Carlsbad City Library
San Jose Public Library
Daly City Public Library Comments below are in no particular order and are listed in order to provide an idea of the spectrum of opinions from participating librarians.
Product Description:
Books 24x7 provides online eBooks covering IT, Business and Wellbeing modules, and others. Currently contains more than
21,000 titles. Subscriptions are available to individual or multiple modules.
Critical Review:
Each reviewer should rate the following areas with a score ranging from 1 (no recommendation) to 4 (strong recommendation). Then all scores for all areas shall be added and averaged, giving a composite score. Also include a brief narrative on strengths and weaknesses of each area.
Search interface:
Consider the functionality and ease of use of the interface. Is it intuitive or is an excessive amount of training required? Are any crucial features missing from the search interface?
Scores: 3,3,2
Average: 2.6
The interface was seen as adequate and easy to use.
A user can search by all content (keyword), title, ISBNs, author but subject access is by topic (subjects) menu within collection.
Advanced search is available.
You cannot sort a result list. I would appreciate a sort-by-publication-date function. I like the Top Section Hits in the result list and the
link to the ToC - you can see at a glance what the book offers. I like that the authors’ names are hyperlinked to their other titles. I
like the active hyperlinks from the ebook contents to external websites, but I would prefer they open in a new window. It was not immediately
clear to me that the two search boxes were different. It took a couple weird results before I realized the second search box would initiate a
search within the first search’s results. At first I assumed it was initiating a new search.
Uses an easy-to-use search box, with readily available limiters for author, title, publisher, and ISBN; may also limit by topic area.
Advanced search page allows Boolean, defined proximity, and phrase searching in multiple fields. Easy to browse by topic and sub-topic,
by most popular and most highly recommended (by users). A quick virtual tour and "getting started" section will do an excellent job of
exactly that. Some of the terminology throughout the database is specific to this product, but is well explained at the first click. Despite
having lots of options and information on the search page, it doesn’t appear crowded and is very clear and easy to use.
Quality of information and sources provided:
Consider its functionality, the appropriateness of format, the content of the information, and the adequacy of coverage.
Scores: 3, 2, 2
Average: 2.3
The quality of content was impressive; however a lack of recent computer titles dropped the score.
More than 21,000 titles, two-thirds from the last five years, but also includes some classic and historical material. Hundreds of additions
each month, almost all from the last two years. An impressive group of publishers in business including AMACOM (444 titles), Career Press
(179 titles), Harvard Business School Press (170 titles). While it has many of the important publishers in computer tech, like Microsoft Press
(617 titles), McGraw-Hill Osborne (287 titles), and Wiley, it has only older (pre-2002) material from publishers like Que, O’Reilly, SAMS, and
Peachpit. The material I viewed appeared to be almost exact electronic copies of the paper versions of the same titles, including text,
diagrams and charts, and screenshots. Material included in CD-ROMs included in print versions is available with some (though not all) of the
titles. The text was clear and readable and it was easy to go from chapter to chapter and section to section. Going from search result to
search result within each title was easy once you noticed the button to do so. I would rate this database higher for their business coverage,
but the lack of recent titles in important series of computer books drops my grade.
Patrons will need to be informed by staff that downloading entire e-texts is not supported, since they wouldn’t know that until they downloaded
so much that they got the xxx’s or read the FAQ.
I downloaded an MP3 in just a minute to my desktop, double-clicked the icon, and it opened right up and started playing. Of course, Media
Player doesn’t allow bookmarking, but that’s not Books24x7’s problem. Can downloaded audiofiles be transferred to another player?
Can the online CD content be described? Say I want to download a sample rental agreement. I found several Nolo books with CD content, and from
the ToC I can see that there are sample rental agreements on the CD that comes with the book. However, when I click on the CD icon, I see there
are only "select files," and I will be downloading the entire contents of the CD, not just the 2 or 3 forms I want. The size of the CD contents
is "1,195,320." Are those K or M? I have to download an unknown quantity of bytes to see if the form I need is even included in the
"select files." The instructions for downloading files seem to be adequate (I cannot test it because our staff cannot download anything to the
networked computers) but I wish I could be reasonably sure the file(s) I need are available before I download a whole lot of unneeded content.
Furthermore, even if I can see that the file(s) I need are available, it still looks like I have to download a whole lot of unneeded content.
I wish I could see how many pages are in a chapter or section and be able to jump to a page, instead of having only linear access. I can only
go to the previous page, the next page, or the first page in the chapter or section (via the ToC).
When I print a page, the left-hand navigation bar prints and some text is cut off from the right-hand side of the page. Can a printer-friendly
version be formatted automatically?
I think patrons will appreciate the executive book summaries.
In the FAQ I see a question about archived editions but I didn’t encounter any archive titles in my trial. I would like to see how that is
indicated (and if there's a link to newer editions of the same title).
Help and User Support:
If documentation is required for successful use of product, is it available, comprehensive, and well written? Is online help adequate and user friendly? Does vendor supply training if it is needed? Is a telephone helpline available?
Scores: 3,3,2
Average: 2.6
The Support section could use some improvement.
I watched the virtual tour slide show - basic and adequate.
I would like to see a title/author list. The number of titles added per month is interesting, but meaningless.
I don’t see a telephone helpline number, only a web form.
It’s not clear if an administrator can run periodical use reports. We will need to run use reports so we can know if patrons are using the
product.
The Virtual Tour and "Getting Started" section should get the user off to a strong start. A help tab is available on every screen and when
clicked allows both searching and browsing of the help screens and the FAQ. Both are clear and well written and seem to cover almost
everything. There is also a "Tips" button, which goes to explanations of the icons on each page. This should help the user to more fully
utilize the many ways that information is presented to him and thus more effectively use the database. It answers questions you didn’t know
you had. There is a Support! button leading to email help (and suggestions) for the user. While this is fine for many circumstances, a library
will need phone help for some questions. I don’t see this available within the database, but it could be available for staff-only use.
Accessibility of service:
Is access/connection to product reliable and stable? Is response time adequate?
Scores: 3,4,4
Average: 3.6
The service was fast with no turnaways.
I accessed the database on three different days. It always seemed to run more quickly than the other databases available in the library at
those times. The connection seemed excellent and I had no problems. But I don’t know how things would be if we had multiple simultaneous users.
I experienced no hiccups in connectivity and no turnaways.
The audio download I tried was very fast as was the .pdf executive summary I downloaded.
Overall assessment:
Scores: 2,3,3
Average: 2.6
The service was seen as useful, however the inability to download a book made a difference in the scores. Technology coverage was also seen as lacking.
I think patrons expect to be able to download ebooks, not just read them online. Have any Califa member libraries surveyed their
patrons on the appeal of downloadable vs. online ebooks?
The primary market for this database appears to be business executives. And it shows with a very strong business collection with easy-to-use searching and browsing and lots of tools for alerts and webcasts, etc, that they would find very useful. But libraries have different needs. The excellent search interface and strong assistance to user area is very welcome and superior to much of what we see in the library market. But if you want coverage for computer technology, it is lacking in many of the frequently requested publishers in that area. Plus libraries also need telephone support for their staff in order to help patrons who won’t have the company’s IT department to clear up problems. For libraries, I grade down for the lack of important content.
BOOKS 24x7 RESPONDS
Thank you for taking the time to evaluate Books24x7. We appreciate your valuable feedback to help us continue to improve our leading reference database for libraries and patrons. Our goal is to provide an intuitive, personalized, and powerful search interface that accommodates patrons with different learning and research styles. In today’s rapidly changing climate, acquiring, building and maintaining collections to support your public, academic, or special library environment can be daunting and risky. With so many areas of research and study plus burgeoning fields of expertise, your patrons need anytime, anywhere access to an ever expanding, changing, and always current resource. Books24x7 delivers trusted information when and where needed.
In partnership with the industry’s foremost publishers, business thought leaders, senior administrators, and library systems companies, the Books24x7 On Demand Platform offers on-demand, instant access to the complete text of thousands of best-in-class books, book summaries, and best practice reports. With Books24x7 libraries can address the needs of your entire patron base with collections that offer depth and breadth of topical coverage, skill level and learning perspective. Collections are always current with new content that is automatically added daily, or weekly. We assist with budget challenges by eliminating the need to continually update collections, replace lost, stolen, or damaged titles.
Our responses to most of your comments and questions are below. Many of the Books24x7 features, functionality, and publisher/content can be seen during our live online demo sessions open to all members. We invite you and your colleagues to participate in an upcoming "best practices" session. Please contact the Califa Member Services staff for the webinar schedule. Participants will receive a free trial.
In response to: "You cannot sort a result list. I would appreciate a sort-by-publication-date function"
We do have a Filter option that is located just below and to the right of the "Search Within" box (iterative search). This filter allows you to sort by publication date, or date range. For example, if you enter a keyword search in the main search box like "learn c# code" and select the ITPro collection, you get “798 titles found for query”. If you apply the Filter and select Copyright dates 2007-2009, you then get a search result of “198 titles found for query” with the appropriate publication dates. You may also search by code, and use Advanced Search or Iterative Search features to narrow your results further.
In response to: "lack of recent titles in important series of computer books" and "if you want coverage for computer technology, it is lacking in many of the frequently requested publishers in that area."
We continually add new content from key technical publishers such as Wiley, Wrox, Sybex, Apress, McGraw-Hill, Packt, Microsoft Press, and others. Our mission is to deliver current, up-to-date collections for all subjects. In ITPro (our technical collection) we have 1,900 titles live with a copyright date from 2006 to 2009. We offer 376 titles that are 2008 or 2009 copyright. Roughly 50% of the titles in ITPro are 2004 or later copyright. For computer technology, Books24x7 offers superior topical coverage, including critical niche topics you won’t find from other aggregators. If you put the same search term in Books24x7 versus the competition, we are confident the search results will impress library staff and patrons alike. With over 300 Publisher Partners, and over 7,000 titles in ITPro, it is important to note that patrons will find more information from various books that provide different perspectives, with more options for problem solving, enabling the user to satisfy the learning & research challenges they face each day. ITPro will appeal to all patrons, not just the patrons interested in computer science, programming/coding, or web designers. We cover 100+ IT related topics including popular desktop applications like Office, Excel, Word, and also some of the consumer technology titles regarding iPods and digital cameras. Usage is very high among our current public and academic library customers.
In response to: "Patrons will need to be informed by staff that downloading entire e-texts is not supported, since they wouldn’t know that until they downloaded so much that they got the xxx’s or read the FAQ."
Our system automatically warns the patron if they are downloading excessive amounts of content. If patrons register with our system to set up their personalized features, they will have to “accept” our Membership Agreement which contains downloading and printing information.
In response to: "Can the online CD content be described?"
It would depend on the book and whether the CD content files are available as one download, in chapter level downloads, or other options. The files we receive from our publisher partners vary. Usually there is a section or appendix in the online book that describes how to use the CD.
In response to: "When I print a page, the left-hand navigation bar prints and some text is cut off from the right-hand side of the page. Can a printer-friendly version be formatted automatically?"
Thank you for calling this to our attention. It should be automatically formatted in a printer-friendly version. Engineering is working to correct this now.
In response to: "In the FAQ I see a question about archived editions but I didn’t encounter any archive titles in my trial. I would like to see how that is indicated (and if there's a link to newer editions of the same title)."
Archived titles have a small "Archive" notation in the metadata. This normally appears to the right or just below the publisher name.
In response to: "I would like to see a title/author list."
We would be happy to provide you with title lists. Califa has the lists available upon request.
In response to: I don’t see a telephone helpline number, only a web form." and "libraries also need telephone support for their staff in order to help patrons who won’t have the company’s IT department to clear up problems."
Thank you for your suggestion. We include an 800# as well as a direct support email with the Welcome Kit for library staff. It is important for patrons to use the web form for support, since this sends us important diagnostic information through the system, and allows us to solve technical, access issues more quickly.
In response to: "It’s not clear if an administrator can run periodical use reports. We will need to run use reports so we can know if patrons are using the product."
With your Books24x7 subscription you receive a login/password to our Reporting Site where you can run a variety of library usage reports. You can schedule the reports to run automatically, and have them emailed to you monthly or quarterly if you like.
In response to: "The primary market for this database appears to be business executives"
While thousands of business executives do utilize Books24x7 in their daily lives as an invaluable research and productivity tool, we are happy to report that hundreds of thousands of patrons from all walks of life utilize our database. With 9 collections and 17,000+ titles today we have content for patrons with diverse backgrounds, including: computer science/engineering students and professionals, IT knowledge workers, web designers, desktop users, business students, patrons studying for project management certification, small business owners, government workers and researchers, financial planners, and people interested in wellness content to help improve their quality of life and lead more productive lives.
Thank you once again for taking the time to provide us with this valuable feedback. Everyone on the Books24x7 Library Team is striving to provide the #1 reference database covering critical IT and business topics. This is content that is very difficult to keep current in hardcover. Your comments and suggestions will help us greatly with our mission of continuous improvement.
Sincerely,
Lou Mutty
Books24x7 Library Sales
A SkillSoft Company
