Ebook User Expectations

Abstract

This document synthesizes existing user research on ebooks, proposes user stories for the Enhanced Networked Monographs (ENM) reader interface, and poses questions for further investigation.

Research confirms the desirability of full-text search, annotation, and navigation using internal links within an ebook. Downloading, printing, and copying/pasting are also important. Though navigation via internal links has been studied, expectations about the directionality of links could be further investigated. Relatedly, though users may expect ebooks to have Internet-style hyperlinks in them, conclusions are mixed regarding the appropriateness or value of links to external content, and it is unclear what sort of content users desire from external links. This issue, as well as expectations for navigating not just within a book but also between ebooks, are areas for future study.