Book description
E-books have been around for more than 10 years but are still a
relatively new phenomenon to many librarians and publishers. With the
introduction of e-book readers, the e-book has become mainstream, with
recent triple-digit annual increases in sales. But what place do they
have in the library? In this volume, Sue Polanka brings together a
variety of professionals to share their expertise about e-books with
librarians and publishers. Providing forward-thinking ideas while
remaining grounded in practical information that can be implemented in
all kinds of libraries, the topics explored include * An introduction to
e-books, the different types, and an overview of their history and
development * E-book technology: general features of interfaces and
e-book readers, best practices for acquisition, data standards, and how
to track usage * Why e-books are good for learning, and how librarians
can market them to a wide range of users, as illustrated by case studies
and examples This collection is a must-read for librarians who wish to
understand how e-books fit into today's library. "If you have
limited or no knowledge of ebooks, read this volume. Its thorough
presentation is required reading for all librarians who have or are
adding e-books to their collections. Highly recommended." Sue
Polanka is the moderator of No Shelf Required, a blog about the issues
surrounding e-books for librarians and publishers, which won the 2010
Salem Press Library Blog Award for Best Academic Blog. Her intrigue with
e-books began in 1999 with the introduction of NetLibrary and advanced
with the evolution of online reference sources. She has been a reference
and instruction librarian for 20 years at public, state, and academic
libraries in Ohio and Texas and is currently the Head of Reference and
Instruction at the Wright State University Libraries in Dayton, Ohio.
Sue is a graduate of the University of Dayton and the Kent State
University School of Library and Information Science. She has served on
Booklist's Reference Books Bulletin Advisory Board for 10 years,
functioning as Chair from 2007- 2010 and writes a column for RBB, “Off
The Shelf,” discussing electronic reference issues.
