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Bibliografia sugli e-book, 2000-2005
Bibliografie di interesse a cura di:
Paola Gargiulo CASPUR gargiulo@caspur.it
Domenico Bogliolo Università di Roma “La Sapienza” domenico.bogliolo@uniroma1.it
Sono state qui selezionate le opere che, per il periodo indicato, trattano
dell’e-book in biblioteca e delle problematiche connesse (come sviluppo delle
raccolte, creazione di metadati, promozione dell’uso, istruzione degli utenti,
comportamento degli utenti, eccetera) con esclusione delle opere che trattano
preponderatamente di tecnologia e di standard (argomenti ai quali
“Electronic Library” ha estesamente dedicato il suo primo fascicolo del 2005)
nonché di specifici prodotti e del loro marketing, il cui sviluppo tumultuoso
non consente la stasi necessaria alla compilazione bibliografica.
La maggior parte del materiale è stata derivata dal LISA, Library andInformation Science Abstracts il 24 agosto 2005 alle ore 13:17:44 usando la
semplice formula <[(KW=e-books) or (KW=electronic books)] and (KW=libraries)>
con la detta limitazione temporale. La ricerca ha trovato 372 riferimenti, qui
ridotti a poco meno di 200, sulla base del criterio di scelta enunciato sopra. Il
resto del materiale (meno del 5%) è stato derivato da altre fonti.
All’elenco alfabetico delle opere seguono brevi elenchi di repertori bibliografici,
siti web e standard.
Lo stile delle citazioni segue il Chicago-style Author-date System elaborato
dal Simmons College di Boston. Dei riferimenti estratti da LISA è riportato l’abstract, per
gentile concessione di Cambridge Scientific Abstracts, proprietaria della base
di dati, che qui si ringrazia. L’ordine è alfabetico dell’intestazione al primo
autore o al titolo. Intestazioni uguali sono ordinate per data crescente di pubblicazione.
Abbott, J. P. 2003. “Publishing trends and libraries”. DESIDOC Bulletin of
Information Technology 23, (1) (Jan): 7-12.
Contribution to a special issue of this journal on future publishing technologies. Argues that
the death of books and their replacement by ebooks has not happened and that libraries will sur-vive into the foreseeable future. Discusses the advantages and disadvantages of ebooks, the evolution
of printing, the role of libraries and the impact on libraries of on-demand materials. Draws
a parallel between libraries and those who predicted the demise of cinemas when cable delivery
was introduced
Abbott, K. 2001. “Ebook = MC2: Ebooks at Maroochy libraries”. LASIE 32 (2-
3) (Aug/Dec): 21-27.
Maroochy Libraries is a large regional public library service with 4 branches, a mobile and
business centre which has embraced e-books as an entry point into the arena of electronic reading.
Feedback indicates that users are taking up this technology with enthusiasm. While the
emphasis is currently on hardware dependent e-books, the future of electronic formats could
well include e-book software such as the netLibrary model. Investigates the issues, challenges
and processes of introducing e-book services to a large regional library from both a technical and
a lending perspective with emphasis on the findings of user feedback
Albanese, A., J. Berry, E. Bryant, N. Oder, and M. Rogers. 2001. “Looking
back, looking ahead”. Library Journal 126, (20) (1 Dec): 72-74.
The editors of Library Journal magazine offer their thoughts about what may be in store for
US libraries in 2004, covering a range of issues, including: the Children’s Internet Protection Act;
privacy; improved budget positions; scholarly communication innovations; electronic books (ebooks);
virtual reference services; OpenURL; special libraries; and library and information science
(LIS) education.
Albanese, R. A. 2001. “Moving from books to bytes”. Library Journal 126, (14)
(Sep): 52-54.
Discusses the results of Library Journal’s 2001 Academic Library Book Buying Survey. The
purchasing behaviour of all academic libraries surveyed showed a marked shift towards the collection
and usage of digital resources and away from traditional print resources. In particular, the
survey showed the remarkable popularity of full-text aggregated databases which are seen as a
cost-effective way to provide access to information. The growth of distance education, the move
to online courses, and student demand are other factors contributing to the shift. Most libraries
were cutting print serials subscriptions in favour of electronic. While circulation figures saw a
slight decrease, personal and electronic reference queries increased. Only about 1 per cent of
libraries’ materials budgets went toward the purchase of e-books but this was expected to rise in
the next few years.
Algenio, E. R. 2002. “The virtual reserve room: extending library services offcampus”.
Journal of Library Administration 37, (1/2): 15-25.
This paper explores the challenges of implementing an electronic reserves program which
extends library services to off-campus distance education students. Using the University of
Massachusetts Amherst as a case study, the paper briefly describes the project’s context and history,
with a focus on the practicalities, problems, and solutions in starting an electronic library
reserves service. The discussion also covers issues integral to the service and which affect offcampus
learners, including budgeting, staffing, partnering with affiliated campuses, addressing
faculty concerns, managing copyright permissions, utilizing e-books and incorporating full-text
databases.
Allen, B. 2001. “E-books, the latest word: proceedings from the acquisitions
institute at Timberline Lodge”. Library Collections, Acquisitions, and Technical
Services 25, (4) (Winter): 469-471.
Apanel of the Acquisitions Institute at Timberline Lodge in 2001, which included a librarian,
publisher and e-book providers, presented issues confronting the growth of e-books in the
academic library market place. The e-book market projections are a small part of the higher
education book market. Frontlist titles are demanded by libraries and suppliers eager to supply
them. However, publishers are feeling their way through various rights and contract issues as
well as business models as they select titles to provide in electronic form. The instability of
business partners has contributed to publisher delays in releasing e-books. No one among
librarians, suppliers or publishers is throwing in the towel but the position this format takes in
publishing and therefore in library collections in the near future is unsettled.
Appleton, L. 2004. “The use of electronic books in midwifery education: The
student perspective”. Health Information and Libraries Journal 21, (4) (Dec): 245-
252.
The objectives of this paper are: (i) to illustrate the use of e-books by health studies students at
a college of higher education; (ii) to provide a demonstration of how e-books may be facilitated by
library and information services staff working across the health and academic sectors; (iii) to
comment upon the experiences of health studies students, in using e-books. A focus group of 10
student midwives was used to gain insight into how e-books may be used in an academic context
for health professionals. The findings of the student midwives’ focus group are reported and
discussed. In this instance, the student midwives were encouraged to use e-books as part of a
structured information skills programme. The paper concentrates on how the e-books were used
within this context and addresses the potential benefits and disadvantages from a student
perspective. The results provide evidence of a largely positive experience of using e-books as an
electronic information resource. The focus group reveals many benefits and advantages in the
facilitation and use of e-books, as well as addressing areas for development. It is concluded that ebooks
have a place in health library and information resources, but further development of e-books
and e-book collections is required and subsequent investigation into their most effective use.
Appleton, L. 2005. “Using electronic textbooks: promoting, placing and
embedding”. Electronic Library; 23 (1), pp.54-63
Purpose: The paper illustrates the experiences of both academic and support staff in the use
of electronic books within a higher education setting. The case studies report upon practice at
Edge Hill College of Higher Education, which has allowed for successful e-book development
strategies to be employed in teaching and learning within the college. The paper will deal
particularly with e-book marketing, implementation and evaluation strategies, as well as
embedding e-books into virtual learning environments (VLEs). Design/methodology/approach:
The paper reports upon two significant chapters within e-book development at the college. The
first of these is an initial evaluative e-book research project, from which strategy and policy were
formulated. The second part of the paper introduces case studies in which the findings of the
initial research impact upon the embedding of e-books into teaching and learning and
subsequently into the college’s VLE. Findings: User evaluations provide qualitative analytic data
into the benefits and disadvantages of using e-books in higher education teaching and learning
activity. Research limitations/implications: The findings are limited to one particular higher
education institution and specific curriculum areas within. Originality/value: The evaluative
data, as well as particular e-book strategies identified, make the paper of value to those
researching e-book usage and activity, in particular within online learning.
Ariew, S., V. Bailey, C. Coates, J. Colson, K. S. Dabbour, J. Fennewald, S.
Folsom, and S. Gandhi. 2003. “Learning to make a difference: Coverage from
ACRL’s 11th national conference, part 1”. College and Research Libraries News
64, (6) (Jun): 372-377,409.
An overview and 7 reports of sessions at the 11th National Conferenceof the Association of
College and Research Libraries held in Charlotte, North Carolina 10-13 April 2003. Covers:
“Information literacy and student engagement: what the National Survey of Student
Engagement shows about your campus”; a panel which addressed the need for engagementwith
students and collaboration between faculty and libraries in education; a presentation on the
college’s use of the assessment cycle model based on outcomes; a workshop on resulting in the
21st century; 2 papers on research in library and information science; a poster presentation on
cross training reference librarians to catalogue; an account of the management of a large
collection of e-books made available by SOLINET; a paper on cataloguing electronic resources;
and a presentation on integrating information literacy into the curriculum through facultylibrarian
collaboration, based on the experience of the Five Colleges of Ohio in applying funds
granted by the Mellon Foundation.
Armstrong, C. J., and R. E. Lonsdale. 2000. “Scholarly monographs: Why
would I want to publish electronically?”. Electronic Library 18, (1): 21-28.
Presents an examination of the implications of electronic scholarly book publishing for
authors, publishers and readers, stemming from original research undertaken by the authors in
1998 as part of the JISC Electronic Libraries Programme (eLib). The project included a
comprehensive literature search and review; a survey of UK and international publishers of
electronic books (eBooks) by means of an interrogation of their Web sites and case studies
conducted with selected UK publishers. A separate investigation of the publishers of national
bibliographical sources and services was also undertaken and UK university libraries were
surveyed by means of an electronic mail questionnaire. Describes the structure of electronic book
publishing, including the roles of the various parties involved in the publishing process and
addresses such issues as provision, costing, authoring and editorial responsibilities and
challenges. An analysis of the issues associated with the characteristics of Web books is provided,
together with a delineation of the nature of narrative content, added value components, subject
orientations and quality control. Concludes with a brief consideration of some of the challenges
that confront the user of electronic scholarly books, including issues of access.
Armstrong, C., and R. Lonsdale. 2001. “Research into electronic information
resources at the Department of Information and Library Studies, University
of Wales, Aberystwyth”. Information Research Watch International (Aug): 2-3.
Describes the HEINUS-Web project, which investigates the management of higher education
institutions’ web sites, and HEINUS-Net, both of which are financed by the Joint Information
Systems Committee, and are part of HEINUS (Higher Education Institutions Network) project.
The JISC Usage Surveys: Trends in Electronic Information Services (JUSTEIS) is a periodic survey
of Electronic Information Services uptake and use. Reports for both HEINUS and JUSTEIS were
published in 2001. Describes a study of the impact of electronic monographs on collection
development in libraries of higher education institutions.
Armstrong, C., L. Edwards, and R. Lonsdale. 2002. “Virtually there? E-books
in UK academic libraries”. Program 36, (4): 216-227.
Reports results of a survey into the provision of electronic books within academic libraries in
the UK. Where relevant the results are supplemented by data from two other surveys concerned
with e-book provision and electronic information services undertaken by the authors. Incidence
of provision of e-books from individual publishers and through aggregators is reported. Reasons
for non-provision and attitudes towards the medium are discussed, and issues concerned with
bibliographical access are explored. The article concludes with a discussion of the role and
influence of the E-book Working Group set up by the UK body responsible for networking and
electronic resources in higher and further education: the Joint Information Services Committee
(JISC).
Armstrong, C., and R. Lonsdale. 2005. “Challenges in managing e-books
collections in UK academic libraries”. Library Collections, Acquisitions, &
Technical Services 29, (1): 33-50.
This paper reports on research into issues surrounding the collection management of e-books
in tertiary education libraries in the UK. Focus groups were conducted with university librarians
representing three disciplines - business and management; engineering; and health and
medicine, and librarians in post-16 education. Semistructured interview schedules were
employed, and the proceedings were recorded and transcribed. The research identified the types
and levels of e-books required. The nature of bibliographical control and the selection,
acquisition, modes of access, and issues surrounding the licensing of e-books were delineated.
The study identified problems associated with these fields and confirmed the need for a national
model licence
Arot, D., and D. Lahary. 2002. “Text-e: Ecrans et reseaux, vers une
transformation du rapport a l’écrit: Le colloque virtuel de la Bibliothèque
Publique d’Information. = E-text: Screens and networks, towards a
transformation in relation to the written word: The virtual conference at the
Bibliothèque Publique d’Information”. Bulletin des Bibliotheques de France 47,
(4): 93-97.
Ashcroft, L., and C. Watts. 2004. “Change implications related to electronic
educational resources”. Online Information Review 28, (4): 284-291.
E-books are a relatively recent addition to the online electronic resources market, and
commentators are still debating their efficacy. Access to e-books continues to develop, with
numerous platforms available, and lack of standardisation an ongoing problem. However, there
are potential advantages to e-books, including easier access, speed of publication, space-saving,
and lower costs. Many university libraries are beginning to have e-books in their collections. A
research project being undertaken at Liverpool John Moores University is investigating the
provision of e-books in 127 academic libraries in the UK. Many academic libraries are providing
access to e-book resources that are free-of-charge, and those libraries offering e-book
subscriptions are using the World Wide Web for their platform. There are similar issues in the
take-up of e-books to those regarding the take-up of other electronic resources, such as e-journals.
These include changes in professional and management skills, such as collection development,
marketing and evaluation, user education, technological skills and communication skills.
Aucoin, M., and M. Christianson. 2005. “Electronic or print books: Which are
used?”. Library Collections, Acquisitions, & Technical Services 29, (1): 71-81.
The first SOLINET netLibrary Shared Collection duplicated numerous print books held by
Louisiana State University. The library identified over 2,852 print/ebook equivalents in its
catalog. Use statistics for both formats were collected monthly for a year. A t-test of the
differences in the pairs’ circulation found a low correlation. Ebook accesses followed the
academic year. University press ebooks garnered a smaller share of accesses relative to title count
than those of commercial publishers. Differences in format preference were found by subject and
classification. Acquiring an ebook thus means something different for patrons than acquiring its
print equivalent.
Augias, C. 2000. “E-book, istruzioni per l’uso. Intervista a Roger Chartier
sugli orizzonti del libro elettronico”. la Repubblica, 18 ottobre 2000
Azeez, A. T. A., and B. Premlet. 2004. “E-publishing: Need of the hour”.
DESIDOC Bulletin of Information Technology 24, (2) (Mar): 3-7.
Electronic journals and electronic books play a crucial role in the changing scenario of
libraries and information centres. This paper deals with the emerging technology of electronic
publishing. The paper covers e-journals, e-books, advantages of e-journals and e-books,
publishers of scholarly e-journals and important e-publishing initiatives.
Backham, D., F. Boyle, and M. Wiechers. 2001. “Electronic journals in the real
world: A practical approach to cataloguing”. Vine (125) (Dec): 38-42.
Article included in a special issue devoted partly to the theme: E-content: electronic books
and journals. Liverpool University Library like other large academic libraries is constantly
looking at the resource implications of supporting and maintaining a growing portfolio of
electronic resources within the hybrid library. The streamlining of the maintenance of electronic
journals within the Innovative Interface Inc. Innopac environment is described, as are local
cataloguing procedures. The practical solution of one point of record maintenance whilst
maintaining two routes to resource-linking is outlined.
Badke, W. B. 2001. “Questia.com: Implications for the new McLibrary”.
Internet Reference Services Quarterly 5, (3): 61-71.
The advent of Questia.com, a full text electronic library of up to 250,000 volumes, is raising
many questions for users and managers of undergraduate libraries. Implications for students
involve assessing the benefit of a resource that is generic and thus limited, yet offers many
conveniences. Among academic administrators, the desire for financial savings will need to be
balanced against new opportunities to improve library holdings. Librarians will need to evaluate
both their response to Questia.com and the potentially dramatic changes that Questia will bring
to their roles. Faculty should have an important function in critiquing Questia. Questia.com itself
must accept its responsibilities and develop its resource with great wisdom.
Ballard, T. 2000. “Adding a new dimension: E-books. The next link in the
online library evolution is already here”. Information Today 17, (4) (Apr): 48-49.
Outlines the history of the OPAC from its beginnings as an online version of the card
catalogue to its current development as a component of the virtual library and explains how it is
used at Quinnipiac College, Connecticut to link to electronic books. Gives examples of sources of
e-books of non copyright material and describes the NetLibrary by which libraries can access
copyrighted books on a subscription basis.
Barker, P. 2005. “Using e-books for knowledge management”. Electronic
Library; 23 (1), pp.5-8
Purpose: Aims to introduce the articles in the special issue which demonstrate the many
important uses to which electronic books are now being put. Design/methodology/approach:
The article combines narrative and analysis. Findings: Knowledge is one of those important
“commodities” which we (as individuals, groups and communities) accumulate during the
process of living. There is likely to be a growing demand for highly portable, dynamic electronic
books that are able to supply data, information and knowledge “on demand”. The latest wireless,
satellite and server technologies now make this possible. Originality/value: Provides a brief
overview of the e-book environment (for knowledge management).
Barnden, C. 2000. “Format wars”. Library Technology 5, (4) (Aug): 55.
The range of different formats available for accessing electronic books (eBooks), including:
Open E-Book (OEB); Hypertext Markup Language (HTML); Nuvomedia; Glassbook Reader; and
Microsoft Reader. Discusses who will be likely to win the format war but comes to no definite
conclusion.
Bedi, S., and R. Croft. 2004. “eBooks for a distributed learning university: The
royal roads university case”. Journal of Library Administration 41, (1/2): 113-
137.
Royal Roads University library, in implementing the institution’s distributed learning model,
purchased its first eBook collection in April 2000. Now, three years into subscription
commitments and active development of an eBooks collection, the library conducts a study to
determine: Who is accessing the collection? For what purposes is it being used? Is the collection
adequate to meet the academic program needs? Is there a preference for the open access model
over single user access? How does the learning community find reading on screen versus print?
In short, is an eBook collection a vital resource for distributed learning? This paper focuses on the
discoveries made through a quantitative and qualitative research study.
Belisle, C., and C. Ducharme. 2003. “Contrats de lecture: Une experience de
pret de livres electroniques en bibliothèque. = Reading contracts: An
experiment with the loan of electronic books in a library”. Bulletin des
Bibliothèques de France 48, (3): 74-86.
Bell, L., V. McCoy, and T. Peters. 2002. “E-books go to college”. Library Journal
127, (8) (1 May): 44-46.
Provides a brief report of a field study of the use of e-book devices by college students,
professors and librarians at two colleges in Illinois, USA during an 8-week period in September
and October 2001. Undergraduate students enrolled in English courses used handheld e-book
devices to read literary works assigned as part of their course reading. The two devices used
were the Franklin eBook Man 911 and the Gemstar/RCA REB 1100. A large majority of the
students enjoyed reading on these devices, being particularly impressed by the devices readingrelated
functionalities such as an embedded dictionary, the ability to underline passages, and
note-taking. Discusses the practical and theoretical challenges librarians face in managing e-texts
and reading devices and integrating them into the collection and service programmes of
academic libraries and outlines the policies and procedures developed by one of the college
libraries during the study. Concludes that handheld reading devices do have a future in higher
education and provides recommendations for the e-book industry, publishers and librarians.
Bennett, L. 2001. “Electronic publishing in the new millennium”. Learned
Publishing 14, (4) (Oct): 243-246.
Recent developments in electronic publishing are reviewed, covering a brief history of
electronic periodicals and electronic books (eBooks). Concludes that scholarly publishing as it is
currently known, with its long history and sense of tradition, is rapidly becoming
unrecognizable. Changes in technology mean that where once libraries could be relied upon to
purchase what publishers wanted them to have, the latter are now faced with customers telling
them what they want, what they are willing to pay and how they want to receive it. To survive,
scholarly publishers must address those needs and, in doing so, must be willing to cooperate
with each other, and with academic libraries, scholarly societies and other information providers,
in a way that has heretofore been considered unfeasible, if not unthinkable.
Bennett, L., and M. Landoni. 2005. “E-books in academic libraries”. Electronic
Library 23, (1): 9-16.
Purpose: This paper provides an analysis of the current state-of-the-art in e-books, and
attempts both to set the scene and provide reasons for their low uptake.
Design/methodology/approach: The different approaches to e-books of academic librarians,
authors, publishers and readers are considered, using the results of a recent survey
commissioned by the Joint Information Systems Committee. Findings: The findings of this study
make it clear that those who know about e-books see them as potentially useful tools. However,
a number of users of ICT resources are still unaware of e-books even when their academic
libraries’ e-book holdings is high. The lack of promotion from within the university, particularly
from the academics, and to a certain extent from the librarians, is indeed a major reason for this
knowledge gap. Practical implications: Publishers, e-book providers and aggregators, academics
and intermediaries (i.e. librarians and information specialists) should concentrate on raising
awareness of what is available and what are the advantages related to e-books for specific
categories of users. At the same time e-book suppliers should make e-books easier to find and
purchase. Crucially, both the research and commercial development communities have to
address these major issues: definition of common bench marks for research to progress; usercentred
design as a paradigm; better and stronger links with all stakeholders. Originality/value:
This paper offers a stepping stone for all parties interested in moving forwards to achieve this
common goal.
Bertrand, A.-M. 2002. “Nouvelles pratiques de lecture. = New reading
practices”. Bulletin des Bibliothèques de France 47, (4): 100-102.
Berube, L.. 2005. “E-books in public libraries: A terminal or termination
technology?” Interlending and Document Supply 33, (1): 14-18.
Purpose: Aims to present a background to the use of electronic resources, especially e-books,
in public libraries, which appears to threaten some basic activities that define a reading culture
dependent on the print book. Design/methodology/approach: There are initiatives afoot which
are working to integrate e-books into the culture and process of resource-sharing. This paper
reviews some of the issues with e-books, and specifically how the Co-East partnership proposes
to contribute to the initiatives concerned with improving accessibility. Findings: It is important
that public libraries do take that first step in implementing an e-books service and take care in its
promotion. Their traditional role, after all, is providing the bridge between rights holders and the
public and, with the advent of “disruptive technology”, this role is more crucial than ever.
Originality/value: An important precedent for this project has been the findings from the Essex
e-books project, and especially user feedback. Although no one was asking about e-books, users
from all age groups were curious enough to participate in the project, and forthcoming in
offering their opinion, much of it positive, about the reading experience and the mobile
technology
Bin, F., and Q. Miao. 2005. “Electronic publications for Chinese public
libraries: challenges and opportunities”. Electronic Library 23, (2): 181-188.
Purpose: Although a large number of Chinese libraries keep some sort of electronic
publications, mainly formal publications on CD-ROM and online, the usage is quite different
from one library to another. While the hardcopy business process is mature, the rules and
regularities of electronic publications in libraries are under development; many business models
are on a trial basis. This paper plans to investigate what and how many of these electronic
materials should be bought and brought to the users, and how they are used, which are still
embarrassing questions for librarians. Design/methodology/approach: The authors made an
inquiry into the current status of formal electronic publications, including e-books and e-journals
at the two major library groups: public and university libraries, as found out from the
explanation of the gap by literature analysis and interview. Findings: Through the survey on a
few leading libraries of China, we found the big usage gap of e-journals in public versus
university libraries in China. The factors that cause the usage difference are that public libraries
have diversified reader needs, lack of general-purpose e-publication, inferior skill in using epublications,
a charging service model of e-publications, less negotiating power and pricing.
Originality/value: The authors believe that if the improvements outlined in the paper are
introduced, then public libraries can lift their e-publication service to a higher standard,
including extension of the subject scope, building of consortia, upgrading of the reading
environment, and enhancing of the user training and service.
Blackwell, P. 2001. “Taming disruptive technologies, or how to remain
relevant in the digital age”. Journal of Library Administration 35, (3): 33-49.
Paper presented at the 2001 University of Oklahoma Libraries annual conference, held 1-2
March in Oklahoma City, Oklahoma. Electronic books are an example of a ‘disruptive
technology’, that is, a technology that has great appeal to its users but upsets the traditional
models. Notes the questions that electronic book technology raises for traditional publishers and
asks whether answers to these questions can be found by adapting publishing processes and
values to accommodate new ways of doing business.
Breeding, M. 2000. “NetLibrary, innovative interfaces to add e-books to
library collections”. Information Today 17, (4) (Apr): 1, 3.
Outlines the rapid growth of NetLibrary Inc. which began the production and distribution of
electronic books in 1998 using a system which allows library users access to electronic books in
a way similar to that of traditional library loans. Describes NetLibrary’s arrangements with
publishers and libraries and the agreement with the library automation vendor, Innovative
Interfaces Inc., by which enhancements to its Innopac and Millennium systems will result in
greater integration with libraries’ OPACs.
Brown, G. J. 2001. “Beyond print: reading digitally”. Library Hi Tech 19, (4):
390-399.
Article included in a special issue devoted to the theme: E-books. The development of reader
devices and the improvement of screen technology have made reading on screens less
cumbersome. However, acts of reading are not univocal, as people read in many different ways
with many different goals in mind. Reader software can provide different levels of navigation
support for the manipulation of digital text, presenting capabilities for analytic reading not
available in the print-on-paper reading experience and compensating for our lack of orientation
and feeling of omnipotent dominance of text. The parameters of eText reading and the issues of
access remain central to readers and researchers, whether the electronic text is designed and
packaged as an ‘eBook’ for portable reading devices, or resides on a server for distribution to
library terminals to be downloaded to desktop personal computers (PCs), laptops or tablet PCs.
The power and functionality of reading software, in terms of note-taking, highlighting and
indexing capabilities, robust open searching across databases, are ultimately linked to open
access issues, including: interoperability; text standards; and digital rights management. These
remain key questions for libraries, publishers and researchers.
Budd, J., and C. Christensen. 2003. “Social sciences literature and electronic
information. Portal”: Libraries and the Academy 3, (4) (Oct): 643-651.
Most colleges and universities have expanded, and are expanding, access to electronic
information resources. A question remains: to what extent are researchers making use of these
resources as part of their inquiry and publishing activities? The present study investigates
citation practices by authors of journal articles and includes a study of the potential
incorporation of full-text and full-image resources into published work in eight social science
disciplines. It also includes a brief survey of a sample of authors of the examined journal articles.
Buehler, M., E. Dopp, K. A. Hughes, and J. Thompson. 2001. “It takes a library
to support distance learners”. Internet Reference Services Quarterly 5, (3): 5-24.
The philosophy at the Wallace Library, Rochester Institute of Technology, New York, is to
create and provide resources and services designed to support all library users. Consequently,
distance learners and distance faculty have a wide range of online resources available to them,
some of which are ‘pushed out’ to users, so saving time and effort for the library users. The
evolution of these online services, designed to use the Internet and World Wide Web to serve
distance learners dispersed across 45 US states and many countries, is continuous and focused on
the student’s or professor’s research needs as viewed from a geographic distance. Typical online
resources include: electronic course reserves (as part of the Wallace Library’s Electronic Reserve
pilot project); interloans; research databases and online catalogues; electronic books (eBooks); and
online library instruction using guides and video and audio streamed library instruction.
Burk, R. 2000. “Apprivoiser le livre electronique. = Don’t be afraid of ebooks”.
Bulletin des Bibliothèques de France 45, (6): 38-42. Anche su Library
Journal 125, (7) (15 Apr): 42-45.
Reports on the way in which electronic book (e-book) readers and texts are used and
circulated at Algonquin Area Public Library, Illinois. Discusses the usefulness of the Rocket
eBook Readers that this library uses. Also reports on some other libraries’ use of e-book readers.
Addresses aspects such as cataloguing and circulation policy. Includes a brief evaluative
overview of the e-book marketplace.
Calenge, B. 2000. “Doc forum. = Doc forum”. Bulletin des Bibliothèques de
France 45, (3): 109-112.
Cannon, E., and B. Watson. 2001. “Taking e-books for a test drive”. Computers
in Libraries 21, (3) (Mar): 24-27.
Describes the formation of Librare, an electronic book (ebook) cooperative collection
development project, undertaken by the 31 libraries belonging as members of the Tampa Bay
Library Consortium (TBLC). The project was undertaken by TBLC at the instigation of and in
cooperation with netLibrary for the latter to supply ebooks on the basis of an initial purchase of
500 titles. The scheme’s financial basis was the commitment on the part of sufficient numbers of
libraries to cover the initial investment and continuing costs. It is concluded that Librare has been
successful in that it has been well received by library users. Usage statistics increase each month
and the collection continues to grow.
Cavaleri, P. 2004. Utilizzo di tecnologie e-learning per l’information literacy nelle
biblioteche universitarie: sviluppo di strumenti di e-learning per lo svolgimento di
programmi di information literacy in una biblioteca universitaria.
Chrzastowski, T. E. 2001. “Electronic reserves in the science library: tips,
techniques, and user perceptions”. Science and Technology Libraries 20, (2/3):
107-119.
Electronic reserve programmes (‘e-reserves’) have brought a new perspective to a traditional
library service. Reserve services hold materials for a certain population’s use and circulate them
for short periods in special collections. Stresses on the collection are legion, and include
vandalism and theft, endless fines and billing. This notoriously difficult collection has now been
moved online in many institutions, offering users better access and eliminating, or at least
redirecting, many of the collection management challenges. The technology is relatively
inexpensive and easily mastered. Libraries offering e-reserves can simply move existing
programmes online, or expand the service by offering e-books, videos, and links to related sites.
Presents tips for implementing an e-reserve service in a science library addressing copyright
issues and examining use and perceptions of e-reserves at the UIUC Chemistry Library.
Cleyle, S. 2002. “E-books: should we be afraid?”. Serials Librarian 41, (3/4):
281-292.
Contribution to a thematic issue devoted to e-serials cataloguing: access to continuing and
integrating resources via the catalogue and the Web. States that the electronic book revolution is
finally here. E-books are the last area of a library to leave the paper frontier and venture into the
virtual world. Libraries are looking at a future filled with non paper resources and the role of
keeping safe the archival paper resources of the past. Asks, is this something that should be
feared by libraries, or embraced? Reviews the current e-book players and the state of the
technology with a look at how libraries can be involved in this revolution and in so doing ensure
their place in the e-book future.
Conhaim, W. W. 2003. “E-books are not dead yet”. Information Today 20, (1)
(Jan): 40-41.
Reports on the conference,”eBooks: What’s the Story?”, held in Nov 2002 in St. Paul,
Minnesota. The event was sponsored by the MINITEX Library Information Network, a group
with a growing e-book collection. It provides bibliographic, interlibrary loan, cooperative
purchasing, reference, document delivery and other services to its 200 participating libraries in
Minnesota and the Dakotas. According to keynote speakers, e-books are still alive and kicking in
libraries, regardless of what pundits are saying about their viability in the consumer
marketplace. Libraries with e-book programmes are learning about patron usage and are moving
from pilot experimentation to adoption. The main problems seem to be insufficient promotion
and a lack of awareness by patrons.
Connaway, L. S. 2000. “E-books: new opportunities and challenges”.
Technicalities 20, (5) (Sep/Oct): 8-10.
The emergence of electronic books (ebooks) in libraries has brought new opportunities and
new challenges. The opportunity to provide access to full-text ebooks brings the challenges of
making them available through standard library practices and systems. The integration of
ebooks into libraries’ collection development and acquisitions processes and into online public
access catalogues (OPACs) requires the cataloguing and classification of these materials. Some of
the major issues concerning ebooks in libraries are discussed, including: cataloguing; ebook
identifiers (DOI, PURL); classification; statistics; and workflow and training.
Connaway, L. S. 2001. “A web-based electronic book (e-book) library: the
netLibrary model”. Library Hi Tech 19, (4): 340-349.
Article included in a special issue devoted to the theme: E-books. Despite some scepticism
about the adoption of electronic books (eBooks) in libraries, there has been substantial growth in
eBook acquisitions and usage. The eBook task force for the California University digital library
identified eight elements that are important to the evaluation of academic eBook usage: content;
software and hardware standards and protocols; digital rights management; access; archiving;
privacy; the market and pricing; and enhancements and ideal eBook features. There are currently
several eBook models available to libraries that can be assessed and described in relation to the
above-mentioned elements or criteria. Using these elements, the netLibrary eBook model is
described.
Connaway, L. S., and J. Littman. 2004. “A circulation analysis of print books
and e-books in an academic research library”. Library Resources and Technical
Services 48, (4) (Oct): 256-262.
In order for collection development librarians to justify the adoption of electronic books (ebooks),
they need to determine if e-books satisfy the information needs of patrons. One method
to determine this is to measure e-book usage. This study compared the usage of 7,880 titles that
were available in both print and e-book format at the Duke University Libraries. Although the
results of this study cannot be generalized, it does provide information on the use of e-books in
one academic research library and implications for e-book collection development.
Conyers, A. 2004. E-measures: ready for the count? Sconul Focus; (31) Spring,
pp.53-56
A group of 25 higher education libraries are acting as pilot sites for the e-measures project
run by evidence base <www.ebase.uce.ac.uk>, a research and evaluation unit based at the
Library Services, University of Central England. They are testing out a range of measures relating
to their collections of electronic information services and their use of electronic resources. For the
four-month period February-May 2004, each library is collecting data on numbers and costs of eserials,
databases, e-books and digital documents, on the usage of electronic information
services, on virtual visits and electronic enquiries. They will be reporting monthly on the
statistics collected, the methods used and any difficulties or issues encountered. The e-measures
project is funded by the Higher Education Funding Council for England (HEFCE) under the
Good Management Practice (GMP) programme and forms part of the larger Libraries: Outcomes
and Measures project at evidence base which will look also at matching library outcomes to
institutional aims and is being developed alongside eVALUEd, which was set up to produce an
evaluation model for e-library developments.
Cox, A, S. Ormes, H. Mohammed, and M. Kerr. 2001. “E-books”. Library and
Information Briefings; (96) March, p.1-14
Discusses the nature of electronic books together with their pros and cons, such as portability,
instant access, accessibility, attitudes, searchability, annotation, linking, multimedia possibilities,
currency, self-publishing, usage studies, environmental aspects. Considers the problems posed
by electronic books, expense, technological change, low availability of titles, complex systems,
cost of purchasing titles, compatibility, printing, limited rights, screen resolutions. Reports results
of an investigation into user experiences with some specific electronic book systems: Microsoft
Reader; MobiPocket Reader; Rocket ebook; netLibrary; and Questia. Summarizes the evaluation
criteria, particularly as they apply to the readers and value added features.
Cox, J. 2004. “E-books: challenges and opportunities”. D-Lib Magazine 10, (10)
(Oct).
Electronic books (e-books) are commonly perceived as offering great potential for learner
support but also as struggling to compete with print due to poor on-screen presentation,
restrictive licensing and limited range of titles offered. The experience of a group of Irish
university libraries shows that, with the right combination of product and subjects, e-books can
thrive among students and faculty, while librarians can create more dynamic, relevant and
flexible collections than for print. Subscription management is demanding for libraries, however,
and licensing issues remain highly problematic, representing a formidable obstacle to full
exploitation.
Crawford, J. 2002. “A study of issues in administering library services to
nursing studies at Glasgow Caledonian University”. Health Information and
Libraries Journal 19, (2) (Jun): 90-97.
At Glasgow Caledonian University, Scotland, nursing students seemed dissatisfied with the
library service and there were frequent complaints. A major study was undertaken during 2000
which showed the concerns of nursing studies students to be similar to those of other students
but more strongly felt. The four main issues were textbook availability, journal availability,
opening hours and staff helpfulness. Working conditions, placement requirements, study
requirements, and domestic circumstances were all found to be important factors. IT skill levels
tended to be low but there is a growing appreciation of the need for training in this area. It was
concluded that: services to nursing students have become enmeshed with the problems of
delivery and assessment of education for nurses; greatly extended opening hours are essential:
the problem of access to textbooks is so severe that programmes of core text digitization and the
promotion of e-books are needed: and reciprocal access programmes with local hospital libraries
is essential
Crawford, W. 2004. “Books and beyond: evolving libraries and media”. North
Carolina Libraries 62, (1) (Spring): 6-15.
Examines the possible future development of libraries in terms of the main issues: books and
other resources (including electronic books (e-books)); the crisis in periodicals acquisitions;
issues and possibilities; distinguishing types of libraries; library missions (long term missions
versus short term needs). Concludes with a nine point plan for libraries to predict their
development based on what has occurred over the past few years.
Dawson, A., and J. Wallis. 2005. “Twenty issues in eBook creation”. Against
the Grain 17, (1) (Feb 2005, pp.18, 20, 22).
Discussion of electronic books (eBooks) in libraries and universities covers a range of issues
such as selection, purchasing, licensing, management and user support. One topic that rarely
arises is that of eBook creation. Most librarians see themselves as consumers rather than creators
of eBooks. Yet libraries have a mass of books and other materials that may be suitable for
digitization. Summarises many of the issues that arise when creating eBooks and publishing
them in open access XHTML format on the World Wide Web, and describes policies that can help
resolve these issues. Discusses such issues as: eBook formats; digitization issues; text
management issues; image management issues; publication issues; cataloguing and indexing
issues; and the principles of eBook creation. Notes how Google is taking the lead in this process
by working with major libraries to carry out automatic digitization of their collections on a large
scale and there is considerable scope for this lead to be taken up by smaller libraries.
Dearnley, J., and C. McKnight. 2001. “The revolution starts next week: The
findings of two studies considering electronic books”. Information Services and
Use 21, (2): 65-78.
Reports on two pilot studies undertaken in the UK, in 2000, at Loughborough University and
Market Harborough public library. The first study was conducted at Loughborough University
in May 2000. It considered staff and student evaluation of two electronic reader products,
NuvoMedia’s ‘Rocket eBook’ and Glassbook Inc’s ‘Glassbook’. A second study in Dec 2000 used
a focus group at Market Harborough public library to consider potential use of the ‘Rocket
eBook’ for lending services. Considers the products, their history and current capabilities.
Presents the results of the studies. Concludes that, while the findings raised concerns on the
usability of the products, the interest shown by users, plus the development of new, enhanced
devices, points to a positive future for electronic books.
Dearnley, J., and C. McKnight. 2003. “Electronic book use in a public library”.
Journal of Librarianship and Information Science 35, (4) (Dec): 235-242.
This article reports on a study which aimed to investigate the potential for portable electronic
book (e-book) devices within a public library context. The main method of data collection was a
questionnaire distributed to all readers who borrowed a device during the project. Results are
discussed in terms of (a) the users’ reaction to the device and the process of reading from it, and
(b) the institutional considerations encountered by the collaborating librarians. It is not clear
from the outcomes that portable e-books provide a viable delivery mechanism within a public
library.
Dearnley, J., C. McKnight, and A. Morris. 2004. “Electronic book usage in
public libraries: a study of user and staff reactions to a PDA-based collection”.
Journal of Librarianship and Information Science 36, (4) (Dec): 175-182.
This article reports on one aspect of a Laser Foundation-funded research project that tested
different models of e-book delivery and offered guidelines for developing e-book collections in
UK public libraries. An e-book collection was offered to library users (primarily, users relying on
a mobile library service) on Personal Digital Assistant (PDA) devices at Essex County Libraries.
The article considers reaction from both library users and staff. A number of positive and
negative reactions to e-books were noted, and the indicative results point to the conclusion that
dedicated PDA collections still offer questionable benefits for use in public libraries.
Deschatelets, G., and Z. Gharbi. 2003. “Les livres electroniques dans le milieu
universitaire: Formes et usages. = Electronic books in a university
environment: forms and uses”. Documentation et Bibliothèques 48, (3) (Jun 2003-
Aug): 83-97.
Dillon, D. 2000. “E-books: the UT-Austin experience”. Texas Library Journal 76,
(3) (Fall): 112-115.
Describes the experience of the library of the University of Texas at Austin in using the
netLibrary model to provide web-based electronic books for its patrons. Library users can access
the purchased e-books from any Internet-connected computer in the world. They can view the ebook
just as they would any other website or they can choose to check out the e-book for a
circulation period which is kept as short as possible so that titles are available to the greatest
number of people. Outlines the reasons for choosing the netLibrary model, and describes how
the model works. Comments on the selection of titles, usage, cataloguing, pricing and
publisher’s concerns, online and offline reading, and the question of consortia versus individual
library purchases. Concludes that the future role of the e-book in academic publishing looks
promising, although among trade publishers the future appears less certain.
Dillon, D. 2000. “Digital books: making then work for publishers and
libraries”. College and Research Libraries News 61, (5) (May): 391-393.
Reflects on the question of electronic monographs or e-books given the success of electronic
reference indexes and electronic journals in a library environment. Asks whether e-books will
have an impact on the balanced, productive and reasonable dialogue currently enjoyed between
librarians and library vendors. Looks at the issue of finding a suitable alternative pricing model
for e-books and of an approval plan for e-books.
Dillon, D. 2000. “Le livre electronique a l’Université du Texas. = E-books and
the University of Texas”. Bulletin des Bibliothèques de France 45, (6): 44-49.
Dillon, D. 2001. “E-books: The University of Texas experience, part 1”. Library
Hi Tech 19, (2): 113-124.
Describes the electronic book (e-book) programme of Texas University at Austin, surveys the
state of the e-book market and e-book technology, provides e-book usage statistics for three
different consortia and offers guidelines for e-book acquisitions, as well as e-book issues to be
considered. Relevant specification, standards, and working groups are explained, as are the
future e-book plans of Texas University. Concludes that e-books are to printed books, as
television is to radio and movies: another format with its own strengths and weaknesses.
Dillon, D. 2001. “E-books: The University of Texas experience, part 2”. Library
Hi Tech 19, (4): 350-362.
Article included in a special issue devoted to the theme: E-books. Follows-up on an earlier
Library Hi Tech article on the eBook program at Texas University (Library Hi Tech, 19 (2) 2001,
113-124). It notes changes in usage that have occurred with the addition of eBook cataloguing
records in the library online catalogue and changes in selection patterns as librarians have gained
more experience with eBooks. It also surveys the current digital information environment, notes
the increasing commodification of information, details the eBook efforts of the Association of
American Publishers and examines potential future eBook directions.
Dillon, D. 2002. “Fishing the electronic river: Disruptive technologies, the
unlibrary, and the ecology of information”. Journal of Library Administration
36, (3): 45-58.
Paper presented at the 2002 University of Oklahoma Libraries annual conference, Oklahoma
City, 7-8 March. The theme of the conference was electronic resources and collection
development in academic libraries. Presents ways in which to successfully locate, hook and
retrieve needed information in the electronic world. Discusses how libraries, the Internet and
electronic books are all interrelated parts of the information ecology.
Dillon, M. 2001. “Good ideas are not enough”. Portal: Libraries and the
Academy 1, (2) (Apr): 169-176.
Discusses the emergence of new ideas for the development of libraries in the age of the
Internet and World Wide Web. In practice, ideas that are fully implemented but fail to reach their
intended audience are very expensive in resources and in time, with considerable opportunity
costs. Examines the reasons why ideas fail to be realized and the difficulties arising from efforts
to differentiate between good ideas and bad ideas. Many ideas are not implemented at all as they
never emerge from the idea stage. An implementation could reach the prototype stage and go no
further; while an idea could be fully implemented but then fail to be generally adopted. Poor
execution is an important reason for this kind of failure, while bad timing is another. The pains
associated with attempts to launch electronic books (e-books) illustrate these types of problems.
Reviews some of the library ideas that have been carried through to implementation, noting the
reasons for the causes of their success or failure, including: library cooperation and cooperatives;
electronic information (EIDOS, OCLCs Guidon); online reference services; and Library.org
Dodero, J. M., I. Aedo and P. Diaz. 2002. “Participative knowledge production
of learning objects for e-books”. Electronic Library; 20 (4), p.296-305
Article included in a special issue devoted to the theme: Electronic books for teaching and
learning. In a distributed learning environment, the development of learning objects is a
participative task. Considers learning objects as knowledge pieces, which are subject to the
management processes of acquisition, delivery, creation and production. A multiple-tier
architecture for participative knowledge production tasks is introduced, where knowledgeproducing
agents are arranged into knowledge domains or marts and a distributed interaction
protocol is used to consolidate knowledge that is produced in a mart. Knowledge consolidated
in a given mart can be in turn negotiated in higher-level foreign marts. The proposed architecture
and protocol are applied to coordinate the authoring of open ebook packages as learning objects
by a distributed group of authors.
“E-books for easy reading”. 2001. Information Retrieval and Library Automation
36, (11) (Apr): 2-4.
Reports on a project carried out by the University of Rochester, New York, USA, to
incorporate e-books into 6 academic, public and school libraries. Rocket eBooks and SoftBooks
were used. Problems were experienced with encryption, cataloguing, order and downloading
and browsing, but users enjoyed leisure reading with the devices. Currently e-books are focusing
on the leisure market but textbooks are now becoming available and e-books may be suitable for
certain special needs.
Edwards, L. 2002. “Shaping a strategy for e-books: the JISC e-books working
group”. Liber Quarterly: the Journal of European Research Libraries 12, (2/3): 240-
244.
JISC is the Joint Information Systems Committee of UK education funding councils and its
E-Book Working Group includes publishers, librarians, academic staff and the British Library. Its
objectives focus on maximizing the benefits of electronic publishing for higher and further
education by, e.g. monitoring the industry, acquiring and promoting content and developing
sustainable economic models. Reports the findings of a paper published by the group in
September 2001 which covered industry status and forecasts, the publishers’ perspective,
distribution and the role of intermediaries, economics, technology and standards. The paper
analysed the phases in the development of electronic publishing and the impact on libraries in
changes in the supply of e-books. Notes that the group has secured a number of contracts and
outlines its market mapping study now under way.
Anche in: New Review of Information Networking; 8, pp.81-87.
Outlines the strategy being developed for the growth of electronic books within the UK
academic community and provides a broad analysis of the e-book industry and critical factors
affecting developments. Describes the role of JISC E-Books Working Group and gives an
overview of its programme of activities
Edwards, L., and H. Woodward. 2001. “Shaping a strategy for e-books”.
SCONUL Newsletter (23) (Summer/Autumn): 20-22.
Although electronic books (eBooks) are beginning to make their way into libraries
collections, the question remains as to why it has taken so long for this to happen. The hard
knocks taken by venture capitalists in investing in commercial Internet operations and Dot.coms
is a major reason for this holding back. The background to the development of eBooks is
described in terms of the arguments that have been involved in issues relating to the degree of
added value inherent in eBooks.
Electronic Library; 23 (1) 2005
Engle, J. 2001. “Checking out the downloads: e-books and the library
market”. Assignation 18, (2) (Jan): 18-21.
Far from replacing traditional libraries, digital research libraries seek to augment collections
and enhance research abilities for libraries and their patrons while providing new revenue
sources for publishers and libraries. Looks at each of these benefits and explains how the
following digital research libraries operate: (ebrary.com); (www.netLibrary.com);
(www.bartleby.com); and (www.questia.com).
Falk, H. 2003. “Electronic campuses”. Electronic Library 21, (1): 63-66.
Provides an overview of the technology being employed at some US colleges which is
leading to the paperless campus. For example, the use of wireless networks to connect PCs and
Internet displays in classrooms and laboratories that lack conventional network wiring,
providing access to online libraries and other resources from laptop PCs and handheld devices.
Looks at Web-based technology and its use by faculty and students, not only for information
gathering, but also for tutoring services. Shows how live chat sessions with teachers are heavily
over-subscribed. Looks at the use of e-books (4 million e-book units sold in 2000: predicted figure
by 2005 - 140 million). Provides results of a study comparing print text books and e-text books,
and from another study which show undergraduates spend only a third of their study time in
the library and faculty members only 10 per cent. To counteract these trends, online library
resources are being expanded for 200,000 students and faculty at seven academic institutions in
a unified students’ portal, with links to local online course materials and consultations with
reference librarians.
Falk, H. 2005. “Temple of the computer”. Electronic Library; 23 (2): 244-248
Purpose: Aims to investigate the new use of libraries by the public.
Design/methodology/approach: Begins by describing the facilities at Seattle Central Library
which represents a general escalation of public interest in libraries. Goes on to examine how
other libraries are making use of computers and the internet. Findings: It appears that computerbased
services are the force behind the increase in library use. Discovers that there is an increase
in the use of e-books and that library circulation and maintenance has been improved by the use
of radio frequency identification (RFID) tags. Originality/value: This paper provides a useful
insight into how computer-based services can be used to benefit libraries.
Ferguson, A. W. 2000. “Digital library selection: maximum access, not buying
the best titles: libraries should become full text amazon.com’s”. Journal of
Library Administration 31, (2): 27-38.
Contribution to a thematic issue devoted to research collections and digital information.
Discusses new ways of selecting information for the digital library. Asserts that selectors need to
put their emphasis on buying more information, rather than on trying to figure out what is the
best information. They also need to emphasize access to a broader range, instead of a narrower
range, of materials. Reviews several techniques to accomplish these goals: buying packages of
publisher e-journals when available; taking advantage of serials purchase upon demand
programmes; taking part in consortial e-journal purchases; letting users decide what e-books to
purchase; and taking part in consortial e-book purchase programmes.
Ferguson, A. W., and A. Ko. 2004. “eBooks in China”. Against the Grain 16 (5)
Nov, pp.42, 44, 46, 50
Reviews the current trends in the growth and development of electronic books (e-books) in
the Chinese People’s Republic by means of a survey of the e-book collections in the libraries of
the ten major Chinese universities to determine the which ones use books from one or more of
the three major Chinese e-book producing companies: Apabi; Superstar; and Scholars. The user
operational functions built into the products of these three producers are tabulated and
compared. Concludes with notes on other Chinese e-book related activities and projects.
Gaggini, L. 2002. “L’editoria italiana in formato elettronico, stato dell’arte e
prospettive: un punto di vista”. AIDAinformazioni, XX/1, 2002, pp. 61-75.
Relazione presentata alla Sessione italiana dell’Online Information Meeting 2001 ( Londra, 5
dicembre 2001) e al Seminario AIDA di replica “L’editoria elettronica: nuove leggi e vecchia
economia” (Milano, Palazzo delle Stelline, 15 marzo 2002).
Gall, J. E. 2005. “Dispelling five myths about e-books”. Information Technology
and Libraries; 24 (1) Mar, pp.25-31.
Some considered 2000 the year of the e-book, and due to the dot-com bust, that could have
been the format’s high-water mark. However, the first quarter of 2004 saw the greatest number
of e-book purchases ever with more than $3 million in sales. A 2002 consumer survey found that
67 percent of respondents wanted to read e-books; 62 percent wanted access to e-books through
a library. Unfortunately, the large amount of information written on e-books has begun to
develop myths around their use, functionality, and cost. The author suggests that these myths
may interfere with the role of libraries in helping to determine the future of the medium and
access to it. Rather than fixate on the pros and cons of current versions of e-book technology, it is
important for librarians to stay engaged and help clarify the role of digital documents in the
modern library.
Garrod, P. 2003. “Ebooks in UK libraries: where are we now?”. Ariadne (37)
(Oct 2003-Dec)
Reviews the recent developments that have taken place in the field of electronic books (ebooks).
E-books are well established in US libraries and it is just a matter of time before Europe
catches up. One of the key factors affecting the take-up of e-books in the UK has been that content
and services have been developed by US companies for the US market and this represents a
sizeable market to e-book publishers and aggregators. Content suitable for UK and European
markets was, until recently, in very short supply, although pricing and access models also put ebooks
out of reach for many UK public libraries. In some subject areas it may not matter if
materials have a US bias, but it is important in subjects such as law and medicine, especially in
the academic sector, where booklists are made up of titles from leading international publishing
houses. netLibrary is now trying to remedy this situation and has recently added content from a
range of international publishers including Kluwer, Blackwell, John Wiley and University
presses (e.g. Oxford, Cambridge, Edinburgh). The public library sector is waiting for reports
from these projects before taking further action.
Garrod, P.. 2004. “E-books: are they the interlibrary lending model of the
future?” Interlending and Document Supply 32, (4): 227-233.
This article assesses the likely impact of e-books on interlibrary lending in the UK. It
examines a range of factors that are likely to impact on the lending of e-books to other libraries,
for example, digital rights management systems designed to protect copyright and publishers’
profits, and the limited take-up of e-book services in UK libraries. It analyses the reasons behind
this poor take-up including unsuitable pricing and delivery models and lack of appropriate
content. The article also gauges current levels of demand for books requested via interlibrary
loans, and questions whether books are different from documents in terms of copying and
distribution, and what the likelihood is of e-books being able to satisfy interlibrary loan requests.
A new hybrid model of interlending, aimed at solving the problem of lending e-books in
academic libraries, is reviewed.
Gedeon, R., and B. Meyer. 2005. “eBooks at Western Michigan University: a
case study”. Against the Grain 17, (1) (Feb): 52-54.
Describes the activities of Western Michigan University Library in the provision of access to
electronic books (eBooks), noting: some of the major eBook series databases available to library
users; acquisitions and access; cataloguing; eBook applications; eBook usage; and some of the
successes and disappointments experienced. Concludes that the overall experience of eBooks has
been successful, particularly in terns of overcoming the problems of theft and damage, and the
addition of tens of thousands of quality titles to the collection has been
Gelfand, J. 2002. “User input, experiences in assigned reading from e-books:
one netLibrary experience”. Library Hi Tech News 19, (1): 17-18.
Gives an account of a year long pilot of electronic books by the libraries of the University of
California, Irvine (UCI). The libraries took out a one year subscription to the 750 books from
netLibrary and elicited feedback from students. Focuses on the feedback which was mainly
negative and the proposals that students offered regarding the provision of electronic books.
Gethin, P. 2002. “Promoting the use of e-books by the use of electronic
enrichment”. Liber Quarterly: the Journal of European Research Libraries 12, (2/3):
234-239.
Looks at the ways in which cover design, summaries, and quoted reviews, commonly used
by publishers and booksellers to promote sales, have been adopted for online bookselling and
how libraries are now seeking to enrich their catalogues with these promotional elements visible
on, e.g. the Amazon site. Looks at the drawbacks in offering free chapters as an inducement to
purchase electronic books and suggests that the promotional techniques which have proved
effective for print might well be applied to e-books.
Gibbons, S. 2001. “Growing competition for libraries”. Library Hi Tech 19, (4):
363-367.
Article included in a special issue devoted to the theme: E-books. In an analysis of Questia’s
online collection of digitized books and articles, although the collection is not found to be a
strong one, Questia’s strength lies in its ability to utilize the digital format to overcome many of
the barriers and inconsistencies that undergraduate students encounter in a traditional brickand-
mortar academic library. Concludes that librarians can learn a lot from Questia and perhaps
use that knowledge to improve their own services.
Gibbs, N. J. 2000. “E-books: report on an ongoing experiment”. Against the
Grain 11, (6) (Dec 1999-Jan): 23-25.
Reports briefly on an ongoing experiment, at North Carolina State University Libraries, to
evaluate electronic books, buying seven Rocket eBooks and five Softbooks and purchasing a
number of electronic titles to load onto these reading devices. The Library also signed up as a
subscriber to netLibrary.com to provide over 1300 titles. Two problems not anticipated at the start
were: lack of complete bibliographic information; and lack of sufficient detail in the publishers’
catalogues to enable book selection to made effectively.
Green, K. 2003. “Introducing e-books at the University of Surrey”. SCONUL
Newletter (29) (Summer/Autumn): 54-56.
In autumn 2001 the Surrey University Library (UniS) began a project to test the viability of
the use of electronic books (e-books) for learning and teaching. The fundamental question was
whether the use of e-books would contribute positively to undergraduate students’ learning
experience at UniS. Allied to this were a number of library management issues, including space
management and the need to ascertain if e-books would bring added value to the short loan
collection in the Library. Handheld and desktop e-book readers were considered but, owing to
problems purchasing readers from the USA, it was decided to concentrate on desktop readers
and to investigate the viability of handheld e-book readers at a later stage, if they became widely
available and reasonably priced in the UK. The pilot study used a collection of engineering
reference e-books, published by CRC Press, and also identified some civil engineering e-books
which were already available at UniS through the RIBA Construction Information Service. The
pilot study was directed at students on a distance-learning postgraduate civil engineering course
and consisted of titles which were on the reading lists of several course modules currently
running. Ashort questionnaire was prepared to obtain student feedback about using the e-books
involving a group of students on campus before publishing it on the library Web site. Two years
after the introduction of the scheme, the e-books are seen as just another information resource,
sitting happily alongside printed books, online databases and e-journals.
Hall, J. 2004. “Living up to expectations: public library perspective”. Serials
17, (3) (Nov): 263-266.
Richmond upon Thames is an outer London borough providing library and information
services to a population of 173,000 people. Since 1999 it has moved from a pre-ICT state to
providing eight subscription services electronically, plus e-books and e-audio. This presentation
looks at the provision of electronic resources through a public library service perspective (what
we did and why, how we did it, what worked and what didn’t), focusing on the importance of
staff input and training, marketing and promotion, accessibility and increasing user take-up.
Haarhoff, L. 2005. “Books from the past: an e-books project at Culturenet
Cymru”. Program; 39 (1) 2005, pp.50-65
Purpose: To describe the open-source solution developed by Culturenet Cymru, for the
Welsh Books Council, for presenting digitised books and other printed material online.
Design/methodology/approach: The challenges faced in the implementation of a pilot e-book
collection of nine out-of-print books is described. Findings: The adoption of a number of
international standards for the presentation, coding, conversion, metadata and searching of texts
have resulted in a working pilot project. Practical implications: It is hoped that many publicly
funded bodies such as libraries and archives will make use of the system. Asmall collection of ebooks
may be of some use, but it is the ability to search for, and access, e-books across distributed
collections which will provide real educational benefit. Originality/value: Culturenet Cymru
hopes to play a role in co-ordinating the adoption of common standards for text digitisation in
Wales
Hattery, M. 2001. “E-books and a universal archive: will they exist?”.
Information Retrieval and Library Automation 37, (7) (Dec): 1-3.
Discusses comments on ebooks at the Electronic Book 2001 Conference, held in Washington,
DC in Nov 2001, and a presentation about the Internet Archive at the ASIST Annual Conference.
At E-Book 2001, Alberto Vitale (former Random House Chairman and CEO) described the ebook
as a ‘new concept for presenting and disseminating information’. Mitch Freedman, president
elect of the American Library Association, listed the problems with ebooks. Alan Adler of the
Association of American Publishers said that the publishing industry feels digitally threatened
by the emergence of P2P technology for distributing files through networks, and that librarians
fear that if ebooks are successful patrons may not need libraries. Both Freedman and Adler
pointed out that libraries play a role in publicizing ebooks. At the ASIST meeting, Web innovator
Brewster Kahle described the Internet Archive, a project undertaken to begin the compilation of
all human knowledge.
Hawkins, D. T. 2000. “Electronic books: a major publishing revolution. part 1:
General considerations and issues”. Online 24, (4) (Jul/Aug 2000, p.14-18, 20-
2, 24-6).
Presents the historical background to the emergence of electronic books (eBooks), noting the
characteristics of the three types of eBooks: downloadable eBooks; dedicated eBook readers; and
Web-accessible eBooks and listing in a table the advantages and disadvantages of eBooks
generally and of downloadable and dedicated readers. Other, general issues considered include:
copyright; formats; the Microsoft eBook initiative; and standards. The specific problems of
eBooks in libraries, including licensing, lack of standards, bibliographic control, and physical
problems are discussed with particular reference to experience in actual libraries, such as North
Carolina State University and Drexel University. The account concludes with statistics on the
number of articles covering the subject of eBooks in online databases, over the period 1981-2000
and a list of selected eBook-related Web sites.
Hawkins, D. T. 2002. “Electronic books: reports of their death have been
exaggerated”. Online 26, (4) (Jul/Aug): 42-48.
When e-books were launched, market research predicted massive growth in their use, but the
market has not developed as predicted. Some e-book companies have already collapsed or been
taken over. There is still hope for e-books, if companies proceed carefully and consider the
appropriate markets for the product. Students, travellers, and users with special needs are some
of the appropriate markets. Reviews some of the e-book companies which have survived, and
some which have not. Also looks at legal issues affecting e-book use in public libraries.
Helfer, D. S. 2000. “E-books in libraries: some early experiences and
reactions”. Searcher 8, (9) (Oct): 63-65.
The growing popularity of electronic books (ebooks) with librarians is noted and some of the
milestones along the development path are described. Particular attention is paid to the joint
development of ebooks by Cindy Hill and netLibrary some of the fundamental development
work undertaken by Bell and Howell.
Heye, D. 2005. “Next stop: global? A study in globalization at Shell
Exploration and Production BV, Rijswijk, Netherlands”. Information Outlook 9,
(2) (Feb): 29-31.
Describes the project, undertaken by Shell International Exploration and Production BV,
Netherlands (EP), to implement a recommendation to merge all information management (IM)
activities concerned with the delivery of information technology (IT) systems and services into
the EP IT organization. The goal of the project was to develop a detailed design for the new
global IM services, with particular reference to the high priority opportunities as defined in the
global IT study, resulting in: cost reduction through leverage of global scale; business need
driven quality and service levels; leverage of external service offerings where this is sensible;
providing best support the new global IM processes; and integration with the new global IM
applications and infrastructure. Presents details of the study in terms of: evaluating the current
situation at Shell EP Libraries; benchmarking; the required result; requirements; and
opportunities. Concludes that the globalization study revealed specific needs in the areas of:
literature and information searching and analysis; books and electronic books; electronic
periodicals; and a global setup of the EP library organization.
Hillebrand, T. 2001. “Instituting an eBook Program”. PNLA Quarterly 65, (4)
(Summer): 12-14.
Describes the recent developments in the technology of electronic books (eBooks) and the
challenges they pose to libraries. Illustrates the ways in which libraries can approach this
medium with particular reference to Moscow Library, Idaho, which received a Latah County
Community Foundation grant of 5,000 dollars to enable it to launch an eBook programme.
Concludes that one advantage of eBooks is the fact that considerably more eBooks than printed
books may be bought for 5,000 dollars (5,000 versus 177, respectively).
Hodgkin, A. 2003. “Forget the e-book, it’s the e-library that matters”.
Information World Review (196) (Nov): 13.
Despite the early promise shown by electronic books (e-books), this medium has appeared
to stall, with Barnes and Knowles announcing that they plan to have nothing more to do with
them and other publishers appearing to have lost faith in them. It is suggested that the original
e-book model, involving a dedicated reader and a “book-type” distribution model, was never
wanted by the users and this explains its demise. Suggests that a better approach is to look away
from the old focus on e-books in their own right and look towards extending the successful
concept of the digital library to include e-books as one part of an all-embracing idea of
information accessibility.
Hodgkin, A. 2003. “Libraries on the web: collections or services?”. Library +
Information Update 2, (7) (Jul): 48-49.
Reflects on the nature of collections, conceived as constituting the genetic element in the
library as a system while the service and usersrepresent the environmental factors. Viewing the
electronic library from the position of an electronic book publisher sees it as a collection of e-books
and gives 7 reasons to support this approach, including its constant availability to all and the
diminished importance of physical location. Examines the implications of this service approach on
the management and content of library collections. Forecasts that bookswill still be in use in 10
years time but that in the area of the electronic library there will be extraordinary advances.
van Hoorebeek, M. 2003. “eBooks, libraries and peer-to-peer file-sharing”.
Australian Library Journal 52, (2) (May): 163-168.
Discusses the effects of Napster clones on the future of academic electronic books (eBooks).
Napster was constructed around one simple concept: to allow members of a “community” to
share computer files on the World Wide Web. The peer-to-peer (P2P) file sharing concept allows
a user to request a certain file, search listings of other community members and transfer the file
through cyberspace. Describes a range of activities associated with this file sharing and eBooks,
including: scanning eBooks, cracking the code of commercial eBooks, piracy control, the law
relating to these activities, and academic eBooks.
Horrocks, G. 2003. “JIBS User Group: serving the interests of online resource
users in higher education, further education and research”. SCONUL
Newsletter; (30) Winter, pp.22-23
The JIBS User Group (JIsc (assisted) Bibliographic dataserviceS) is a collective of information
professionals and end users in the higher education, further education and research sectors that
seeks to articulate concerns and feedback about Internet resources provided by Joint Information
Systems Committee (JISC). The original JIBS remit, to encourage feedback on the use of has
evolved in order to accommodate the concerns and interests of students, teachers and research
staff confronted with the extensive and continuously expanding portfolio of Internet resources
that make up JISC’s Information Environment. This environment, a comprehensive collection of
scholarly and educational materials, already provides a rich landscape of content, including
bibliographic and full text resources (including e-journals and e-books), moving pictures and
sound, learning materials, geospatial information, primary research data, images and resource
discovery tools.
Howell, D. 2005. “Mobiles ring e-book sales”. Bookseller; (5177) 6 May 2005, pp.24.
After a somewhat shaky start, e-books are starting to establish a market presence, and the
development of an e-book reader for mobile phones could provide the impetus needed for it to
start growing fast. With millions of phone handsets ready to receive e-book content, this could
be the innovation that publishers have been waiting for.
Hutley, S. 2002. “E-books in public libraries: experiences from Oz”.
Multimedia Information and Technology 28, (1) (Feb): 23-24.
Offers a practical assessment of the current state of the application of e-books in public
libraries in Australia where experiences to date have been fraught with problems. Provides some
information about the positive and negative features of e-books as an aid to more informed
decision-making for librarians considering this technology.
Hyams, E. 2001. “Bringing e-books to journal”. Library Association Record 103,
(5) (May): 280-281.
Reports on the UK Library and Information Technology Centre’s conference on electronic
books held in Mar 2001. The meeting addressed the redefinition and redistribution of the roles of
intermediaries in the electronic information chain. Discusses the reluctance of many publishers
to digitize their best print titles, and considers the prospects for commercial electronic libraries
like netLibrary, Questia and ebrary.
Hyatt, S., and L. S. Connaway. 2002. “Utilizing e-books to enhance digital
library offerings”. Ariadne (33) (Aug).
Describes the rationale and background of OCLC’s acquisition of netLibrary, the major
electronic books (eBooks) producer, the information environment that is being pursued and the
resulting benefits that libraries may experience.
Jantz, R. 2001. “E-books and new library service
models: an analysis of the
impact of e-book technology on academic libraries”. Information Technology
and Libraries 20, (2) (Jun): 104-113.
Analyzes the implications of electronic book (e-book) technology on academic libraries.
Although these are at a very early stage of e-book evolution, business models, standards
and supporting technology are under development that will dramatically affect libraries
and librarians. Librarians and administrators therefore must understand thoroughly these
trends in order to apply effectively the resulting innovations within their institutions.
Librarians must begin to design an imaginative, easily identifiable space in cyberspace as
the centrality of the library as a physical phenomenon slowly fades. Improving library
service by extrapolation from existing services, doing the same things faster and better, will
provide incremental improvements but will not move libraries quickly to that ‘identifiable
space’ of which Martrell writes.
Jantz, R., and R. Bell. 2002. “English advice manuals online at Rutgers: a
partnership in a new course using digital books and web technology”. Library
Hi Tech 20, (3): 318-324.
The authors’ experiences in launching a new course at Rutgers University, New Jersey, are
described. The new honours course resulted from a collaboration between the History
Department and Rutgers University Libraries (RUL), in which academic instruction, a unique
source of digital books, and Web/Internet technology were brought together to provide a new
learning experience for undergraduates. Students used the Early English Books Online (EEBO)
collection at RUL and were challenged to learn as much as possible in a single semester about
some facet of early English advice manuals. The course objectives, technology platform, and
student experiences are discussed.
Johnson, D. 2000. “E-books, libraries and access for the blind”. Librarians
World 9, (3): 47-49.
Offers a positive speculation on what the continuing development of e-books will mean for
libraries and their blind or otherwise print impaired users. Explains what e-books are and what
they could mean for the blind, then describes open e-book standards and discusses the
implications of e-books for libraries. Concludes with a list of 5 e-book related Web sites.
Jonchere, L. 2002. “Livres electroniques en ligne et bibliothèques
universitaires: Situation aux Etats-Unis, projets en France. = Online e-books
and university librarians: status in the USA, plans in France”. Documentaliste
39, (4-5) (Oct): 202-207.
Jordan, Jay. 2003. “E-content in the OCLC global library co-operative”. Serials
16, (2) (Jul): 137-140.
In the next stage of the digital library, co-operation will be more important than ever. OCLC,
the world’s largest library cooperative, intends to help institutions manage their e-content from
e-journals to e-books to emerging collections of digital objects. WorldCat, co-operatively built
and maintained by OCLC and its member libraries, is being transformed from a bibliographic
database to a knowledge hub that will help people identify and connect diverse content in a
networked world.Emerging standards, new linking tools, and new techniques for harvesting
metadata are among the topics explored.
Khode, S., and D. Kumar. 2004. “Free information sources and services on
Internet for libraries: a selective compilation”. DESIDOC Bulletin of
Information Technology 24, (4) (Jul): 13-18.
Over the last few years, the internet has revolutionised the ways by which librarians can
provide information sources and services to their users. This paper describes how with the help
of the internet, librarians provide access to the various types of online information sources and
services to their users, which are freely available on internet including e-journals, e-books, online
databases, encyclopaedias, virtual libraries etc. The paper also contains various examples of
these sources with their URLs.
Klugkist, A. C. 2002. “The research library and scholarly information: a
future for librarians?” Liber Quarterly: the Journal of European Research Libraries
12, (2/3): 138-151. Draws a parallel between the effects of the printing press on scholarly communication and
the effects of the development of information technology. Discusses user demand and finance as
factors influencing libraries in the use of electronic resources and the sometimes heated
discussions with publishers. Speculates on the developments in electronic books and journals
which are likely to take them further away from the traditional models on which they are still
based and looks at quality assessment and the continuing role of publishers. Discusses the
position of libraries as every library becomes a digital library, thus creating the need for staff to
have special abilities in database selection and archiving but offering them greater opportunities
to play a central role in scholarly communication.
Kubilius, R. 2005. “eBooks in the health sciences: trends and challenges”.
Against the Grain; 17 (1) Feb 2005, pp.36, 38-40
Reviews current developments in the availability of electronic books (eBooks) in the
healthcare and medical fields that may reflect other, similar experiences in other types of
libraries. Discusses what eBooks are available, electronic hybrids and supplements, personal
digital assistants (PDAs), and some of the remaining challenges.
Kukulska-Hulme, A. 2004. “Editorial preface: usability: a common theme for
developments in e-learning at the UK open university”. International Journal
of Distance Education Technologies; 2 (3) Jul-Sep, pp.i-vi
This editorial preface highlights a selection of recent e-learning developments at the UK
Open University with which the author has had direct involvement as a project leader or
evaluator, and offers some reflections on progress and lessons learned. The three projects
described are concerned with student me of course websites, e-books, and digital video. A
common theme running through the projects is investigating and ensuring the usability of new
technologies for teaching and learning.
Langston, M. 2003. “The California State University e-book pilot project:
implications for cooperative collection development”. Library Collections,
Acquisitions, and Technical Services 27, (1) (Spring): 19-32.
The California State University conducted a year-long study of the use of a collection of
NetLibrary e-books in its libraries in order to introduce e-books, and develop a model for
cooperative collection development of a shared electronic monograph collection. Title usage and
subject usage statistics were examined as well as a user survey. Discusses challenges in analysing
e-book usage statistics and reports positive user feedback. Presents strategies for cooperatively
developing a shared collection of electronic monograph literature.
Le Loarer, P., and J.-M Salaun. 2002. “Librarians working with publishers on
e-book provision”. Liber Quarterly: the Journal of European Research Libraries 12,
(2/3): 219-227.
Categorizes the contents of the virtual library as local, licensed and free collections and free
access publishing and discusses the implications of the virtual library for the user, author,
librarian and publisher. Describes the French and Belgian project MANUM (des manuels
numeriques pour le premier cycle - electronic textbooks for undergraduates). Partners include
publishers, academic and research institutions and an information technology laboratory. The
aim is to investigate how to provide electronic sources and what they should contain in order
to give easy access to social science students and teachers. A layered model is to be followed
consisting of an online version of a text, documentary sources such as articles and data and
hyperlinks to exercises and documents for teachers. This pattern is to be validated from the
editorial, educational, technical, economic and legal aspects. The project’s first phase
consisting of surveys has been completed and the second, experimental, phase is under
discussion.
Le Saux, A. 2004. “La bibliotheque face aux mutations de la chaine du livre .
the library in the face of a changing book distribution chain”. Bulletin des
Bibliotheques de France 49, (4): 114-115.
Le Saux, A. 2004. “Le livre electronique dans l’enseignement superieur.= The
electronic book in higher education”. Bulletin des Bibliothèques de France 49, (3):
99-100.
Lee, S., D. Monk, and L. Patterson. 2003. “Supporting e-learners 24x7
throughout Wales and beyond: a case study looking at the development of a
knowledge base to support e-learners and at other issues deriving from the
first two years of operation of E-college Wales”. SCONUL Newsletter (29)
(Summer/Autumn): 48-53.
E-College Wales (ECW) started in 2001and is now one of the biggest e-learning providers in
Europe. It is an online education project supported by the National Assembly of Wales and the
European Commission. It offers a degree course in enterprise, a foundation degree course, and a
masters in professional development. It is run by the University of Glamorgan (UoG) and by its
partner colleges all over Wales. These are Bridgend College, Llandrillo College, Coleg Sir Gar
(CCTA), Pembrokeshire College, Coleg Morgannwg, Coleg Gwent, and Trinity College
Carmarthen. Course materials are available on-line via the Blackboard Virtual Learning
Environment (VLE) and accessible to any enrolled student in Wales who has a computer and
software meeting the minimum specification. Students can study flexibly when and where they
wish but must take part in on-line discussion and must submit work and assignments within a
laid down period. Learning materials are, where possible, embedded in the module, content
having been copyright cleared by UoG Learning Resources Centre (LRC) staff using Heron and
other options. Items that cannot be cleared are purchased in hard copy by the UoG LRC and
dispatched to students all over Wales. Other electronic course materials are accessed via the UoG
LRC electronic gateway FINDit www.glam.ac.uk/findit This is used to access a large collection
of electronic periodicals, databases and datasets, newspapers and news sources, electronic books,
OPACs, current awareness services, and still and moving images. (Further information on the
project started in September 2001 when the first cohort of 180 students enrolled on the BA
Enterprise course. At the start each was given an ISDN connection and a free laptop
Library Hi Tech; 19 (4) 2001, p.311-99
Special issue devoted to the theme: E-books.
Line, M. B. 2001. “The future researcher and the future library: from the
viewpoint of an independent user”. DF Revy 24, (4) (May): 103-108.
The author, a researcher unattached to an institution, identifies four problems of Internet
usage: the volume of material; the lack of quality discrimination; the removal of websites; and
the need for payment for access. The main difficulty lies with non-specific subject searching, but
it is likely that all significant journals will eventually be accessible online. As for books, it is often
cheaper to buy for the independent researcher than to use the library, and electronic books could
make library use still less necessary. But libraries will still be needed for documents which are
not digitized or have to be seen in the original, the electronic version may be slow and
inconvenient to use, and help may be needed with computer problems. No successful electronic
surrogate for browsing is available, although better ways of identifying useful material in
advance could be developed. But the main reason for using libraries is that it is cheaper than
using a computer at home. Libraries can give value-added services and respond to individual
needs. Concludes with a user’s wish list.
Line, M. B. 2003. “The potential role of e-books in remote document supply”.
Interlending and Document Supply; 31 (3), pp.184-18
Presents an overview and evaluation of the technical options available for e-books and their
potential for document supply.
Long, S. A. 2003. “The case for e-books: an introduction”. New Library World
104, (1/2): 29-32.
This article explores some of the applications of the e-book in the modern library. With over
30 years of history, recent computing advances have finally made electronic book technology a
viable option to both publishers and libraries. The advantages libraries gain from the medium
are many, but companies such as NetLibrary and ebrary have shown that the industry still needs
to establish a definitive means of making their products successfully usable in the library
environment. Library networks and consortia, such as the Golden Gateway Library Network and
the Marion County (Indiana) Internet Library, have found practical ways to share e-book
subscriptions with their members; by obtaining subscriptions for the consortium, the individual
members can all make use of the same collection. E-books continue to be a matter of debate in
library discussions, and the benefits and disadvantages are being weighed in libraries across the
country.
Longo, B. 2001. La nuova editoria: mercato, strumenti e linguaggi del libro in
Internet. Milano Editrice Bibliografica.
Longo B. 2001 “L’e-book in biblioteca e il modello
netLibrary. = E-books in the
library, and the netLibrary model”. Biblioteche Oggi 19, (2) (Mar):
34-42.
Lonsdale, R., and C. Armstrong. 2001. “Electronic books: challenges for
academic libraries”. Library Hi Tech 19, (4): 332-339.
Article included in a special issue devoted to the theme: E-books. Summarizes the results of
three recent research projects and addresses some of the issues that are central to the acceptance
and integration of electronic scholarly monographs and textbooks (eMonographs) into the
academic library. The findings suggest that the almost casual use of terms like ‘digital library’
and ‘hybrid library’ belies the reality of a slow acceptance of nearly all digital textual resources
other than periodicals and a demonstrable lack of user take up of most kinds of electronic library
and information resources.
Lynch, C. 2000. “Electrifying the book, part 2”. Library Journal (Net Connect
Supplement Jan): 24-27.
Examines the move to digital books in the commercial publishing context. The adoption of
digital books will cause significant restructuring of the publishing industry. But perhaps more
importantly, commercial publishing of digital books may fundamentally change the relationship
between readers and their books by extending publisher control over the use of content to an
unprecedented level. Book publishers are likely to be reluctant to release their books in digital
form without some assurance that copying and redistribution can be controlled through
technology. Discusses the implications of content control for users of e-books, looks at e-book
reader technology and considers the preservation of digital content and the role of libraries in
issues of preservation and continuity of access.
Lynch, C. 2001. “The battle to define future of the book in the digital world”,
First Monday, 6, 6, June.
Lynch, C. 2001. “What do digital books mean for libraries?” Journal of Library
Administration 35, (3): 21-32.
Paper presented at the 2001 University of Oklahoma Libraries annual conference, held 1-2
March in Oklahoma City, Oklahoma. Addresses topics revolving around digital books and
electronic books, focusing to some extent on issues as they relate to libraries, but also recognizing
that fundamentally these issues are about communication: authors and readers, and how authors
communicate with readers. Just as libraries have always been the facilitators of access to that
record of communication and the stewards of that communication, they will inevitably, through
the debates around what happens to the book in a digital world, become involved in this in
numerous different ways.
Maffei, L. 2002. “Scholarly communication
reconsidered: priorities in the
academic world and born digital-born again digital publications. Firenze 21
gennaio 2002” [Italian]. AIDAInformazioni: rivista di Scienze dell’informazione 20 (1)
Maxymuk, J. 2002. “E-books”. Bottom Line; 15 (1), p.33-6
Quotes predictions of the decline in the use of the printed book for purposes of information,
defines and describes electronic books, points to Web sites which provide an overview of e-books
and evaluates the advantages and disadvantages of the medium. Indicates some free e-book
collections and also some copyrighted works, marketed for a fee.
Maynard, S., and C. McKnight. 2001. “Electronic books for children in UK
public libraries”. Electronic Library 19, (6): 405-423.
Reports results of a questionnaire survey, which investigated the opinions of children’s
librarians on the subject of electronic books (eBooks). A questionnaire was sent by post to those
responsible for public library services for children at each of the 208 local government authorities
in the UK (77 per cent response rate). It was concluded that there was a positive attitude towards
including eBooks as part of the children’s library service and a high proportion of libraries
offered access to them, the majority through main libraries. A small majority of libraries were
offering eBooks for reference use within the library, rather than lending them out like printed
books. Many of the librarians believed that electronic books can attract new members to the
library and that offering eBooks will change their role. Respondents believed that eBooks are
durable and can exist alongside the printed items within the library.
McGrath, M. 2003. “Interlending and document supply: a review of recent
literature - XLIV”. Interlending and Document Supply 31, (1): 35-41.
Reviews 156 journals and some electronic lists and newsletters for issues relevant to
interlending and document supply. The review deals with: scholarly communication, copyright,
the British Library, e-books, remote document supply, site licensing, search engines, open access,
e-journal usage and institutional repositories.
McGrath, M. 2003. “Interlending and document supply: a review of recent
literature - XLIV”. Interlending and Document Supply 31, (3): 202-207.
The consequences of electronic publishing continue to manifest themselves in the 110
journals scanned for this literature review. Pricing, access, e-books and e-journals are amongst
the issues considered in this issue’s literature review. Further criticism of the publishing sector is
identified and the potential for micro payments.
McGrath, M. 2004. “Interlending and document supply: a review of recent
literature - 49”. Interlending and Document Supply; 32 (2) 1 Jul, pp.126-131
Reviews the recent literature in document supply. Looking in particular at e books and
journals, resource sharing, scholarly communication, unmediated delivery and pricing
McLuckie, A. 2005. “E-books in an academic library: implementation at the
ETH library, Zurich”. Electronic Library 23, (1): 92-102.
Purpose: To provide some insight into the phenomenon of e-books and their potential
application in general, and to describe how the ETH-Bibliothek, an academic library, has
integrated web-based e-books into its collection. Design/methodology/approach: The concept
of e-books was examined and the success (or failure) of their integration into library collections
evaluated. How web-based e-books have been integrated into the ETH-Bibliothek’s collection
was evaluated, as there were different formats and pricing models for e-books. Other important
issues relevant to e-books were considered, such as usage statistics, how to discover new e-books
for integration into a collection, and whether web-based e-books are likely to be applied
successfully in academic libraries. Findings: The implementation of e-books at the Swiss Federal
Institute of Technology (Eidgenossische Technische Hochschule) in Zurich is described, and
information is provided on publishers or aggregators through which the ETH has subscribed to
e-books, different formats and pricing models for e-books and usage statistics. How the number
of e-books to which an institution subscribes can be increased, is described, together with the
benefits of e-books in the academic environment, which will in all likelihood ensure the ongoing
future of web-based e-books. Originality/value: The paper provides introductory information on
e-books in general and on their suitability to an academic library in particular.
McVeigh, J. 2000. “What’s happening to the book - and why you should
care”. Library Issues: Briefings for Faculty and Adminstrators 21, (2) (Nov): 4.
Reviews the different forms of the electronic book, reading devices and electronic publishing
methods including print-electronic hybrids. Discusses the advantages for university libraries of
supplying access to electronic books in the areas of space saving and the needs of distance
education and the negative impact on libraries of limited access, problems of selecting and
paying for readers, and copyright. Also raises questions regarding staff duties, the retention of
printed materials, the changing relationship of libraries with publishers and the diversity of
content in electronic formats.
Moore, T. L. 2004. “The future of the book in the public library”. North
Carolina Libraries 62, (1) (Spring): 23-26.
Notes the existence of two different schools of thought with regard to books in the public
library: that books in paper form will cease to exist and they will be replaced shortly by electronic
materials; and that the traditional book will continue to exist as a viable, and the preferred,
format for conveyance of ideas and information. Discusses these viewpoints in relation to the
current debate at San Francisco Public Library, California, about the role of the book in its present
and future forms. Examines the potential future of electronic books and their readers in terms of
four criteria for any reader to be successful, that the reader must be portable, ecologically
friendly, economical, and easy to use. Concludes that the book in its present form is likely to
continue to exist but there will be technologies developed which will enhance the book but not
replace it.
Morgan, E. L. 2000. “Ebooks, libraries and ownership”. Information World
Review (164) (Dec): 52-54.
Reviews the current state of electronic books (eBooks) and eBook development, describes the
current uses for eBooks in libraries and addresses some of the issues surrounding ownership of
eBooks. Presents a brief description of the salient features of some of the currently commercially
available eBook systems: OEB; Rocket eBook; SoftBook Reader; Palm documents; Microsoft
Reader; Adobe PDF documents; Netlibrary services; and the Alex Catalogue of Electronic Texts.
Concludes with useful advice to libraries considering implementing eBooks, including: avoiding
buying the hardware before starting to distribute eBook content; and letting the users get their
own readers.
Nardini, B. 2001. “Johannes Gutenberg and the twenty-first century”. Against
the Grain 12, (6) (Dec 2000-Jan): 88-89.
Considers the possible future role of the traditional book vendor in the dissemination of
electronic books. Identifies those current vendor-based structures that might transfer well to the
world of e-books, as well as new processes, such as rights transactions, that will need to be
developed. Vendors’ future roles will be dependent on the model that libraries will use to acquire
e-books.
Nelson, L., and F. O’Neil. 2001. “Electronic monographs in the academic
library: an implementation story”. LASIE 32, (2-3) (Aug/Dec): 13-20.
Describes some of the practical issues involved in the implementation of electronic
monographs, in particular netLibrary eBooks, in the library of Victoria University, Australia.
Issues include integration in the library catalogue, materials selection, licensing of access, and
client use and experience of the service. Considers the potential and benefit of the service to
library clients.
Notess, Greg R. 2005. Searching books between the covers. Online 29, (3)
(May 2005-Jun): 41-44.
Innovative Interfaces’ Electronic Resource Management (ERM) system has been chosen by
New York University to aid in the evaluation, acquisition, and maintenance of its electronic
resources. The Library’s collections include 24,057 electronic periodicals from publishers, an
additional 15,951 aggregated in commercial databases, 407 reference databases, and many
electronic books and primary source material. (Quotes from original text)
O’Brien, C. 2000. “Creating books for the National Electronic Library for
health: expected barriers and useful lessons”. Health libraries review 17, (4)
(Dec): 209-214.
In the UK National electronic Library for Health (NeLH) the virtual branch libraries are
beginning to accumulate ‘books’. One of the first available was the ‘Statement of fees and
allowances’, known as the ‘Red book’. The story of its transformation from paper to Internet
format is a powerful example of how much further the National Health Service (NHS) must go
before it can claim to be fully exploiting the benefits of information technology (IT). Refers to
experience in producing electronic books for primary care using WaX software, and an example
of a process change from paper to screen that was managed within a university administrative
office. To reap optimal benefits from IT, the NeLH must work with both NHS IT trainers and
information providers in a 3-way collaboration to achieve efficient production of an updateable
and user friendly library of electronic books.
O’Leary, M. 2001. “Ebook scenarios”. Online 25, (1) (Jan/Feb): 62-64.
Offers some observations on electronic books (E-Books) and the likely impact that they can
be expected to make in the short term. Focuses particularly on textbooks, technical manuals and
professional books, reference books, general fiction and non-fiction. Concludes with notes on
how libraries may use E-Books and the economic factors that will be involved.
O’Leary, M. 2004. “Knovel makes e-books act like books”. Information Today
21 (3) Mar, pp.35,39.
Reports the advances in electronic book publishing as evidenced by the innovations of the
Knovel Corporation, “Knovel” standing for “novel way to knowledge”. While the collection of
technical books is not in itself different from those available on other sites, Knovel’s interface is
notable for its tools for retrieving and manipulating data and the clarity of its screens.
Ormes, S. 2001. “It’s the end of the world as we know it (and I feel fine) or
how I learned to stop worrying and love the e-book”. Ariadne (26) (Jan),
<www.ariadne.ac.uk/issue26/e-book>.
Defines what is meant by an electronic book (E-book) and the three main types of E-book
readers: dedicated readers; handhelds (Personal Digital Assistants or Palmtop computers); and
personal computers (PCs). Discusses the ways in which E-books are bought, what they cost, and
what is available. Considers the two main ways in which they can be integrated into libraries:
existing systems suppliers will develop new modules for current library management systems
which allow the integration of E-books into the acquisition and circulation process; and new
organizations that specialise in supplying E-books to libraries will manage the administration of
the E-books on the library’s behalf. Concludes that libraries are faced with a number of
challenges from e-books, particularly in the way that they circulate, acquire and manage their
collections.
Ormes, S. 2001. “Public libraries
focus: lights out and silver boots on”. Ariadne
(27) (Mar).
Reviews the previous five years of Internet development in UK public libraries and makes
five predictions for future developments in the areas of: electronic reference; electronic books
(eBooks); the death of community information; reader development; and competition between
libraries.
Patez, A. 2004. “Bibliotheque lecture en mobilité. = Libraries and mobile
reading”. Bulletin des Bibliothèques de France 49, (6): 98-104.
Perez, R. C., and X. Alaman. 2002. “Creating e-books in a distributed and
collaborative way”. Electronic Library; 20 (4), p.288-95
Article included in a special issue devoted to the theme: electronic books for teaching and
learning. Describes how groups of authors may create electronic books (ebooks) about the
knowledge area of their interest by means of unsupervised collaborative work. Proposes a web
based groupware system that allows the building of web sites that can be considered as electronic
books. In these web sites it is possible to find in a structured way the relevant knowledge about
an area or topic. The system allows the creation of ebooks in the web, in an asynchronous and
distributed way, and without the need of an editor for managing the task. This is possible
through a knowledge crystallization process supported by virtual communities of experts.
Currently, there are several active ebooks, which have been created by groups of students at
Universidad Autonoma de Madrid. Examples include the operating systems ebook and the
uncertain reasoning ebook and these are described.
Perez Arranz, F. 2004. “Brevisima historia de la lectura electronica. =
Abbreviated history of electronic reading”. Profesional de la Informacion 13, (3)
(May 2004-Jun): 179-190.
Perrault, A. H. 2000. “The printed book: still in need of CCD”. Collection
Management 24, (1/2): 119-136.
Paper presented at the conference on creating new strategies for cooperative collection
development, Aberdeen Woods Conference Center, Atlanta, Georgia, November 12-14, 1999.
Reviews the situation of the virtual book, presents statistical research findings on the
monographic collections of academic libraries, i.e. the book as a printed resource, and offers
conclusions and suggestions for cooperative collection development (CCD). Identifies research
reports, scholarly texts and textbooks as the candidates for virtual book form in the immediate
future and discusses the need for an international approach to CCD and the work to be done in
fostering partnerships between libraries and publishers.
Peters, T. A. 2001. “Gutterdammerung (twilight of the gutter margins): ebooks
and libraries”. Library Hi Tech 19, (1): 50-62.
Several aspects of the electronic book (ebook) revolution are reviewed, together with some
related issues confronting libraries. Regardless of format, texts and textbearing devices have
relationships of mutual dependence, and readers simultaneously experience both. The dominant
relationship between texts and text-bearing devices is shifting from static to dynamic. The ebook
revolution is more about new distribution systems for content, new digital rights management
systems, and perhaps an unwitting or inchoate power struggle among the principal interested
parties, than it is about the design and diffusion of dedicated reading devices. The ebook
revolution opens up possibilities for new and improved post-retrieval processing of texts,
defined as anything a person can do with a text after it has been retrieved. librarians need to
reassert especially to the fledgling ebook industry the enduring principle of libraries as a social
good. The two biggest challenges facing libraries are how to make the transition to an era
dominated by dynamic relationships between texts and text-bearing devices, and how to foster
and facilitate robust and complex post-retrieval processing of texts
Petrick, J. 2004. “The Electronic Library: responses from the State University
of New York (SUNY)”. OCLC Systems and Services 20, (4): 174-182.
Illustrates the methods of pointing to remotely-accessible electronic resources in libraries in
a university system ranging from research centers to community colleges. The online catalogs of
libraries in the State University of New York (SUNY) system were tested for remotely-accessible
electronic resources. Each library’s internet home page was also searched for means of linking to
journal titles. The libraries at SUNY campuses have shown different responses to the issues of
making available aggregator databases, web sites, and e-books. Amarked decrease in the use of
the online catalog to make available remotely-accessible electronic resources at academic libraries
other than those at the research level was noted. The findings are limited insofar that no effort
was made to determine the reasons why each library did or not include records for remotelyaccessible
electronic resources in their online catalogs. Academic libraries find desirable a single
search interface for remotely-accessible electronic resources, and this may include the library’s
online catalog. This study will be of value to those who are concerned with the ways in which
remotely-accessible electronic resources are made available in various sizes of academic libraries,
particularly those engaged in decision making about online resources.
Pfohl, D., and S. Hayes. 2001. “Today’s systems librarians have a lot to
juggle”. Computers in Libraries 21, (10) (Nov/Dec): 30-33.
Describes the many library technologies that have been introduced to the Randall Library,
North Carolina University at Wilmington, in recent years and the ways in which the interlocking
nature of the technologies have posed a serious challenge to librarians in operating such systems
as a single, integrated whole. The technologies covered include: proxy servers; video editing
equipment and software; filtering software; network/paid printing; digital security cameras;
wireless networks; electronic books; interloans software; Web page management; electronic mail
systems; supporting classroom instruction; electronic reserves; digitizing archival materials; and
writing local scripts. Concludes that these complex and interactive technologies should alert
managers, educators and participants in the library computing field to several key trends: the
skill sets that computer staffs need are expanding significantly; the scope of responsibility is not
narrowing but broadening for everyone using technology; and it is now expected that library
computing staff have very sophisticated technical and people skills. Having the ability to
introduce, integrate and juggle diverse technologies is rapidly becoming the key requirement for
a successful technology-oriented library.
Ramirez, D., and S. D. Gyeszly. 2001. “netLibrary: a new direction in
collection development”. Collection Building 20, (4): 154-164.
Texas A and M University (TAMU) Libraries, College Station, USA, is a member of two
consortia that include academic and public libraries and both of these consortia purchased access
to netLibrary e-books for their members. Reports a project that explored the use of netLibrary as
an electronic collection development tool by comparing TAMU’s usage (based on subject
categories) to that of the combined consortia. Suggests that the results obtained could be used to
fine-tune the future growth of TAMU and the consortium collections.
Randolph, S. E. 2001. “Are e-books in your future?”. Information Outlook 5, (2)
(Feb 2001, p.22-6).
Discusses the future of ebooks in libraries. Library readers who benefit from ebooks include:
visually impaired people for the adjustable type size and font; users of technical manuals for the
bookmarking, hyperlinking and annotating capabilities; and researchers for keyword searching.
Distinguishes between closed, dedicated device ebooks and open, multipurpose device ebooks,
and describes their use in Arlington Public Libraries, Algonquin Area Public Library in Illinois
and the Chicago Public Library. Also considers the cataloguing and lending of ebooks.
Rao, S. S. 2003. “Electronic books: a review and evaluation”. Library Hi Tech
21, (1): 85-93.
This paper discusses the genesis of e-books and derives a comprehensive definition from
various definitions reported for them. It lists the various types of e-books with their characteristics
and the major players in the market. It also highlights the pros and cons of e-books, and compares
select e-book reader hardware and software with their specifications, requirements and
characteristics. The impact of e-books on the publishing industry, on libraries and librarians, and
digital rights management is discussed. The author concludes that e-books are rapidly becoming
a viable alternative and provide growing advantages over the traditional medium
Rao, S. S. 2004. “E-book technologies in education and India’s readiness”.
Program 38 (4), pp.257-267
This paper provides background information on e-books, and outlines their
implementations, advantages and disadvantages. Details are given of the e-book technologies of
hardware and software with tables comparing the features of various products on the market.
The role of e-books in education in general is outlined. The specific case of India is described in
more depth with details of initiatives for utilising e-books for a national literacy mission. The
paper concludes that, at present, viewing technology is a limiting factor but that in future content
will become paramount.
Rao, S. S. 2004. “Electronic book technologies: an overview of the present
situation”. Library Review 53 (7), pp.363-371
The continued presence of electronic books or e-books has significantly affected the
publishing industry in recent years. The growing popularity of the Web and public acceptance of
new e-book technologies is facilitating their spread. However, initial optimism about the growth
of the medium has been tempered by a measured uptake of the medium and the withdrawal of
some e-books products from the market. This paper attempts to update the position with e-books
and provide an overview of e-book technologies by defining types of e-books, listing their
implementations, their advantages and disadvantages, hardware, software, management
software and their future. The paper concludes that the success or failure of e-books depends not
only on acceptance by users but also on the publishing industry’s ability to see beyond traditional
business models. The e-book readers are still in early stages of development but the hope is that
common industry standards will soon be adopted and the medium will reach its full potential.
Rao, S. S. 2005. “Electronic books: their integration into library and
information centers”. Electronic Library 23, (1): 116-140.
Purpose: To highlight the salient features of e-books, challenges that arise in integrating ebooks
into library and information centers (LICs), e-books business models and licensing, and
future of e-books. Design/methodology/approach: Discusses the emergence of e-books and a
comprehensive definition for them. Lists various implementations of e-books, their advantages
and disadvantages in LICs and compares select e-book reader hardware and software with their
specifications, requirements and characteristics. Findings: Examines several issues to integrate ebooks
into LICs to find workable solutions based on identification, selection, circulation,
maintenance, quality assurance, pricing, fair use, standards and interoperability, business models
and licensing. Research limitations/implications: E-books are a new convergence of various
traditional works and functions based on the application of new information technology.
Practical implications: The issues causing concerns to users and LICs can be sought by
collaborating with industry to ensure LICs play a continuous role in communication information
and act as repositories of knowledge, for the benefit of society. Originality/value: This paper
offers practical solutions for LICs in integrating e-books in their collection.
Reale, L. M. 2004. “La “nuova economia” del libro elettronico. Prospettive per
una sostanziale qualità dell’informazione”. L’Istrice.
Renear, A., and G. Golovchinsky. 2001. “Content standards for electronic
books: the OEBF publication structure and the role of public interest
participation”. Journal of Library Administration 35, (1/2): 99-123.
Contribution to a thematic issue entitled ‘Libraries and electronic resources: new partnerships,
new practices, new perspectives’. In the emerging world of electronic publishing, how books are
created, distributed and read will be in large part determined by an underlying framework of
content standards that establishes the range of technological opportunities and constraints for
publishing and reading systems. The Open eBook Forum’s ‘Publication Structure’, an XML based
specification for electronic books, is an example of the sort of timely and innovative problem
solving required for successful real world standards development. As a result of this effort, the
electronic book industry will not only happen sooner and on a larger scale than it would have
otherwise, but the electronic books it produces will be more functional, more interoperable, and
more accessible to all readers. Public interest participants have a critical role in this process.
Revelli, C. 2002. “A proposito dei libri elettronici. = Concerning electronic
books”. Biblioteche Oggi 20, (6) (Jul-Aug): 38-43.
Rodgers, C. L. 2001. “Opening the book: developing e-book resources at the
Open University Library”. Vine(125) (Dec): 12-17.
Article included in a special issue devoted partly to the theme: E-content: electronic books and
journals. A range of different types of electronic texts are being offered to the distributed users of
the Open University library, including free out-of-copyright texts, online versions of reference
works, and collections of full text and academic texts from netLibrary. Indications are that they are
well used. Some indications of the criteria for evaluating different collections are emerging.
Romano, E. 2003. “E-books and the challenge of preservation”. Microform and
Imaging Review 32, (1) (Winter): 13-25.
(An updated version of an article that appeared in Building a National Strategy for
Preservation: issues in Digital Media Archiving
www.clir.org/pubs/reports/pub106/ebooks.html). The trend toward electronic publishing has
been based on factors such as the following: technological advances that provide increased
computing functionality at lower cost (generally summarized under the name Moore’s Law); the
development of new channels of information distribution (Intranet and Internet); the desire to
reduce costs by eliminating paper, printing, and physical storage; the ability to search electronic
files efficiently and retrieve information quickly; the ability to reuse information in other
documents and other formats (with appropriate content rights management); the acceptance of
reading on-screen by growing segments of the population; the convergence of text, imagery,
audio, video, animation, and interactivity in new kinds of documents; the ability of virtually
anyone to become his or her own publisher; the immediacy of content acquisition through
electronic transactions and data downloading; and the demand for storage space in libraries. The
degree to which these issues relate to the user acceptance and commercial viability of electronic
books (eBooks) is discussed.
Roncaglia, G. 2001. Gli e-book sono davvero dei libri. Otto tesi su che cosa non
dovrebbero essere i libri elettronici. <www.merzweb.com/testi/articoli/otto_tesi.htm >.
Roncaglia, G. 2001. Libri elettronici: problemi e
prospettive.
Anche su
Bollettino AIB 4: 409-439.
Roncaglia, G. 2001. Quali e-book per la didattica?
Roncaglia, G. 2003. From printed books to
e-books: (cultural) costs and benefits.
Presentation.
Rosy, R. L. 2002. “eBooks for libraries and patrons: two years of experience”.
Liber Quarterly: the Journal of European Research Libraries 12, (2/3): 228-233.
Describes the progress of netLibrary in electronic publishing and its efforts to reconcile the
opposing goals of content providers and users. Having begun with a cautious offer of digitized
monographs from backlists to academic libraries, netLibrary now supplies academic institutions,
public libraries and special libraries with an increasing proportion of materials from the front
lists of the top US and European publishers. Describes how usage patterns are monitored and
lists subscription and other access models which are being tested. netLibrary became part of
OCLC in January 2002 and integration with OCLC’s WorldCat has already begun.
Santoro, M. 2005. “Paperless variations: le alterne vicende della lettura
elettronica”. Biblioteche Oggi 23 (5) Jun 2005, pp.7-18
Paper presented at a conference on library reading in the Internet age (“Le teche della lettura:
leggere in biblioteca al tempo della rete”), Milan, Italy, 17-18 March 2005. While the celebrated
pianist Glenn Gould had a “dialectical” relationship with technology and used studio recording
techniques to improve his musical performances, many economists and sociologists who believe in
technological determinism claim that technology is not merely a tool for putting ideas into practice
but is the principal factor in the transformation of society. They assert that in the information
society new technologies will not only determine social relationships but also create unlimited
progress, and that the advent of the paperless society will spell the end for traditional, print-based
libraries. The current shortcomings of e-books, such as their cumbrousness and poor legibility, will,
supposedly, be overcome by technical means. Suggests that this attitude of technological
determinism is a trap to be avoided: the public has so far shown little interest in electronic reading
tools, notably e-books, and is not yet ready to adopt them, because of social and cultural practices
that e-publishers, despite their promotional efforts, have failed to take into account.
Sawyer, S. K. 2002. “Electronic books: their definition, usage and role in
libraries”. LIBRES 12, (2) (Sep).
Examines the literature to establish a definition of electronic books (eBooks) and discovers
this is currently related more to hardware and software (viewing technology) than content.
Reports the potential advantages and disadvantages of this format compared to print and
outlines what is currently known about the use of different types of eBooks by users, examining
who the most likely users are, detailing what studies reveal about the use and usability of eBooks
and the features users want; as well as what factors are inhibiting their use. Additionally the
review details what is known about the opportunities and issues arising from the inclusion of
electronic books in library collections. It addresses questions regarding the existing models for
the use of eBooks in libraries, what studies reveal about the realities of their use and what
strategies and policies need to be adopted by libraries for their implementation. Finally it
examines the degree of take-up of eBooks by individuals and libraries and what trends and
predictions for the future are emerging with respect to viewing technology, content and role in
libraries
Secker, J., and L. Plewes. 2002. “Traditional and electronic study packs: a case
study of the production process”. Program 36, (2): 99-109.
Reports on research undertaken at University College London (UCL) for two projects funded
by Higher Education Funding Council for England’s (HEFCE) Teaching Quality Enhancement
Fund (TQEF). Documents the production processes, costs and resources for both traditional
(printed) and electronic study (course) packs. Focuses on a comparison of in-house and
outsourced copyright clearance and digitization services for electronic study packs. UCL’s use of
the HERON service is evaluated. Concludes that electronic study packs would provide a
valuable addition to teaching support services, but there are implications for equipment and staff
which are also discussed. Although this paper is based on a case study from UCL, it is hoped that
other academic libraries considering introducing an electronic course pack service or electronic
reserve will find some useful evidence of the integration of electronic and traditional library
activities
Seefeldt, J. 2001. “E-books - das Medium der Zukunft auch für Bibliotheken?
= E-books - the medium of the future also for libraries?” Buch und Bibliothek
53, (5) (May): 329-333.
Siriginidi, S. R. vedi Rao, S. S.
Snowhill, L. 2001. “E-books and their future in academic libraries. An
overview”. D-Lib Magazine 7, (7/8) (Jul/Aug).
The University of California’s California Digital Library (CDL) formed an Ebook Task Force
in August 2000 to evaluate academic libraries’ experiences with electronic books (e-books),
investigate the e-book market and develop operating guidelines, principles and potential
strategies for further exploration of the use of e-books at California University. This article, based
on the findings and recommendations of the Task Force Report, briefly summarizes task force
findings and outlines issues and recommendations for making e-books viable over the long term
in the academic environment, based on the long-term goals of building strong research
collections and providing high level services and collections to its users.
Sottong, S. 2001. “E-book
technology: waiting for the ‘false pretender’”.
Information Technology and Libraries 20, (2) (Jun): 72-80.
Raymond Kurzweil proposed seven stages in the ‘life cycle of a technology’. Libraries can
use the technology life cycle concept to determine when to invest in newer technologies.
Kurzweil gave no criteria for determining what stage a technology had achieved in the life cycle.
Presents a set of criteria to evaluate new technologies within the framework of the life cycle,
demonstrating their applicability using Kurzweil’s example of audio technology and then
applying the criteria to current e-book technology.
Stewart, D. C. 2004. “Electronic textbook vendors: an evaluation”. Journal of
Electronic Resources in Medical Libraries 1, (3): 1-11.
As more electronic textbooks appear, libraries need to be aware of their key features in order
to develop good collection development standards for these materials. This article looks at five
vendors and discusses cost, searching capabilities, print functions, statistics gathering, PDA
platforms, and the advantages and disadvantages of each one.
Stockton, C. 2004. “Acquiring and marketing eBooks at University College
Chester: it’s all down to teamwork and communication”. Sconul Focus (31)
(Spring): 16-18.
On 9 March 2004 the Learning Resources department at University College Chester launched
its new 10,000 plus electronic books (eBooks) collection purchased through a deal with
NetLibrary, negotiated by NoWAL (North West Academic Libraries). Describes the promotional
exercise successfully undertaken by the Library
Storey, T. 2004. “NetLibrary: a flavorful blend of services”. OCLC Newsletter
(265) Jul-Sep, pp.15-16
NetLibrary, Colorado, is the major publisher of electronic books (e-books), selling to over
12,000 libraries in 41 countries, with 75,000 titles from 450 publishers, and a strong commitment
to non-English language books. In recent years, NetLibrary has expanded its services to include
audio books, popular materials, subject-specific collections; and TitleDiect, a profiling tool that
alerts libraries to new e-book content added to NetLibrary. In future, there are plans to integrate
e-books, electronic periodicals and special content collections to enable libraries to enhance their
collections with individual products.
Summerfield, M., C. Mandel, and P. Kantor. 2000. “The potential for
scholarly online books: views from the Columbia University online books
evaluation project”. Publishing Research Quarterly 16, (3) (Fall): 39-52.
From 1995 to 1999, the Online Books Evaluation Project at Columbia University, New York
studied online books as resources in the academic world. Summarizes the key findings of the
project which looked at: scholars’ behaviour and reactions to online books; lifecycle costs of
traditional print books and online books for publishers and libraries; and marketplace reactions
to the concept of online books. Scholars appreciated the opportunity to use the online format to
locate a book and to browse it. However, they sought a print copy for extended reading.
Incremental costs of online books are small for publishers. Libraries’ lifecycle costs are lower for
online books than for print books. The Final Report of the project and other reports and papers,
including the research protocol, are available online.
Summerfield, M., C. Mandel, and P. Kantor. 2001. “Perspectives on scholarly
online books: the Columbia University online books evaluation project”.
Journal of Library Administration 35, (1/2): 61-82.
Contribution to a thematic issue entitled ‘Libraries and electronic resources: new
partnerships, new practices, new perspectives’. The Online Books Evaluation Project at
Columbia University studied the potential for scholarly online books from 1995 to 1999.
Issues included scholars’ interest in using online books, the role they might play in scholarly
life, features that scholars and librarians sought in online books, the costs of producing and
owning print and online books, and potential marketplace arrangements. Scholars see
potential for online books to make their research, learning, and teaching more efficient and
effective. Librarians see potential to serve their scholars better. Librarians may face lower
costs if they can serve their scholars with online books instead of print books. Publishers may
be able to offer scholars greater opportunities to use their books while enhancing their own
profitability.
Swan, J. 2000. “Teaching readers new tricks”. Library Technology 5, (4) (Aug):
54-55.
Examines the introduction of electronic books (eBooks) in UK public libraries as part of a
project, funded by Blackburn’s Lifelong Learning Department and Darwen Council, which
enabled the libraries to buy or borrow the necessary equipment and electronic music (notably
MP3). Experience gained through using the Rocket eBook reader and the choice of format are
briefly described. Considers several important aspects of the exercise, including: changing
standards; copyright; and the role of MP3 players. Concludes that the reasons why MP3 players
have not been more widely used in libraries is partly due to the resistance to anything new and
partly to the perception of MP3 as a music-only format.
Tennant, R. 2000. “Digital libraries: bringing out the dead (technologies)”.
Library Journal 125, (17) (15 Oct 2000, p.24).
States that sooner or later, almost every technology dies. The life cycles of information
technologies appear to be getting shorter, even though they were not long to begin with. Suggests
a few information technologies that are dead, dying, or were DOA (dead on arrival). They are:
Structured Generalized Markup Language (SGML) (a good idea badly implemented); device
dependent electronic books (too expensive); and client side Java. Notes a few of the most
important causes of technology dying: complexity that cannot be ignored; poor marketing;
competition; and inefficiency.
Tennant, R. 2000. “The emerging role of e-books”. Library Journal 125, (13)
(Aug 2000, p.38).
Asserts that there are still many purposes for which e-books are not the right solution (e.g.
board books for toddlers and coffee table books for adults) and they are unlikely to unseat print
completely as the format of choice. However, there are also niches where they are increasingly
likely to replace print books (students’ books, technical books, series books and genre books).
Considers some implications of e-books for libraries, particularly the fact that they come in
device dependent formats, so that the device, as well as the content, must be managed.
Tennant, R. 2001. “The other e-books”. Library Journal 126, (15) (15 Sep): 31-
32.
When people refer to e-books, they usually mean device-dependent e-books or books
delivered for a fee over the Internet. But there is a third category of e-book - those published on
the Internet for free by universities, libraries, and other not-for-profit publishers. Describes two
web publishing projects: the National Academy Press (NAP) (www.nap.edu) and eScholarship
and the University of California Press (escholarship.cdlib.org /ucpressbooks.html). These
projects are built on the assumption that the books will be used online and only parts will be
printed or copied and they include options such as automated searching, linkages to additional
content, and alternative displays for particular needs, such as large print. Their use of open,
nonproprietary formats also promotes and enhances preservation and access.
Vidana, M. 2003. “E-books in public libraries”. Library + Information Update 2,
(5) (May): 36-37.
Discusses the place of electronic books (ebooks) in public libraries and reports on the
implementation of the 1st pilot service in the UK in Richmond. Benefits of ebook services in
public libraries include: no overdues and fines; no theft or damage; ebooks are more
environmentally friendly; greater choice for housebound users; and access to material outside
library hours. Describesthe implementation process in Richmond: choosing ebook formats and
providers; selecting titles; resolving the technical issues; training and involving staff; developing
evaluation processes; launching the service; publicizing the service; and monitoring and
assessing the impact on the library service.
Waller, N. 2002. “You are here”. American Libraries 33, (6) (Jun/Jul): 72-74.
Describes VisualNet for Libraries, a program that can turn a library’s Web catalogue into a
browsable, customizable map. The program supplants the search and retrieval model of the
online public access catalogue with a graphical map that can show how a library’s varied
resources - print books, electronic books, video, audio, and Web databases - relate across subjects
and categories. Advocates of such knowledge visualization software believe that current OPAC
interfaces, which do not allow for significant browsing, have driven student researchers to Web
only sources. By encouraging browsing within the levels of a Web based data map, products like
VisualNet may reveal the richness of library collections and entice students and other users back
into the stacks.
Warnock, C. 2002. “ebrary: building bridges between islands of information”.
Vine 32, (2): 52-54.
Reports an interview with Christopher Warnock, the founder and current CEO of
ebrary, which offers products and online services for libraries and publishers of all
types and aims to bridge the gap between libraries and other institutions that need to provide
online access to authoritative information and publishers who require a secure and effective way
to distribute and promote their publications online. Details are given of the service’s vision,
business, collection, infotools, integration, pricing, and user statistics.
Weihs, J. 2002. “Forgotten media, part 7: conclusion”. Technicalities 22, (5)
(Sep/Oct): 3-5.
Concluding part in a series of articles on forgotten non-book media. Points to 4 questions that
a library should consider before purchasing materials in a new format: is the format
commercially viable; is the format hardware-specific; will the high purchase price of the format
inhibit sales potential; and, can this format withstand public use? Predicts that DVDs will replace
videocassettes in libraries, but that e-books in their present form will not last.
Wicht, H. 2005. “Selecting and acquiring eBooks: so many choices, so many
processes”. Against the Grain 17, (1) (Feb 2005, pp.26, 28).
Discusses the issues involved in the acquisitions and collection development processes and
the purchasing models used by libraries when dealing with electronic books (eBooks). The
account focuses on World Wide Web based eBook content but does not discuss portable eBook
reading devices. An overview of the eBook purchasing models is presented and extensive
discussion of provided focusing on: eBook subject areas; title-by-title purchases; subscriptionbased
eBook purchases; the cost of eBooks; and considerations for eBook selection. With so many
different types of products available, access models and content can vary widely but librarians
can evaluate these resources using a common set of criteria.
Widmark, W. 2005. “Textbooks as eBooks: a case study from the University
Library of Stockholm, Sweden”. Against the Grain 17, (1) (Feb): 55-56.
Presents a case study based on the project, undertaken by Stockholm University Library
(SUB) and eLib, one of the largest producers and distributors of eBooks, to provide students at
the University with textbooks in electronic form. The main objective of the provision of electronic
books (eBooks) was to find new ways to manage textbooks and the University Library was set
up to accept and handle eBooks. Pays particular attention to the technical and economic solutions
developed by the project in creating its eBook system and reports on the evaluation of the pilot
project, which determined the reactions of students, only 3 per cent of whom thought the scheme
was bad/very bad. Concludes that the project has answered many of the questions associated
with eBook textbook provision and the Library has continued to acquire eBooks from ebrary,
netLibrary and directly from publishers.
Wilson, R. 2000. “EBONI: developing guidelines for online learning and
teaching resources”. SCONUL Newsletter (21) (Winter): 57-60.
Article included in a Special issue devoted to the celebration of the fiftieth anniversary of the
founding of SCONUL (Standing Conference of National and University Libraries). Based at the
Centre for Digital Library Research, Strathclyde University, the EBONI project is a new 18-month
project developing a set of recommendations for the production of educational resources on the
World Wide Web. EBONI will identify and compare the variety of methods which have emerged
in the publication of learning and teaching material on the Web in order to determine the most
effective way of representing information in electronic books (eBooks), aiming to maximize
usability and information intake by users. An evaluation of texts by an appropriate mix of key
stakeholders including education professionals from higher education and the National Grid for
Learning and students from a range of disciplines and backgrounds will be utilized to develop
guidelines for best practice in the publication of (non-periodical) educational material on the
Internet. The project will also attempt to obtain access to portable eBooks to test the applicability
of these Web-based guidelines to other media. EBONI aims to: evaluate different approaches to
the design of learning and teaching resources on the Web; identify and report on the individual
requirements of academics, students and NGfL professionals in learning and teaching on the
Web; and compile and promote a set of best practice guidelines for the publication of guides,
tutorials and textbooks on the Internet for the UK higher education community.
Wilson, R. 2001. “E-books for
students: EBONI”. Ariadne (27) (Mar).
The concept of the electronic book (eBook) has faced much criticism from the end user point
of view. Explains how EBONI (Electronic Books ON-screen Interface) will look into the usability
of eBooks through user evaluations using students and lecturers from a range of disciplines and
backgrounds. The results of all user evaluations will feed directly into a set of best practice
guidelines for producing educational material on the World Wide Web. Available in January
2002, these will be sent to relevant organizations, targeting publishers of electronic material,
similar or related programmes, libraries and museums involved in digitizing collections and
interested parties in the higher education community in general. In addition, they will be
available from the project Web site, together with an example of a text on which they have been
implemented. EBONI is based at the Centre for Digital Library Research, Strathclyde University
Woo, H. 2005. “The 2004 user survey at the University of Hong Kong
libraries”. College & Research Libraries 66, (2) (Mar): 115-135.
An online user survey, with the option to complete in the print format, was conducted
between February 9 and February 22, 2004. The aim of the survey was for users to evaluate the
performance of the main library and the six branch libraries, to identify any performance gaps,
and to find out user preferences for print and electronic materials. A total of 2,564 returns were
received. The results showed that 68.8 percent of the respondents prefer to use journals online
compared to 31.2 percent who prefer to use print journals; and 71.8 percent of the respondents
prefer to use printed books compared to 28.2 percent who prefer to use electronic books.
Eighty-eight pages of written comments were received covering a wide array of issues.
Worth, R. F. 2003. “Online library wants it all, every book”. Publishing Research
Quarterly 19, (2) (Summer): 57-59.
The Alexandria Library Scholars Collective is a project undertaken by the Alexandria Library,
Egypt, to provide access to large numbers of electronic books and link the world’s other major
digital archives and make the electronic books more accessible through new software. It is
planned to start using the Alexandria software in 2003, African Virtual University’s 34 campuses
in 17 African countries, but the scheme faces staggering logistical, legal and technical obstacles,
including: copyright infringement, high costs and language barriers. Its success will depend on
its ability to raise money from foundations and to forge links with governments and major
universities that can offer access to their own books and materials
Zaninelli, M. 2001. “La lunga gestazione del libro elettronico”, Le Scienze, n.
398 - 10/01
Bibliografie
Ramaiah, C. K. 2005. “An overview of electronic books: a bibliography”.
Electronic Library; 23 (1), pp.17-44
Purpose: The purpose is to bring together all bibliographic references of the published
literature on electronic books (e-books) and related technologies in one source so that it will save
time for others in conducting literature searches and reviewing the developments.
Design/methodology/approach: The information included in this bibliography is collected
systematically from all the published sources in the world such as journal articles, conference
papers, conference proceedings, books, reports and PhD theses on e-books until the last quarter
of 2004. Mainly it covers e-books, e-books publishing, the impact of e-books on different types of
users, e-book publishing techniques and trends, e-book user interfaces and other technologies
related to e-publications. Findings: As computer usage continues to grow exponentially, the
desire of users to use electronic publications (e-publications) has also increased tremendously.
This has led to the publication of materials in electronic form as e-publications on both CD-ROMs
and web. The e-book is one of the several forms of e-publications and its popularity has been
growing steadily for the past decade. Originality/value: This bibliography will be useful to all
researchers conducting research in any areas related to e-books and e-book publishing.
Reale, L. M. 2003. E-Book Italia dossier. Il libro elettronico e l’editoria digitale
umanistica. Cap. 9: Bibliografia italiana ragionata (tradizionale e online) sui
libri elettronici e sull’editoria digitale (1995-2003)
Siti dedicati all’e-book
E-books in academic libraries mailing list.
Archives of LIS-E-BOOKS@JISCMAIL.AC.UK [abstract derivato dal sito
web]
Reale, L. M. 2003. E-Book Italia dossier. Il libro elettronico e l’editoria digitale
umanistica. Versione 3.0, 01 settembre 2003
Sommario: Premessa; Convegni ed eventi italiani sull’editoria digitale e il libro elettronico;
Siti web italiani dedicati al libro elettronico e all’editoria digitale: portali, biblioteche digitali,
librerie virtuali; Forum italiani aperti sul tema del libro elettronico e dell’editoria digitale; Editori
italiani produttori di libri elettronici distribuiti in Internet; Editoria digitale universitaria online;
Libri elettronici gratuiti in Internet: testi di letteratura italiana e in lingua italiana; Software e
hardware; Bibliografia italiana ragionata (tradizionale e online) sui libri elettronici e sull’editoria
digitale (1995-2003); Webliografia/sitografia internazionale di riferimento; Documentazione;
Aggiornamenti
text-e
text-e, le premier colloque entièrement virtuel consacré à explorer l’impact de l’Internet sur
la lecture, l’écriture et la diffusion du savoir. Le colloque s’est déroulé du 15 octobre 2001 jusqu’à
fin mars 2002 [abstract derivato dal sito web].
Standards
Electronic Book Exchange Working Group
International Digital Publishing Forum
The International Digital Publishing Forum (IDPF), formerly the Open eBook Forum (OeBF),
is the trade and standards association for the digital publishing industry. Our members consist
of academic, trade and professional publishers, hardware and software companies, digital
content retailers, libraries, educational institutions, accessibility advocates and related
organizations whose common goals are to advance the competitiveness and exposure of digital
publishing [abstract derivato dal sito web].
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