Enhancing e-book accessibility

Insights from user practices and needs across different communities

Szerzők

  • Kavčič - Čolić Alenka
    Affiliation
    National and University Library, Research Department, Ljubljana, Slovenia
  • Hari Andreja
    Affiliation
    National and University Library, Research Department, Ljubljana, Slovenia
https://doi.org/10.3311/celisr.37389

Absztrakt

This research aimed to understand the user experience with e-books among mobile device users and the needs of blind and partially sighted e-book users. It sought to answer: How do these users access e-books? What are their typical reading practices? What are the special needs of blind and partially sighted users? How does file format affect their reading experience? What mobile devices do they prefer?

For this purpose, surveys were conducted using two questionnaires developed with 1KA software. Translated into the languages of EODOPEN project partners, they were distributed among users from 15 partner organisations in 2020. The results were analysed using PSPP, a free alternative to SPSS.

The findings provide a comprehensive understanding of e-book reader preferences, behaviours, and challenges. Digital libraries are preferred for accessing e-books. Both groups favour offline reading sessions longer than 30 minutes, with structured navigation being crucial. PDF is the most favoured format, followed by EPUB. Preferences vary by visual impairment, with some preferring text-only formats like TXT and RTF. Notebooks and smartphones are popular devices among both groups.

Kulcsszavak:

e-books, accessibility, user behaviour and needs, mobile device users

Hivatkozások

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Megjelent

2024-08-08

Hogyan kell idézni

Kavčič - Čolić, A. és Hari, A. (2024) Enhancing e-book accessibility: Insights from user practices and needs across different communities, Közép-európai Könyvtár- és Információtudományi Szemle (CELISR), 1(2). https://doi.org/10.3311/celisr.37389

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