On challenges and opportunities of e-books

[Colin Dunstan]

John Cox, librarian at the National University of Ireland, wrote a wonderful essay on the challenges and opportunities of e-books. He depicts findings from library and user perspectives, seeking to relate them to other studies and services and to future e-book development.

Edit: I forgot to mention the link. Sorry! Click here for the full article.

Abstract:

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 licencing 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 licencing issues remain highly problematic, representing a formidable obstacle to full exploitation.