerging technologies or practices that its adviso-
ry board agreed were likely to "enter mainstream use" within
three adoption horizons over the next 5 years, as well as asso-
ciated challenges. The near-term horizon assumes the likeli-
hood of entry into the mainstream for institutions within the
next 12 months, the midterm horizon (2-3 years), and the far-
term (4-5 years).
For the current near-term (next 12 months or less), the
board ranked the use and adoption of electronic books and
The report perceptively observes that it is
neither the devices nor the texts that are of
greatest importance, but the potential of the
associated technologies and value-added
features and functionalities to transform the
reading and learning experience.
mobile technologies as the highest of existing or emerging de-
velopments. In its profile, the report acknowledges the rise in
popularity of ebooks in the consumer market and the increase
in the variety oftheir content, as well as e-reading applications,
devices, and platforms.
The report perceptively observes that it is neither the de-
vices nor the texts that are of greatest importance, but the po-
tential ofthe associated technologies and value-added features
and functionalities to transform the reading and learning expe-
rience. It notes, the "richly visual interfaces that include multi-
media and collaborative elements" are becoming increasingly
common. More specifically, the report recognizes that "reader
technology has developed to the point that graphs, illustra-
tions, videos, and interactive elements can easily be included,
and [that] many enable bookmarking, annotation, commen-
tary, dictionary lookup, and other useful functions."
Overall, it recognizes that current "advanced forms of elec-
tronic books [offer] self-directed, interactive experiences; easy
exploration; collaborative work; multi-modal, immersive activ-
ities; and other deeply engaging approaches to learning" that
can serve as models for future academic and scholarly works.
The report appropriately notes that mobile applications can
offer "social interaction around electronic books [whichl could
be marshaled in support of group study and focused teacher-
student interaction. ... "
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3. MOBILE
Sales
Although ebook sales were initially lower than those of oth-
er book types (e.g., trade, mass market paperbacks, profession-
al), during the past several years, electronic book sales have in-
creased significantly. From 2002 to 2003, sales increased nearly
170%, and nearly 45% from 2004 to 2005. There was an increase
of nearly 70% from 2007 to 2008 and more than 175% from
2008 to 2009. Overall for the period 2002 to 2009, there was a
compound annual growth rate (CAGR) of more than 70%, a rate
higher than the 1.1 % averaged CAGR for all tracked book cate-
gories [http://bit.ly/ellph6].
Indeed, during the first half of this decade, the demand for
ebooks is expected to continue to increase significantly. The
Yankee Group, a market research firm, recently forecast that
Americans will purchase more than 380 million ebooks in 2011,
approximately more than four times the number purchased last
year ("2011 US E-Book Forecast: Get Set for the Next Best-Sell-
er" [http://bit.ly/fAgUYzl). Another market research firm, For-
rester Research, predicts that U.S. ebooks sales will nearly triple
by 2015 to $ 2.8 billion ("eBook Buying Is About to Spiral Up-
ward: US eBook Forecast, 2010 to 2015" [http://bit.lylatklKi]).
By 2014, it is estimated that 25%-50% of all books sold in the
U.S. will be ebooks ("e-Book Will Soon Be More Important
Than Print Books" [http://bit.ly/hlctSVl).
Digital Textbooks
Definition
As defined by Wikipedia, "Digital Textbooks" are:
core textbooks for students, with which students can learn
contents that are tailored to their abilities and interests
land that] offer various interactive functions, and provide
the learner with a combination of textbooks, reference
books, workbooks, dictionaries and multimedia contents
such as video clips, animations, and virtual reality ...
-http://bit.ly/eloxuv
History
According to one noted authority,there are five major stages of
digital textbook development and marketing: experimentation,
early markets, proliferation and integration, profitability and so-
cial learning, and standards and disaggregated distribution.
Experimentation (2000-2003)
During this period, major textbook publishers partnered
with startup vendors "to create non-PDF,non-standard, cus-
tom-reader products," each producing 50-100 titles, but dis-
covered that there was no market for these products and that
the technology could not be adequately supported [http://
bit.ly/dzl6aB].
Early Markets (2004-2006)
While publication continued, many publishers returned to
using the lower-cost PDF format. The development and prolif-
eration of online learning technologies among higher-educa-
tion institutions and demand for specific subject content (e.g.,
mathematics, science, world languages) fostered a more stable
market. During this period, Flash became the predominant
technology for digital books. By the end of this phase, major
publishers launched a variety of initiatives to create and/or
distribute ebooks.
Proliferation and Integration (2007-2008)
In this wave, the cost of etextbook production dropped sig-
nificantly, and publishers began to integrate ebooks into their
respective homework management products. During the pe-
riod, most major publishers supported multiple etextbook
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May 2011 45

4. MOBILE
formats and readers. While XML became more prominent,
Flash continued to be a popular option.
Profitability and Social Learning (2009-2011)
By 2009, the size ofthe etextbook market had increased sub-
stantially, due in large part to the proliferation of for-profit vir-
tual universities (e.g., University of Phoenix) and the signifi-
cant growth of distance-learning programs offered by
brick-and-mortar colleges and universities. Concurrently, the
widespread adoption of a variety of mobile devices and the in-
creased use of e-readers, and subsequently tablet computers,
prompted publishers to offer more digital texts. During this pe-
riod, digital textbooks offered not only media-enhanced inte-
gration with a variety of technologies, but integration within
social learning environments as well.
Perhaps equally significant was the emergence and expan-
sion of the open textbook initiatives which sought to provide
free or low-cost access to textbooks [http://en.wikipedia.org/
wiki/Open-textbookl.
Standards and Disaggregated Distribution (2012-2014)
This future phase will be marked by several key develop-
ments, notably the emergence of a common standard for digi-
tal textbook XML and the reconfiguration of the digital textbook
"from a single, cohesive product into a collection of malleable
The widespread adoption
ofa variety of mobile
devices and the increased
use of e-readers, and
subsequently tablet
computers, prompted
publishers to offer more
digital texts.
content assets that can be disaggregated and mashed up easily
with other digital products."
This wave will also witness greater focus on smartphone and
tablet access and use, the further promotion of open textbooks,
and broader integration of social components.
Sales
To date, digital textbooks sales have been a fraction of over-
all textbook sales. While the current market is less than 3% of
national course materials sales, the National Association of
College Stores (NACS) [http://www.nacs.org] predicts that the
digital textbook market will increase from 10% to 15% by 2012.
Among the factors that the association believes will affect fu-
ture digital textbook adoption are an increasing awareness
among students of etextbook availability, their promotion and
effective use by instructors, and the incorporation of greater
interactivity within these electronic texts [http://bit.ly/gM
Badn]. One can expect that the ever-increasing popularity of
ebook content, dedicated e-readers, and ebook applications
on a variety of mobile platforms will also have a major effect on
etextbook adoption in a variety of venues.
Xplana, Inc. [http://info.xplana.coml, a service that oper-
ates Xplana.com, a "social learning platform," predicts that
U.S. digital textbook sales over the next several years will sur-
pass 18% of combined new textbook sales for the higher-edu-
cation and career education markets. This 5-year projection
assumes a current market share of 0.5% and an average yearly
increase in sales growth of approximately 150%-200%, with a
tapering to 30% to 50% annual growth for the ensuing 5 years
(2015-2019).
The firm expects that such growth "will also create avenues
for new content publishers to enter the textbook market, lead
to fundamental shifts in purchasing patterns around learning
materials, and expedite the formal adoption of open educa-
tional resources to augment premium digital content" [http:/!
bit.ly/99GHvY].
Current and Future Activities
Academic Bookstore Community
1 While many may consider forecasts and projections as only
potential scenarios, the presentations delivered at the recent
annual meetings of the NACS and the Independent College
Bookstore Association (ICBA) [http://www.icbainc.com] indi-
cate significant interest by the associations and their members
in digital textbooks.
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5. MOBILE
One can expect that the ever-increasing popularity
of ebook content, dedicated e-readers, and ebook
applications on a variety of mobile platforms will
also have a major effect on etextbook adoption
in a variety of venues.
Independent College Bookstore Association
The ICBA is a "professional cooperative dedicated exclu-
sively to institutional collegiate retail stores." At its most recent
annual conference held in early February 2011, the association
hosted a range of presentations that focused on digital text-
book developments. Its ICBA 2011 Strategic Direction Program
track [http://bit.ly/h9vodu] offered an update on the Canadian
Campus Retail Associates, Inc. (CCRA) and NACS Media Solu-
tions LLC (NMS) Digital Content Platform and the CampusE-
Bookstore.com service.
The latter is a joint project between the CCRA and the NMS
to develop and deploy "a common digital content platform
(DCP) for electronic books and print-on-demand content, de-
signed with student friendly terms and reflecting the academ-
ic nature of the collegiate marketplace" [http://bit.ly/ekLDat].
The former, the Campus E-Bookstore [http://www.campus
ebookstore.com], is a project by U.S. and Canadian college
stores that seeks "to develop affordable alternatives and com-
plements to traditional course materials."
The track also included presentations on two major state
digital textbook projects, the California State University sys-
tem's Digital Marketplace [http://www.calstate.edu/ats/digi
tal_marketplacel initiative, "an innovative one-stop-shopping
platform for the discovery, selection and authoring of digital
resources," and the Ohio Digital Bookshelf lhttp://ohiodigital
bookshelf.ning.com], "a pilot project of Ohio Textbook HQ that
aims to provide quality textbook options for faculty and better
learning outcomes, while also saving students money."
In addition, the track offered a general session that includ-
ed presentations by representatives from Blackboard Mobile
[http://www.blackboard.com/Platforms/Mobile/overview.aspxl
and Digby Mobile Commerce lhttp://www.digby.com/mobile-
commerce-software-platform] about the impact of mobile tech-
nologies on communication, learning, and collegiate retailing.
National Association of College Stores
Based in Oberlin, Ohio, the NACS is a professional trade as-
sociation that represents the collegiate retailing industry. Its
most recent annual conference, CAMEX: The Campus Market
Expo 2011 [http://www.camex.org], included presentation
themes similar to those of the ICBA conference.
Apanel session, "Course Materials: Online, Mobile, and Part-
nering Solutions," included presentations on etextbook trends,
online buying, and brand awareness and loyalty. This session,
as well as one titled "The Past, Present, and Future of Open
Education Resources: Implications for Campus Stores," also
focused on open education resources [http://www.oercom
mons.org]. A session titled "NACS 2011 Digital Update" offered
presentations on recent developments and current initiatives
on digital content delivery,notably the CCRA-NMS Digital Con-
tent Platform project. The NACS conference also included a ses-
sion devoted to "Mobile Technology and Retailing," which
addressed the potential of smart mobile devices such as the
iPhone, BlackBerry, and iPad as platforms for generating sales
and disseminating information [http://bit.ly/i38cUb].
A future column will review current digital textbook ini-
tiatives by individual academic bookstores, as well as recent
projects undertaken by colleges and universities throughout
the U.S. In addition, several major digital textbook vendors
will be profiled. *
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May 2011 47

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Publisher:
McKiernan, Gerald
Configuring the ‘Future Textbook’
Searcher 19 no4 My 2011 p. 43-7
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