As a greater number of electronic resources becomes available, retrieving
relevant and authoritative information has become progressively more
challenging and time consuming. Locating relevant information in a timely
manner is critical for both the researcher and the information professional.
Electronic books (eBooks) are one way to enhance the digital library with global
24-hours-a-day and 7-days-a-week access to authoritative information, and they
enable users to quickly retrieve and access specific research material easily,
quickly, and effectively.
It is crucial to not only provide these electronic resources, but to integrate them
into library systems to streamline library operations, as well as promote user
adoption. As an eBook provider, netLibrary, a division of OCLC, Online Computer
Library Center, has been involved in the selection, cataloguing, and distribution
of eBooks. Library users are able to remotely search, locate, and checkout
eBooks from the library’s online public access catalogs (OPACs).
As with any new opportunity, new challenges emerge and utilising the internet to
deliver book content is no exception. Integrating eBooks into the digital library
has created challenges and opportunities for librarians, publishers, and eBooks.
E-BOOK OPPORTUNITIES
The internet has caused an evolution in
the book publishing industry with the
emergence of the eBook. The advantages of
eBooks for libraries are straightforward and
include
Easy access to content
on-demand availability
Prevention from being lost, stolen, or
damaged
Capability to search within a book and
across a collection of books
Ability to be linked to other resources,
including dictionaries and thesauri
Absence of physical space requirements
Device independence for accessing the
content
Access to content using standard web
browsers
Customizable search interfaces
Easy transportation, and
Access from anywhere.
eBooks create new opportunities for
publishers and have revived the scholarly
monograph. They also provide an opportunity
for publishers to maintain a competitive
position in the marketplace. The emergence
of the eBook has given publishers new ways
to serve customers by re-purposing content
and creating living books, which incorporate
text, audio, video, and other resources, such
as dictionaries, thesauri, etc.
E-BOOK DEFINITION
An eBook is based both on emulating the
basic characteristics of traditional books in an
electronic format, as well as leveraging
internet technology to make an eBook easy
and efficient to use. An eBook can take the
form of a single monograph or/a multi-volume
set of books in a digital format that allows for
viewing on various types of monitors, devices,
and personal computers. It should allow
searching for specific information across a
collection of books and within a book. An
eBook should utilize the benefits of the
internet by providing the ability to embed
multimedia data, to link to other electronic
resources, and to cross reference information
across multiple resources.
An eBook collection should be accessible
anytime, anywhere via the internet, requiring
no device but a personal computer to access
the content. An ideal eBook should provide
content of value, the ability to view online, the
ability to download to a PC or view offline,
and the ability to view on a handheld device
or personal digital assistant. Users should be
guaranteed privacy for the content they
access and use and should be able to
aggregate and customize items and content
regardless of format.
Copy and print capabilities for portions of
the eBook should be permitted within
copyright and fair use guidelines. Copyright
protection must be ensured regardless of
whether the content is accessed via the
internet or via a downloadable reader that
allows access to the book offline.
The netLibrary model is based on the
belief that an eBook = Content. Therefore, a
netLibrary eBook is neither a device; nor can
be defined as one dedicated source of
content. An eBook is the content itself. It is
the intellectual property of the author who
develops it and is owned by the copyright
holders. Based on this premise, the content,
even in an electronic world, should be
available to share between and among users,
as content produced on paper has been and
is currently used, while maintaining
compliance with fair use and copyright
regulations. netLibrary has taken the
approach to leverage the internet and the
electronic environment for what they do
best—provide more efficient and effective
means of aggregating, organising and making
content accessible, while retaining the
integrity and essence of the traditional book
industry and the use of content that is easily
accessible and not restricted by devices or
technical environments.
E-BOOK TRENDS
EBooks have become more popular with
publishers, librarians, and vendors within the
past two years. This is evident by the number of eBook initiatives. There are eBook readers,
which can be divided into the following
categories: eBook hardware, Personal Digital
Assistants (PDAs), and eBook software.
There are also electronic ink and paper, print
on demand, and online eBook providers.
The major eBook hardware providers are
Rocketbook, now known as REB 110, and
Softbook, now known as REB 1200, which
have become increasingly popular in public
libraries. The most commonly used PDAs that
allow for downloading eBook content are
being introduced in the market by Palm Digital
Media, Casio, Compaq, and Hewlett Packard.
The major eBook software companies include
Palm Digital Media, Adobe, Microsoft, and
netLibrary. There are numerous online eBook
providers. These include publishers, such as
Gale, Bowker, O’Reilly (Safari), and UMI;
libraries, such as the University of Virginia;
and content providers, such as ED (Baker &
Taylor), Books 24x7, netLibrary, Questia, and
ebrary. National Academy Press reports that
providing its titles free of charge on the Press’
web site has increased print book sales. The
Press views this free electronic offering as a
successful marketing strategy.
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