EBooks are a hot issue facing libraries today. As the technology and options explode, libraries are trying to find ways to best serve their patrons. Printed books traditionally graced the shelves of libraries that librarians meticulously maintained, but what will the surge in ebooks mean for the professional librarian's future?
In the summer of 2010, Library Journal and School Library Journal conducted an eBook survey for libraries. The survey measured current and projected ebook availability in libraries and users’ access preferences. Data indicated the following percentages of academic, school, and public libraries that offered their patrons ebooks and circulated preloaded ereading devices[1]:
Offering eBooks
|
Circulating Preloaded eReading Devices
| |
Academic Libraries
|
94%
|
12%
|
School Libraries
|
33%
|
6%
|
Public Libraries
|
72%
|
5%
|
The rising percentages of libraries offering ebooks surely indicates that it will likely - if not already - impact the profession as librarians work towards the accessibility of ebook content. This effort includes: technical complexity of ebooks; distribution of ebooks; cost of ebooks; adaptation of librarians’ skills; widening of the digital divide; and the comprehension of digital information over printed information.
