E-books in Libraries : A Practical Guide

Despite the fact that eBooks have been in existence for decades in various guises and added to library collections for several years now, there has been a noticeable lack of published manuals on the subject. This is doubtless owing to the rapidly evolving nature of the market. There is now a plethora of different types of digital object that may be termed ‘eBooks’ and a bewildering number of business and access models to match. Moreover the pace of change shows no sign of abating, but there is an increasing amount of popular interest in eBooks, and what is needed is practical information to assist library and information professionals managing collections of eBooks and doing their best to inform their users right now. This timely book, the first of its kind to provide a practical appraisal of eBooks, aims to fill that need by addressing the key questions: Where do eBooks come from and what are the key business models that support them? What needs to change before eBooks become universally and easily used? What will the eBook landscape look like in ten years’ time? How can you be sure you are building a good collection that your users can access easily? What about money and budgets? The book is divided into five parts:

• The production and distribution of eBooks
• Planning and developing an eBook collection
• Delivering eBooks to library readers
• Engaging readers with eBooks
• The future of eBooks.

Readership: This book is a ready reference source for any library and information professional with an interest in eBooks and their development. It is essential background reading for library managers wishing to develop an eBook collection from scratch or for those responsible for maintaining an existing eBook collection. It will also have plenty to interest publishers, who need to be aware of the issues faced by libraries managing eBook collections, and will be of great value to students of librarianship and information studies, and those on publishing related courses.