Conference Paper: Documenting the Growth and Acceptance of eBooks in America's Urban Public Libraries
This paper by Barbara A. Genco, (independent library consultant, visiting professor, and editor at LJ) will be presented at the upcoming World Library and Information Congress: 75th IFLA General Conference and Assembly in Milan, Italy.
From the Abstract:
This paper and presentation features the results of recent survey of downloadable eContent (AKA eBooks) representation among libraries in the Urban Library Council and Public Library Association. It reveals information on current and best practices among collection development librarians, selection/acquisition methodologies, and identifies trends in American public library eBook downloads, and user acceptance/non acceptance of eContent among Urban Library Council and Public Library Association member libraries.
The first foray of many American public libraries into the eBook format began with the launch of netLibrary in 1998. In the late 90’s and into the early 21st Century regional consortia licensing and small local collections helped public libraries test the viability and popularity of this new format with their library users. Interestingly though, over the last five years most American public libraries that
now offer eBooks to their patrons have left netLibrary (now owned by OCLC) behind and have begun to work with a single Cleveland (OH) based company-- OverDrive. In less than five years OverDrive has partnered with publishers and with 8500 public libraries in the US and Canada to license and deliver over 100,000 titles to public and school library users. Interestingly, even though netLibrary continues and major public library vendors (such as Ingram and Baker and Taylor) now offer eBooks for sale, American public libraries seem to prefer OverDrive as its sole source for eBooks, downloadable audio and music and video content.
What elements have contributed to OverDrive’s dominance in the public library space? Library partners cite OverDrive’s provision of a locally branded-portal to manage their eBooks, audio books, music, and video. Publishers and other copyright holders report confidence in OverDrive’s secure DRM-content protection and user authentication via library card log-ins. Public library collection development staff cite download software that will allow patrons to access quality collections assembled by local collection development librarians while leveraging the new found portability of audio books, music, and video for 24/7 access.
This paper and presentation features the results of recent survey of downloadable eContent (AKA eBooks) representation among libraries in the Urban Library Council and Public Library Association. It reveals information on current and best practices among collection development librarians, selection/acquisition methodologies, and identifies trends in American public library eBook downloads,
and user acceptance/non acceptance of eContent among Urban Library Council and Public Library Association member libraries.
Source: International Federation of Library Associations
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