1 eBooks for Public Libraries: opportunity or threat? Name: Penny Garrod UKOLN University of Bath Bath, BA2 7AY UKOLN is supported by: URL

2 Contextualising eBooks The Government agenda: creating a Learning Society in the Information Age  accessibility  social inclusion - effecting cultural change  ICT - as enabler of learning+access to information  Lifelong Learning - skills and jobs; personal development; collaboration with FE and HE  e-Government/eGIF - government information for all  positioning the public library  developing new services & raising the profile of the public library; best value; new roles for staff + new skills & expertise  cross domain working: museums and archives

3 The e-book challenge Public Libraries  encouraged to be innovative in use of ICT - especially regarding lifelong learning +social inclusion agendas  evolving fast: new services - The People’s Network & NOF digitise programmes; new skills: ICT & learner support... but  need to demonstrate value and impact...  have limited funds, time, and expertise  need to understand challenges presented by ebooks to current service delivery models  can learn from others e.g academic sector & US & Australia experiences

4 Focusing on the end-user your local community and ICT use  learners  the general public  new users  business people  children  disabled people the vagaries of the marketplace  redundancy & advances in technology  trends, fads, & fashion accessories ?

5 some initial thoughts what lessons can we learn from others what technology do we have which could be exploited further? The People’s Network PCs with Internet access

6 considering the options: technology & e-content noble.com Step 1 - choose ebook reader: Acrobat or Microsoft Reader Step 2 - search store - try free titles (out of copyright UK & US classics) Step 3 - download titles to PC/laptop (free or buy) ebook/ ebookeditions.html Gemstar eBook by RCA: REB 1100 or REB 1200 purchase reader and titles direct or Franklin eBookman? (cheap but small screen) Option 1 - cautious approach use existing PCs access free reader software & content purchase titles if above okay Option 2 - “the gambler” purchase dedicated reader(s); loan to groups or individuals

7 Key issues 1. eBooks must add value to printed media: “the computer screen is a terrible limitation versus reading the newspaper” Bill Gates (1996) 2. eBook content: tied to proprietary systems; standards still being developed; Digital Rights Management systems (protects publishers rights - potential minefield for public libraries) 3. impact on existing services and systems e.g. acquisition and circulation policies; staff training issues.....

8 Positioning eBooks within the Public Library in support of Lifelong Learning? to support social inclusion? improving access for disabled and housebound

9 e-books in UK public libraries: the story so far UK case studies: Blackburn with Darwen Borough Council  purchased one Rocket eBook reader - easy to read, backlit screen (105dpi) (can be read in the dark); portable, book lookalike; now superceded  small-scale project - to deliver innovative introduction to IT related to electronic art. (also purchased MP3 players)  see article: 1 August

10 Blackburn’s experiences Pluses  very popular with reading groups - [Stephen King novel loaned] & electronic book club set up  those who used it were excited by concept  purchase ebooks through the modem - immediate access to new titles Minuses  reader is already ‘old’ technology  difficulty downloading new titles  small scale project - single reader tested with small group  one download for one device model (as in US)

11 e-books at Blackburn Library and Information Services

12 others... Market Harborough Public Library and Department of Information Science, Loughborough University (James Dearnley and Cliff McKnight)  pilot studies to evaluate two electronic readers - both models superceded  usability issues - newer models might be improvement??  more from James

13 Lessons from US and Australia Public libraries See... E- Libraries. Supplement to Sept/Oct 2001 issue of Public Libraries. Charlotte & Mecklenburg County (North Carolina) from July 2000 circulated ebook readers  same model used as books on tape, CD-Rom, books on CD and interactive books  2 content choices: preloaded genre titles or user selects titles user agreement essential - user responsible for repair/replacement costs; membership - 6+ months only (no fines/blocks) etc.  lengthy check-out/in procedures required

14 finding your way through the e-book maze  lack of UK business models for Public libraries - (confusion as to what is wanted?)  standards issues yet to be resolved (Open Ebook Forum (OEB))  e-book content: requires the 3 P’s of marketing (Product, Price and Place before can compete with printed book)  Digital Rights Management software controls rights - see model devised for academic sector (JISC): banding based on per-user pricing  plethora of choices: purchase reading device or use free software (PCs/laptops/PDAs); publisher’s e-lists etc.

15 some suggestions  digital talking books - for disabled and housebound readers (OeB and Daisy)  download free software & e-texts onto PCs (People’s Network) - library users and staff can evaluate and practice using them: reader development, homework clubs, staff development, flexible learning....  evaluate digital reference materials encyclopaedias, dictionaries, thesauri, technical manuals, travel guides etc.

16 reading ebooks on PDAs - the shape of things to come?

17 the Open eBook Forum - OeB

18 Daisy consortium - digital talking books standard:

19 MultiReader-

20 Conclusions  be wary - eBooks (devices and texts) still in development stage - low sales reflect this  convergence of hardware devices -market in state of flux (more caution)  younger generation/students/business people are most likely users. They will increasingly own handheld devices capable of reading e-texts (example mobile phones)  free software for use with PCs and laptops - download and evaluate it (some free texts available e.g. out of copyright books)

21 conclusions continued  useful solution for reference materials where texts are consulted rather than read. Where searchability, linking and currency is vital and when text is in short discrete chunks. –encyclopaedias and dictionaries –technical manuals –handbooks (chemistry, physics, nursing...) –gazetteers –others

22 Recommendations  aim to develop strategy to align and integrate eBooks with current political agenda  research potential of e-reference materials  research potential of digital talking books  networking is key - ensure libraries have strong presence at publisher events [note American LA involved in taskforce on OeB standards]  exploit existing hardware and freebies (reader software and content)  join discussion lists: (UK academic) e-book-talk and e-books-l (international)