Join us for an exciting one-day online conference as five nationally- and internationally-known speakers discuss wide-ranging aspects of the growing impact of eBooks on libraries. Brought to you by the Southeast Florida Library Information Network (SEFLIN).
eBooks: Benefits, Challenges, and the Future – Virtual Conference
Sep 21, 2012Â 10:00am – Sep 21, 2012Â 04:00pm
(GMT-05:00) Eastern Time (US & Canada)
10:00 AM Frankenbooks and the Future of eBooks: An Ongoing Challenge – Stephen Abram (Gale-Cengage Learning)
11:00 AM Getting the Most from Your eBook Readers: Tips and Tricks – Chad Mairn (Novare Library Services)
12:00 PM The Shift to Digital – New Models for Course Distribution – Nik Osborne, J.D. (Indiana University)
1:00 PM ———– Break for Lunch ———–
2:00 PM Collection Development for eBooks – Jamie LaRue (Douglas County Libraries, Colorado)
3:00 PM eBook Licensing and Access: Now and the Future – Sue Polanka (Wright State University)
As part of the ALA Office for Information Technology Policy’s work with the Digital Content and Libraries Working Group, several member leaders have requested we develop and distribute communications resources that will support local libraries around digital content issues.
Today OITP released the first of these documents, a backgrounder (pdf) that shares some highlights from the newest Pew Research Center report on “Libraries, Patrons, and E-books,†along with some possible messaging and local angles for leveraging this new research with local media and decision makers.
Among the report’s key findings referenced in the backgrounder:
12% of e-book readers have borrowed an e-book from their library
62% of people don’t know they can borrow e-books from their library
69% of people report the library is important to them and their family
Many people would like to learn more about borrowing e-books
OverDrive’s Next Generation eBook Service to Extend Value of Digital Libraries
(Anaheim, Calif.) – American Library Association Annual Conference – June 21, 2012 – As the nation’s librarians convene this week in Anaheim, Calif., OverDrive will present its Next Generation eBook and audiobook service for libraries and schools, further extending the value of digital collections everywhere. In response to feedback gathered throughout its network of 18,000 libraries and schools, the distributor of eBooks and other digital media is rolling out new features and updates that prioritize ease of use, on demand access across mobile and desktop platforms, and integration with library discovery tools. OverDrive will showcase its Next Generation digital library service throughout the American Library Association Annual Conference (Booth #1362) in Anaheim, June 21 to 26. Continue reading OverDrive announces Next Generation eBook and audiobook service→
Digital Book World sponsored a webinar today, “Digital Content:Â Where are publishers investing and what challenges will they need to overcome?
Speaker:Â Marc Rubner, VP of Product Marketing at Innodata Consulting; mrubner at innodata dot com
Marc presented the results of an Innodata Survey conducted by Digital Book World in April of 2012.
What stuck with me the most was the phrase, “content will now be wrapped in software.” The overall tone of the webinar suggested that content will continue to be developed for direct to consumer consumption, in small packages, designed for mobile devices. A couple of additional comments Marc made were that publishers need to repurpose content, repurpose technology, and take control of customer facing technologies. He felt two big hurdles publishers need to cross with rights management were in global rights management and with libraries and the lending of eBooks. The following are my notes from the webinar.
The Online survey tool details –
366 media execs, sample from DBW subscriber list, conducted April, 2012
31% from adult trade (rest mix of other segments – children’s trade, academic, K-12 education, STM)
Great news from OverDrive about a forthcoming browser-based eBook reader. This should really open up many more ereading alternatives for patrons who don’t have a dedicated eReading device or a tablet. More from the press release:
(Cleveland)– May 30, 2012 – Leading global eBook distributor OverDrive today announced plans to launch later this year a new eBook reading platform, “OverDrive Read.â€Â Based on open standards HTML5 and EPUB, OverDrive Read creates a fresh, direct and immersive reading experience offering significant benefits for publishers, booksellers, libraries and schools. Unlike eBook apps or devices, OverDrive Read enables readers using standard web browsers to enjoy eBooks online and offline without first installing any software or activating their device. OverDrive will demonstrate this new eReading platform at Book Expo America, in New York City, June 5-7, 2012 (Booth #4340), as well as at the American Library Association annual conference in Anaheim, Calif., June 22-25. Continue reading OverDrive Read, a browser-based eBook reader to launch later this year→
Read this news on a Teleread post from last week. Libraries who are lending eReaders, what are you doing to accommodate visually impaired patrons? Are you purchasing audiobooks or another type of device that allows text-to-speech functionality? Is that an acceptable solution for the NFB, to have the same content but in a different format?
Here’s more from the press release:
Philadelphia, Pennsylvania (May 2, 2012): With the assistance of the National Federation of the Blind, four blind patrons of the Free Library of Philadelphia—Denice Brown, Karen Comorato, Patricia Grebloski, and Antoinette Whaley—have filed suit (case number: 12-2373) against the library because they cannot access one of the library’s programs for which they are eligible.  Continue reading National Federation for the Blind sues over library eReader lending program→
Chris Meadows at Teleread has an interesting post about giving eBooks as gifts. In it he references a short CNET video which demonstrates how to send ebooks as gifts through Amazon and Barnes & Noble. Libraries, have you tried this? Have you made your email addresses with Amazon and Barnes & Noble available to your patrons who may want to gift you an ebook? Not a bad idea. Here’s more from Chris’ post and a link to the video. Continue reading Giving eBooks as gifts→
Pew Internet and American Life Project has just released the results of a new study – The Rise of E-Reading. From the report tagline:
21% of Americans have read an e-book. The increasing availability of e-content is prompting some to read more than in the past and to prefer buying books to borrowing them.
by Lee Rainie, Kathryn Zickuhr, Kristen Purcell, Mary Madden and Joanna Brenner
Below are a few of the key findings from the full report:
A fifth of American adults have read an e-book in the past year and the number of e-book readers grew after a major increase in ownership of e-book reading devices and tablet computers during the holiday gift-giving season.
The average reader of e-books says she has read 24 books (the mean number) in the past 12 months, compared with an average of 15 books by a non-e-book consumer.
30% of those who read e-content say they now spend more time reading, and owners of tablets and e-book readers particularly stand out as reading more now.
The prevalence of e-book reading is markedly growing, but printed books still dominate the world of book readers.
E-book reading happens across an array of devices, including smartphones.
In a head-to-head competition, people prefer e-books to printed books when they want speedy access and portability, but print wins out when people are reading to children and sharing books with others.
Mother of Mercy High School in Cincinnati, Ohio recently announced that every student in Mercy’s Class of 2016 (entering this fall) will be issued their very own iPad as part of the school’s techKNOWLEDGEy program. I am particularly excited to report this news as I am a graduate of Mother of Mercy High School.
The school has done a great deal of research and preparation for the iPad launch. Teachers were issued iPads at the start of this school year, they have run pilot programs with teachers and students, and made use of an iPad cart (30 devices for classroom use). According to their website:
Portal on all things ebooks and econtent and for all reading, writing, publishing, curating, and distributing books and other content in digital format, including publishers, librarians, content developers, distributors, retailers, and educators. Managed and edited by Mirela Roncevic, with contributions from professionals and thought leaders in the United States and around the world.
