2. 2
Conducted by:
Purpose and Promoters
Exploring the universe of children digital books in Italy, from
a users’ perspective.
In partnership with the Italian Library Organization (Associazione Italiana
Biblioteche - AIB), FattoreMamma and MediaLibraryOnLine (MLOL).
3. 3
The online questionnaire was spread by the promoters and
partners of the survey through:
Newsletter
Facebook Pages, Twitter
Web sites, blogs
The survey has been conducted starting from January 2013.
In 1,5 months 1000 questionnaires have been filled out.
The survey: data collection
4. 4
Definition: what is a digital book
With DIGITAL BOOK we intend all the following formats:
Apps for mobile devices such as tablet and smartphones
Pdf files
ePub files and any other format that can be read on an
eReader
iBooks files
files which can be read through a web browser
5. 5
Who responded
87,8% women
12,2% men Average age: 39 anni
12.2
%
87.8
%
78.5%
9.0%
7.0%
1.6%
3.9%
0% 20% 40% 60% 80% 100%
PARENT
TEACHER, EDU
CATION…
LIBRARIAN, BO
OKSELLER
PUBLISHER, IL
LUSTRATOR,…
OTHER
6. 6
Who responded: Education Level
High level of education: 68% has a degree or post degree diploma
1.7%
30.2%
45.2%
22.9% SECONDARY SCHOOL
HIGH SCHOOL
DEGREE
POST DEGREE
7. 7
Who responded: Age of Children
37.0%
54.2%
44.2%
17.8%
0% 10% 20% 30% 40% 50% 60%
0-2 YEARS
3-5 YEARS
6-10 YEARS
11-14 YEARS
AGE OF CHILDREN
(AGE OF SONS/DAUGHTERS OR CHILDREN YOU DEAL WITH AS TEACHER OR LIBRARIAN)
8. 8
Who responded: PC and Mobile Devices
85% regularly uses a computer
53% a smartphone and 44% a tablet
Only 29,3% of teachers and 25,9% of librarians regularly use a tablet.
85.7%
26.2% 30.7%
8.2%
13.8%
27.3%
0%
10%
20%
30%
40%
50%
60%
70%
80%
90%
PC/MAC IPHONE IPAD IPOD TABLET
ANDROID
SMARTPHONE
ANDROID
WHICH DEVICES DO YOU OWN AND REGULARLY USE? (MAX 3 OPTIONS)
9. 9
Use of digital books for children
30% of respondents say they have already used digital books for children.
As for librarians, only 25,7% say they have used them.
30.3%
69.7%
HAVE YOU EVER USED A DIGITAL BOOK FOR CHILDREN (APP, PDF FILE, EPUB
OR OTHER FORMATS FOR EREADER, IBOOKS...)?
YES NO
10. 10
PC and Mobile devices
The use of digital books for children is influenced by the access to a
tablet and an iPhone. A higher % of those who have never used digital
books indicate the computer as the device they regularly use.
WHICH DEVICES DO YOU OWN AND REGULARLY USE? (MAX 3 OPTIONS)
0%
10%
20%
30%
40%
50%
60%
70%
80%
90%
80.5%
35.4%
52.0%
9.6%
22.5% 27.8%
88.1%
21.9%
20.7%
7.6% 9.7%
27.0%
YES, I HAVE
USED
CHILDREN
DIGITAL
BOOKS
NO, I HAVE
NEVER USED
CHILDREN
DIGITAL
BOOKS
11. 11
Why don’t you use digital books for children?
Over 62% say they prefer paper books.
Almost 14% did not know they existed, 17,9% dissent with the use.
FOR WHICH REASON HAVEN’T YOU EVER USED CHILDREN DIGITAL BOOKS? (2 OPTIONS MAX)
0%
20%
40%
60%
I DO NOT HAVE
ANY DEVICE TO
READ DIGITAL
BOOKS 23,7%
I DID NOT KNOW
DIGITAL BOOKS
FOR CHILDREN
EXISTED
13,9%
I HAVE NOT HAD
THE CHANCE
35,6%
I PREFER PAPER
BOOKS
62,7%
I DISSENT WITH
THE USE OF
DIGITAL BOOKS
BY CHILDREN
17,9%
OTHER
4,6%
12. 12
Why don’t you use digital books for children?
44% of librarians and 33,3% of teachers (vs 23% of the whole
sample) say they have nerver used digital books for children because
they do not have any device to read them.
The digital book is linked by respondents to mobile
devices.
13. 13
Why don’t you use digital books for children?
The computer is not fit for the usa
in bed or on the sofa – the places
for reading.
Digital devices are used for
games. I would like to keep
the two things separate.
The computer excites the child,
while paper books induce thinking
and have a calming effect.
I have not yet seen a
digital book that is worth
having.
14. 14
The Fears
EVALUATION AVERAGE:
TOTALLY AGREE= 4
TOTALLY DISAGREE= 1
YOU ARE AFRAID THE USE OF CHILDREN DIGITAL BOOKS MIGHT:
1.0 1.5
2.0
2.5
3.0
3.5
4.0
CAUSE POSSIBLE DAMAGES TO EYESIGHT
LIMIT CONCENTRATION CAPACITY
DETER IMAGINATION AND CREATIVITY
MAKE YOU LOSE THE CONNECTION WITH REALITY
DETER AUTONOMOUS READING
MAKE YOU LOSE THE MAGIC OF THE BOOK
NO,I HAVE NEVER USED DIGITAL
BOOKS FOR CHILDREN
YES, I HAVE USED DIGITAL BOOKS FOR
CHILDREN
Over 78% of those who have never used digital books fear they might
make you lose the “Magic of the book”
Those who do use them are much less cautious.
15. 15
I am afraid digital books might…
Make you lose the relationship with your
child, the opprtunity to read a story with
him, answer his questions…
Prevent the child from
experiencing the physical
world: the paper book is made
of different materials, can have
pop ups and flip pages…
Break the habit of doing
things slowly
Bring psychological
addiction to digital devices
16. 16
What they should look like
With a good graphic design and beautiful illustrations
Interactive
ACCORDING TO YOU, HOW IMPORTANT ARE THE FOLLOWING FEATURES IN A CHILDREN DIGITAL BOOK?
EVALUTATION AVERAGE
VERY IMPORTANT= 4
ABSOLUTELY NOT IMPORTANT= 1
0
0.5
1
1.5
2
2.5
3
3.5
4
INTERACTIVITY ANIMATION SPEAKER'S
VOICE
(AUTOPLAY)
MULTIMEDIA ILLUSTRATION
AND GRAPHIC
DESIGN
YES, I HAVE USED CHILDREN DIGITAL BOOKS
NO, I HAVE NEVER USED CHILDREN DIGITAL BOOKS
17. 17
The Formats
Apps are the format most frequently used
Over 51% say they use apps with their children very often or often.
Over 65% say they use pdf never o occasionally;
71% nover or occasionally use ePub and 75% iBooks or browser files.
EVALUTATION AVERAGE:
VERY OFTEN= 4
NEVER= 1
IN WHICH FORMAT HAVE YOU USED DIGITAL CHILDREN BOOKS?
1.0
1.5
2.0
2.5
3.0
3.5
4.0
APP
PDF
IBOOKS
EPUB OR OTHER
EREADER
FORMATS
FORMATS FOR
INTERNET
BROWSER
18. 18
The Formats
Teacher mainly use Pdf and browser formats.
This probably derives from the fact that 63% of
them mainly uses the pc to read digital books for
children.
Librarians, too, mainly use Pdf files, followed by
Apps.
19. 19
Frequency of use
The frequency of use is overall quite low.
Over 51% of those who use digital books for children say they do it
“occasionally”.
HOW OFTEN DO YOU USE CHILDREN DIGITAL BOOKS?
12.9%
27.4%
7.9%
51.8%
EVERY DAY
EVERY WEEK
EVERY MONTH
OCCASIONALLY
20. 20
Devices
68,6% use a tablet to read digital books for children.
0%
10%
20%
30%
40%
50%
60%
70%
80%
90%
100%
TABLET
SMARTPHONE
PC
68.6%
7.9%
23.4%
WHICH DEVICES DO YOU MAINLY USE TO READ DIGITAL BOOKS FOR CHILDREN?
21. 21
When do they use them
71% reads paper books at bedtime
Digital books are mainly use to entertain kids while waiting or travelling
(over 61%).
WHEN DO YOU MAINLY USE CHILDREN DIGITAL BOOKS (MAX 2 OPTIONS)
25.1%
55.5%
21.1%
10.7%
6.4%
14.0%
18.4%
71.8%
26.2%
14.8%
1.0%
22.5%
26.2%
0%
10%
20%
30%
40%
50%
60%
70%
80%
ATBEDTIME
TOENTERTAINKIDSDURING
TRIPSORLONGWAITINGTIMES
WHENIMOVEANDCANNOT
BRINGBOOKSWITHME
DURINGTHEHOLIDAYS
INTHECAR
INMYWORKWITHKIDS
OTHER
DIGITAL BOOKS
PAPER BOOKS
22. 22
The role of the adults
YOUR CHILDREN (OR THE CHILDREN YOU DEAL WITH AS TEACHER/LIBRARIAN) MAINLY USE
DIGITAL BOOKS:
17.8%
50.8%
31.4%
ALONE
WITH AN ADULT
ALONE, BUT IN THE
PRESENCE OF AN
ADULT
23. 23
What do they expect from a digital/paper book
From a paper book: a good story, that inspires imagination
From a digital book: the participation, the fun, the educational
purpose
EVALUTAION AVERAGE
VERY IMPORTANT= 4
ABSOLUTELY NOT IMPORTANT= 1
HOW MUCH THESE FEATURES ARE IMPORTANT TO YOU?
2.9
3
3.1
3.2
3.3
3.4
3.5
3.6
3.7
3.8
3.9
THE STORY THE EDUCATIONAL
PURPOSE
THE FUN THE
PARTICIPATION
INSIPIRING
IMAGINATION
STIRRING
INDEPENDENCE
DIGITAL BOOKS
PAPER BOOKS
24. 24
Sources for digital books
They find digital books mainly through online reviews, followed by
word of mouth and search engines.
EVALUTAION AVERAGE
VERY OFTEN= 4
NEVER= 1
2.34
2.57
2.81
2.37
2.52
1.85
0.00
0.50
1.00
1.50
2.00
2.50
3.00
ONLINE STORES
TOP APP-EBOOK
(APP
STORE, GOOGLE
PLAY…)
WORD OF MOUTH REVIEWS ON
WEBSITES AND
DIGITAL
NEWSPAPERS
REVIEWS IN
TRADITIONAL
PRESS AND TV
SEARCH
ENGINES
(GOOGLE...)
TRAILERS ON
YOUTUBE AND
WEB TV
CHANNELS
25. 25
Contents quality
Over 72% of those who use digital books consider the content quality
good or reasonably good.
3.0%
27.4%
44.6%
19.1%
5.9%
VERY GOOD
GOOD
REASONABLY
GOOD
SUFFICIENT
26. 26
Critical Elements
The limited availabilty of books in Italian is more critical, than
book quality and access to digital stores.
WHAT IS THE BIGGEST PROBLEM YOU MEET WHEN YOU LOOK FOR CHILDREN DIGITAL BOOKS?
EVALUTAION AVERAGE
TOTALLY AGREE= 4
TOTALLY DISAGREE= 1
1
1.5
2
2.5
3
3.5
4
LIMITED AVAILABILITY OF
CONTENTS IN ITALIAN IT IS DIFFICULT TO FIND
GOOD QUALITY CONTENT IT IS DIFFICULT TO FIND
YOUR WAY AROUND
DIGITAL STORES
3.2
3.0
2.7
29. 29
Purchase Motivation
Good reviews and images influence the purchase process.
HOW MUCH DO THESE ELEMENTS WEIGH ON YOUR PURCHASE OF A DIGITAL BOOK FOR CHILDREN?
EVALUTATION AVERAGE
FULLY AGREE= 4
TOTALLY DISAGREE= 1
1
1.5
2
2.5
3
3.5
4
PUBLISHER
REPUTATION STORY AND
CHARACTERS
POPULARITY
IMAGES AND
SCREENSHOTS GOOD REVIEWS
2.4
2.9
3.2 3.3
30. 30
Purchase Willingness
Over 55% is willing to spend 4,99 Euros for a good quality digital book.
Only 15,8% download only free content.
HOW MUCH ARE YOU WILLING TO SPEND ON A QUALITY DIGITAL BOOK FOR CHILDREN?
15.8%
3.6%
9.2%
15.5%
30.7%
16.2%
8.9% NOTHING, I DOWNLOAD ONLY FREE
CONTENT
UP TO 0,99 EUROS
UP TO 1,99 EUROS
UP TO 2,99 EUROS
UP TO 4,99 EUROS
UP TO 9,99 EUROS
OVER 9,99 EUROS
31. 31
Purchase Willingness
Quality and availability of digital books in Italian are indicated as
the two key elements.
27.0%
29.3%
52.7%
42.7%
8.7%
6.7%
4.3%
YOU WOULD BUY CHILDREN DIGITAL BOOKS MORE OFTEN IF:
THEY COST LESS
THEY WERE MORE EASY TO FIND
THERE WERE MORE GOOD
QUALITY PRODUCTS
THERE WERE MORE ITALIAN
TITLES
IF PURCHASING PROCEDURES
WERE EASIER
I WOULD NOT, IN ANY CASE
OTHER
32. 32
Digital books in foreign languages
88% have downloaded digital books in a foreign language
22.4%
15.5%
34.7%
27.4%
HAVE YOU EVER DOWNLOADED CHILDREN DIGITAL BOOKS IN ENGLISH OR
IN OTHER FOREIGN LANGUAGES?
YES, VERY OFTEN
YES, OFTEN
YES, OCCASIONALLY
NO, NEVER
33. 33
A few starting points
The importance of Quality Productions
eBooks and Apps: a difference in perspective
The part played by Publishers
The part played by Libraries and Schools (and their working
tools)
Working Together